What do you think about making prostitution legal?

Question

In my country there have been talks about this, but then the church got involved and the whole project was ended. What do you think? What are the pro and anti arguments?

Think about the fact that they are doing it anyway. I would be happy if none of those girls would be on the streets anymore, but they are, legal or not.

rp121121 legalising would at least make it safer (periodical medical check)

rev richard, that can happen even while it's illegal, actually legalising it wouldn't make it more probable. A 15 years old girl wouldn't be able to do that legally anyway - there are rules for minors, aren't there?

Answer 1

Interesting! Never thought about this before. Thanks for the thought-provoking question. I think I'm torn.

I think it is a woman's (or man's!) own porogative if she wants to sell her body for money. It's not my cup of tea, but I honestly don't think anybody has any authority over another person to tell them who they can or can't have sex with whether it's for money or not. I have a HUGE issue with the gay marriage ban....because again, I don't think that any person has the right to tell another person who they can or cannot marry. (Of course, if the people are of age, legal citizens, of sound mind, etc.) You know what I mean. So I think if the country could regulate prostitution, it would be okay to make it legal. I mean, if the country set up standards and procedures such as periodical STD testing, ensuring that contraceptives are used at all times, drug testing the prostitutes, and so forth. If the government could get involved and really clean up the process and make it less gross, then it could be a good thing. Prostitution is always going to be around anyways- there's really no way of every truly stopping it whether it's illegal or not. I'm 100% positive that if it is made legal, there will be a LOT more prostitutes and a LOT more people seeking the company of prostitues, which is not necessarily a good thing. But, if it is made legal, it is also a lot less enticing....just how drinking becomes less fun and riskay when you actually turn 21...because we are ALLOWED to do it, it sortof takes the thrill out of it. I think our world is moving out of the conservative view of life and are moving into a more open era. Sex is talked about a lot more openly and it's no longer considered BLASPHEMY if you have sex before you are married. It's a little more socially acceptable to have numerous lovers, and so forth. So I think if a person enjoys having sex, is good at having sex, takes care of their body, takes the right precautions, and so on...then why not be able to get paid to do it for a living? You all know you know that person who has sex with people like it's their JOB already...and i'm sure that person would LOVE to be getting paid every time they did it. They'd be millionaires. haha. Anyways, I know I rambled a bit. I think some cons to legalizing it would be, like some other people said, that it would be a lot easier for people to cheat on their spouses...which I think is rotten. Also, I think a lot of people (girls) would drop out of high school at 16 and think, "Hey, I can just have sex for a living and make a lot of money. I don't need an education." And if that becomes the case, I think our world would be a much darker place. I think a good solid education is the best tool a person can have in the entire world. Hmm..I guess I'm done. Thanks for the question!

Answer 2

I'm very much in favour of not making prostitutes criminals. I don't even think there's a problem if legalisation leads to there being more prostitutes, PROVIDED they're treated well and can practise their profession safely. The danger is that legalisation will lead to the development of a class of respectable, well-treated prostitutes (which is fine), whose existence will obscure and even legitimise the existence of an underclass of ill-treated, unhappy prostitutes.

But it doesn't have to be that way. I don't use prostitutes, but I believe that they provide a service that some people need and benefit from. And I think that a good deal of the damage caused by prostitution has far more to do with society's attitudes and with the involvement of abusive individuals.

If prostitution can become an accepted and well regulated profession in which people can work and provide their service without being badly treated, looked down upon, or exploited, then this is a very good thing. And, judging from the history of some other trades, I actually think that it can. But it will take more than legalisation (which is a first step); there needs to be a major shift in attitudes.

Answer 3

The rich have high priced "call girls". They never get busted. In fact it's acceptable behavior if your "rich". The hard working American who decides to "chance it" ends up either getting ripped off, a disease or arrested. To make matters worse their name gets published in the paper and they may end up losing their job. Additionally the government is always raising taxes on essentials trying to balance a runaway budget. If prostitution is legalized it can be taxed, monitored (keep it disease free) and taken out of the hands of criminal gangs and mobs. Besides, I'm sick and tired of religious zealots telling me what "God" wants.

Answer 4

It is a victimless "crime" and the only real arguments against legalizing it i.e. association with other crimes would disappear if it were legalized. The other arguments are based, as you mentioned, on a given moral system, and morality should not be the basis for law.

Ultimately there is no reason to not legalize prostitution. I certainly don't need a law to keep my morals and don't see why anyone should be forced to observe anyone else's.

Answer 5

Prostitution is wrong, and I believe that the state should not condone what is wrong by recognizing it as a legitimate activity. Also, you know, drug dealers also work on the streets, still you would not want to have them legalized (though it would have certainly boosted state revenues).

Answer 6

I think its bad to legallise it when one day u wake up and u see your fifteen year old daughter standing at the town square and advertising her self you will know it means to legalise it

Answer 7

I think it's a terrible idea. Legalizing it isnt going to make it any safer, or any less wrong. Theres a very small portion of men who are actually still faithful to their wives. We can kiss that goodbye if we make prostitutes even easier to find. More and more people are going to bring stds home to their 'loved ones', more and more women are going to end up murdered, and more and more young girls are going to turn to that to make a quick dollar. Its shameful that people are actually considering legalizing it.

Answer 8

It wouldn't affect me, I think its actually a legitimate career. The only problem would be the church, but unless naked women are throwing their bodies at cruxifixes, it really shouldn't matter to the church either. I understand that they are trying to 'save' everyone, but thats impossible unless we force everyone to attend church.

Answer 9

I think it could curtail the spread of disease and make lots of revenue for the state, but prostitution is very bad psychologically for the women who are employed in it.

Answer 10

i think prostitution is one of the ways, for a girl to end up dead, sick and insane. i don't think anything positive comes out of prostitution.