what is morally worse.. to be a pimp or a prostitute?

Question

question was asked to be re-phrased so here goes.. in YOUR opinion.. would YOU consider pimping worse than prostitution .. based on YOUR MORALS or ETHICS!

Answer 1

Neither. It is morally worse to perform either profession poorly, to use another person badly, or to surrender your own ethical code in order to perform that task. I have known highly moral prostitutes, and I have known highly moral agents who acted in the best interests of their clients. The difference between a prostitute, a masseur, or a sexual therapist is a question of training and semantics. The difference between an agent and a Pimp is criminal intent. I used to babysit for a Korean Prostitute who was abandoned by her husband and could find no other employment that would feed her family. She refused to go on welfare and she refused to let her children starve because her degree was not recognized in the States. On the other side of the apartment, there was a Woman with four children. She was quite famous for trying to sell her food stamps for cash, or for trying to borrow anything from milk for her kids, to beer for her friends. She was quite proud of the fact that she was not a prostitute, but her basic means of existence was to arrange to meet and cohabitate with a soldier, who would provide for her and the "rats" until the "scumbag" ran out on her and she would have to find another "sucker!" (Her terminology, not mine)

The Korean woman's "Pimp" was the owner of the "tea house" she worked for. She took a percentage of her "business" to keep the place open and provide protection. She did not offer the woman drugs or alcohol to keep her enslaved, nor did she use any emotional blackmail or try to manipulate her. Her favorite saying was "there's the door if you want it. I only want happy girls in my home!" She lived over the bar, and did her own laundry. They pulled in a stripper from a nearby city on Friday through Sunday, and none of the girls were allowed on stage (it was de-meeeeaning) I was allowed in the bar, but was only allowed to sit with the girls if someone was bothering them. I was "not a customer!" (Story of my life. I have always been the safe one, especially when I didn't want to be! - sigh -)

I wold say that there are two possibilities that you left out. Is it morally worse to be the Pimp, the prostitute, the scam artist, or - - - the customer!?!

Answer 2

I don't think that either is if it is the result of helplessness or something. But when you say morally worse that needs some clarification. Morals are are ever changing from culture to culture and from time to time. Is divorce bad? A century ago it was bad in India but it has become an socially accepted way out from a mistake. I read some where that in some communities sexual techniques were taught to the women so that in an even of their husband's untimely death the woman can work as a prostitute and raise her children. So what I'm trying to say is that nothing is moral or immoral but the intention behind doing it determines whether the act is moral or not.

Answer 3

People have been trading sex for other things for longer than human history. Almost everyone who CAN do it DOES... even if it's just a husband or wife occasionally using sex to make their partner feel better instead of gratifying themselves directly.

At its core level it is just an exchange. One service for another. The only way it could be immoral is if one of the services were completely wrong or exchanging were completely wrong. Yet without sex we don't have a human race, and without exchange with don't have a society. Nor do I think it can be more than hypocrisy to allow one form of trade of this nature but forbid another.

Judging which is 'worse', therefore, is impossible to me. If selling sex is not immoral, how could it be immoral to facilitate that sale? Neither activity seems intrinsically ethically objectionable, so one cannot be 'worse' than the other.

Which is not to say that there aren't other things associated with either of these activities that ARE immoral. Some pimps use threats or drugs for force their prostitutes into service. Some prostitutes continue with their business even when it is a danger to other people (like when they know they have a sexually transmitted disease). Criminalizing these behaviours just tends to encourage the negative side and stomp out the positive side. But perhaps that's an answer to an entirely different question.

That's my take, anyway, for what it's worth. Peace.

Answer 4

A pimp; prostitution is a bad situation for a woman (or man) to be in, but as a prostitute there is always the opportunity to get everything together, without any extraneous and unnecessary fears. A prostitute "working" under a pimp has to fear for her life or well-being in many situations, thus making it harder for her to stop her prostitution. Prostitution itself, if it wasn't for the fact that it leads into a dead-end path, would not be so bad in my eyes.

Answer 5

I think it's clear it has to be the pimp, who is exploiting someone ELSE's body and putting them at physical risk for money, while the prostitute only risks her own self and doesn't put others in danger. In fact, I have a hard time imagining an ethical system in which prostitution was worse than pimping ... it'd be really twisted!

Answer 6

Everyone should be allowed to do as they please provided it goes no harm to others. Prostitution should not be a criminal offense. If it weren't then there would be little need for pimps. Pimps exploit and terrorize women to make them have sex with others and give the money to them. Pimps are extortionists and do positive harm and are, for that reason, much worse than prostitutes either from a legal or moral standpoint.

Answer 7

Pimping often involves the "grooming" of someone for a life of a prostitute that often involves making someone addicted to drugs and using physical violence and psychological control.

A pimp is a predator in my view and most of what they do is criminal.

Anyone pimping is a coward in my view and poor excuse for a citizen.

Prostitution generally exists around the world out of a place of poverty and desperation. With very few exceptions, most people who prostitute have very distinct histories that lead them into sex trade work that leaves long lasting emotional scars.

Pimping is an act of aggression -- often against young women.

Prostitution is an act of desperation.

Answer 8

When one chooses to be a prostitute, they are hurting themselves and sometimes their customers. Pimps take advantage of the prostitute and the prostitute's customer, making the pimp slightly more morally corrupt.

Answer 9

People have to do what they have to do to survive. I have no problem with either person--in some countries, it's legal, so where is the morality there? It's a legal issue, not a moral one. Who is anyone to judge either? Maybe the many, many people who rely on these services should be held accountable morally. But that's not even in your question, so for me, it's not a moral issue.

Answer 10

a pimp is morally worse than a prostitute...
most of the time innocent girls are dragged into this business..
some do it for their needs .... but a pimp do it for money ....

but a prostitute.... not all prostitute sell their body for money ... either they are forced in this business or they have no choice left for feeding ... its morally wrong but have u ever thought what a woman will do if her child cries for food and she get no work to feed... ppl take advantage of such types of women .......

i feel pimps are the main reason for the existence of prostitution ...