legalize prostitution?

After the many points raised in concern of these recent murders in suffolk I wonder whether our society should make moves toward the legalising of this age old profession.

Is it it is naive for us to think that the sex trade will just disappear? Perhaps it is time for us to acknowledge it, accept it and perhaps bring it out into the open.

Legalized brothels could mean big business for some and a safe and secure environment or others. I hear that about 40 UK prostitutes were mudered in the last decade and none of these cases have been solved.

Perhaps in time it could even become a beloved part of our culture? ie. fathers taking they're sons to a brothel on his sixteenth birthday...kind of like a coming of age thing.

For women it could offer a new, and possibly socially acceptable, occupation. I personally fail to find any flaws in this idea. Except that to might offend the more morally conservative of the populous.

Any thoughts?

no,
but it should be monitored or treated differently by the Government.

Originally posted by infinite
no,
but it should be monitored or treated differently by the Government.

right...any particular reason why you don't think it should be legalised?

First off I don't care whether people pay for sex or visit 'sex-workers', it's none of my business as far as I'm concerned.

Personally I'm all for as much 'harm reduction' as can be managed.

In the case of prostitution that means, IMO, safe areas to work, legislation protecting sex-workers and giving them the same rights any other worker fairly expects to 'enjoy'.

The 'world's oldest profession' is never going to just go away, we can either continue to pretend this is something that only happens to other people's kids and/or that they in some way deserve the kinds of abuse they regularly encounter
or
we can put the matter on a legal footing exercising control and try and impose civilised standards on 'the business'......as well as contributing to a general improvement in the sexual health of the nation (rising cases STI's/STD's are a growing problem)
Just say no plainly doesn't work and neither does maintaining a policy of criminality.

So why not?

It is done elsewhere successfully AFAIK
(although I have been more than a little surprised to hear Police representatives on the British news publicly claiming it has not worked elsewhere......which if he reports I've seen from Germany and Holland are correct is not only a dreadful misrepresentation of the truth but it amounts to a flat-out lie to the British people).

[edit on 18-12-2006 by sminkeypinkey]

posted by sminkeypinkey

First I don't care whether people pay for sex, it's none of my business as far as I'm concerned. I'm for as much 'harm reduction' as can be managed. In the case of prostitution that means, IMO, safe areas to work, legislation protecting sex-workers and giving them the same rights any other worker fairly expect to 'enjoy.'

The 'world's oldest profession' is never going to just go away, we can either continue to pretend this is something that only happens to other people's kids or that they in some way deserve the kinds of abuse they regularly encounter or we can put the matter on a legal footing exercising control and try and impose civilized standards on 'the business' . . as well as contributing to a general improvement in the sexual health of the nation . . Just say no plainly doesn't work and neither does maintaining a policy of criminality. It is done elsewhere successfully AFAIK although I have been more than a little surprised to hear Police representatives on the British news publicly claiming it has not worked elsewhere . . which if the reports I've seen from Germany and Holland are correct is not only a dreadful misrepresentation of the truth but it amounts to a flat-out lie to the British people. [Edited by Don W]

As a young American service man stationed aborad in the ‘50s and ‘60s I had occasion to encounter young ladies of the night. I will not name the places because that is irrelevant. As an impressionable youth, I can recall hearing the story of Jacob - later Israel - sojourning and coming across a prostitute who took his signet ring in return for her favors. Apparently Satan had put her there to trick Jacob into propagating offspring outside the tribe of the Israelites, God’s own select people. The closing verse is, “ . . and he spilled it on the ground.” Early birth control. That story embodies a lot of lessons. That an important man would pay well for female intimacy. That the methodology of human reproduction was understood. That sexually transmitted diseases were not important. That it was a man’s world.

Over here we have always had prostitution and we have always had the religious imperative against it. One of the most notable was Pauline Tabor, who ran a bordello in Bowling Green, Ky, home of Western Ky Hilltoppers of basketball fame. She relied on college girls as her “sex workers” as you have so politely put it. She retired in 1972, wrote a book and sold a brick from the house she ran for 50 years, with a book that was not a success. I believe Nevada is the only state where prostitution is legal, best known for the Mustang Ranch.

Prostitution underwent a sea change when the pill was invented and became widely available. The pro’s basically disappeared and the amateurs took over. Later that group of unskilled workers were trapped by pimps and drugs. Most prostitutes today are helpless, addicts and victims of a cruel society that cares little about them. There is no glamor in street walking. That is a sad commentary on the most religious country in the Christian world!

I am totally for the legalization of prostitution.

Originally posted by surrender_dorothy
Is it it is naive for us to think that the sex trade will just disappear?

Either naive or stupid or just wishful thinking on the part of some people. It's the oldest profession. It ain't going no where! I don't know what people are so afraid of!

Legalized brothels could mean big business for some and a safe and secure environment or others.

Exactly!

Except that to might offend the more morally conservative of the populous.

Again, you hit the nail on the head. Those who call themselves morally conservative (like Mark Foley and his pals in Washington DC) would be appalled at the idea.

But I love it! I think it's the right thing to do.

As a point of interest the NZ government legalize prostitution recently. Personally I don't see why prostitution shouldn't be legal as long as people aren't forced into the profession. The Police shouldn't go after people due to there moral choices it runs against a free society. Plus there are many other crimes where people have been harmed in some way that the Police could be investigating.

Just my 10 cents.

Legalizing prosititution would create more problems than solve. Who knows, with all these insane people in society some might decide to sell their children into prostitution, and perhaps some children might see it as an easy way to make money. Legalizing prostitution would be a gate way with loop holes for the many thousands of pedophiles that plague society today.

Originally posted by laiguana
Legalizing prosititution would create more problems than solve.

- I think the word is (from places that have already decriminalised and/or legalised this matter) that it frees up scarce Police resources to go after other problems.

Who knows

- I think this shows you are expressing your own opinion based on your just guessing and inventing.

.....which you are of course free to do and are welcome to do - just as anyone else is free and welcome to point this out.

with all these insane people in society some might decide to sell their children into prostitution, and perhaps some children might see it as an easy way to make money.

- Who said anything about making sex with children legal?

How would paedophilia be relevant to this?
A safe legal and regulated environment would absolutely not be the kind of place where "some people might decide to sell their children into prostitution".

You won't find sex between adults and children legal in those states of the USA that have legal prostitution, nor in Germany nor in Holland.

Legalizing prostitution would be a gate way with loop holes for the many thousands of pedophiles that plague society today.

- I'm sorry but I really fail to see the connection between consenting adults agreeing to buy and sell sex from and to each other in a safe, legal, healthy - and above all regulated and controlled environment (as opposed to today's utterly uncontrolled environment) and paedophilia.

Originally posted by laiguana
some might decide to sell their children into prostitution,

Some already do. Do you think the law is preventing someone who is sick enough to sell their child into prostitution from doing so? Selling children into prostitution would still be a crime.

and perhaps some children might see it as an easy way to make money.

Some already do. Do you think a child who would be in a position to become a prostitute would decide against it because it's against the law? Child prostitutes would still be a crime.

Legalizing prostitution would be a gate way with loop holes for the many thousands of pedophiles that plague society today.

Do you think pedophiles are concerned about the law? What does decriminalizing prostitution have to do with children???

The people who would do it illegally are the ones who are already doing it illegally.

Just for the sake of clarity it is worth pointing out that prostitution is legal in the UK and always has been. What is not legal is:

running a brothel (i.e. a house with two or more prostitutes)
soliciting prostitution
controlling prostitution for gain (i.e. pimping).

some information on relevant laws...

www.cps.gov.uk...

Originally posted by surrender_dorothy
right...any particular reason why you don't think it should be legalised?

Because the Government should aim, over time, to completely end the whole trade. There was an editorial today in the Independent that spoke about end prostitution.

Originally posted by infinite
Because the Government should aim, over time, to completely end the whole trade.

But why? What's your reason for wanting it to end?

What's wrong with it?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
But why? What's your reason for wanting it to end?

What's wrong with it?

its exploitation of women.

selling one's body as a trade is just plain wrong.

Surely that's just a prudish point of view though isn't it?

Ignoring the criminality that may surround the trade for a moment how can it be wrong to sell an aspect of your body for one purpose such as sex, but perfectly legal to sell another aspect of your body and its performance such as e.g. labouring or even singing??

OK, there may be a pretty strong case for making Robbie Williams illegal but I'm not really sure what the distinction is other than some slightly Victorian sensibilities.



[edit on 20-12-2006 by timeless test]

posted by xpert11

The NZ government legalized prostitution recently. I don't see why prostitution shouldn't be legal. The Police shouldn't go after people due to their moral choices; it runs against a free society. Plus there are many other crimes where people have been harmed in some way that the Police could be investigating. Just my 10 cents. [Edited by Don W]

Somehow I always think of NZ as being a time wrapped 19th Century Presbyterian redoubt debating the merits of the 21st century. To learn they have legalized prostitution tells me if they can do it, anybody can. Two of the most common venereal diseases, gonorrhea and syphilis, have afflicted humankind from the first. Because the former has a 7 days incubation period and the latter around 20 years, the causation was not well known or understood until the 19th century. We now have a whole range of STDs that are far more serious. The public’s health demands we address this problem rationally. I suspect the cost of legalization would be much less than the cost to treat these maladies. (All the more you could say this about drugs.)

But the real reason that makes me a supporter of legalization is to get close to the woman - and a few men - who are out there on the street corners of America, rain or shine, warm or cold, sick and hungry and addicted to a half dozens body destroying practices. It’s my belief that almost of them have serious emotional issues. It is my belief that almost all of them have endured long term economic disadvantage. They live in bad neighborhoods, associate with bad people, and fall victims to the sly and canny who know how to exploit another persons weaknesses to their own advantage.

These people need help - our help - across the whole social spectrum, to acquire the skills, get their own problems under control and to have a decent place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear without selling themselves to the next stranger who may happen along. I have two nieces, one was born selfish, the other was born selfless. I know that is a small sample but it looks pretty good to me, that about half our population have no regard, no compassion, no sharing, for the other half. The givers and the takers. Oddly enough it is the takers usually make great hoopla around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Maybe even they have a conscience?

Originally posted by infinite
its exploitation of women.

SHouldn't that be up to the woman to decide?

selling one's body as a trade is just plain wrong.

Morally wrong? What if a woman doesn't think it's morally wrong? Doesn't she have the capacity to decide if it's 'wrong'? What's wrong with two consenting adults having sex for an arrangement that's none of our business?

When a man takes a woman to dinner and then has sex with her by her full agreement, is that morally wrong?

Is modeling wrong? That's selling one's body for trade... Almost any 'entertainment' profession could be considered selling one's something for trade.

It's the sex thing, isn't it? When it all comes down to it, people seem to have an idea about sex that it's dirty, nasty and sinful and should be saved for the person you love...

I've no major reservations about prostitution being legalized but I'm not sure it will completely solve the problems we currently see, especially in regards to the recent murders. Would a legalised brothel employ a herion addict...probably not so she'd just go back out onto the streets vulnerable to explotation, violence etc. True professional working girls and boys already have a degree of autonomy and control over how and when they ply their trade, the girls so tragically murdered were in a downward spiral of addiction and abuse.

Very true, ubermunche. Legalizing prostitution wouldn't solve any of the related problems in society, like child prostitution, drug use and addiction, forced prostitution (which are all illegal). It wouldn't be meant to solve any of society's ills. It would simply make legal something that harms no one, provides a service, provides jobs and that's happening anyway.