Legalizing Prostitution - Comments

Oh, and by the way, I meant "anywhere else in Europe", not the entire world. It just came to mind Australia also has it legalized.

I lived in the Netherlands for one year, and it is a fact well known that prostitution is legal there. Women who choose such career are granted with basic health care, they don't do it out in the open, but in proper places for that purpose, they get (at least) the mininum wage and they pay taxes just like everyone else. The people who run said "brothels" (in lack of a better word) have strict rules concerning their girls' safety and health. They get health checks frequently and it is mandatory to wear protection (condom) in every single sex act. The people who seek their services have to sign a term of responsibility to make sure they understand these rules and will follow them. Of course, the Netherlands is a country where people have learned respect a long time ago. If prostitution was to be legalized in my country, Portugal, I don't think people would be pleased and rules would be overlooked over and over. Whatever we do, prostitutes will never stop existing. I believe that the women who choose this path are desperate, no one in their right mind would willingly undergo the treatment these women have to face; it's not just the forced sex with disgusting men, it's (like Graffiti Kid pointed out) the abuse these women face and the uncertainty this lifestyle "offers". It seems to work in the Netherlands, because these women KNOW what is going to happen and they're granted protection, something which doesn't happen to prostitutes anywhere else in the world. A lot of Dutch women even have normal daytime jobs and you wouldn't even guess what they do by night. It's the oldest job in the world and it will never go away. If legalized the right way, it could actually bring benefits to these women and society overall. On the other hand, many girls who aren't too intelligent or are just too lazt to care about an education could think of prostitution as the easy way out. But that's a whole different issue in itself, because it would depend on what kind of education girls would be granted not only at school but also at home. But under a lot of countries (including my own) mentality, this would never be possible.

The biggest thing to me on prostitution is not the fact that many are thrown in jail, but the many that are raped and killed a year. I think it's in their best protection not to be legalized, because if it was you'd probably have even more prostitutes and even more women getting raped and killed.

Sure, there is women that are not prostitutes that are getting raped and killed, but prostitution puts women at a higher risk, not to mention the other problems that go along with prostitution. Drug trade, gangs, sex slaves...there is a lot more issues that go along with prostitution that feed off of one another.

Someone here raised the question how legalizing prostitution would help those who are forced to work in this sector.
For example, it may encourage a forced prostitute to seek legal help. Now she cannot, because she will get in trouble herself for revealing her work. If legalized, a forced prostitute can just walk into a police station and report an abusive pimp or customer without shame or fear.

I fully agree. And as an ex-hooker myself, I can assure all those who think that prostitutes are always pitiful victims, that MANY women - and men - consciously choose this job and actually enjoy it for both the money AND the sex/adventure and are not used or abused by anyone except maybe an overpriced advertizing platform.

Well said. :) Here in Ontario, prostitution in brothels was just legalized, like, a month or so ago. I agree completely with this article.

The only complaint I have is the beginning. It caught me off guard because it sort of dove right into your arguments. It's always good to have an introduction to state what your article is about, your position and a list of reasons which are your argument, your "thesis", if you will. Otherwise, this was great.

Prostitution is legal here in Australia. But as with everything it has rules. Prostitution is only legal if you're working in a brothel. Street walking and escorting you can get in trouble for if you are caught.
If you go to a brothel here in Australia, they also make sure everything is done under safe conditions. Obviously there is security to keep the workers safe. Also, before you have sex with one of the girls you have to go under the 'light' which is where your genitalia are put under a UV light and the girl will look around to see if there is any visible signs of disease. The workers also usually have frequent check ups to make sure they are okay.
One could argue that in Australia its probably safer having sex with a prostitute than it is picking someone up in a bar.
Loved your article by the way. I also think sex trafficking and all that is an entirely different kettle of fish and going down a different road the article was intended for.

Prostitution is one of, if not 'the' oldest profession in the world dating back far past roman times. In places like northern and eastern Europe prostitution is legal and they have far less problems with the law infact the governments there even place taxes on them such as taxing them on floor space in the establishment. The prostitutes there are well looked after and are regulary tested and given check ups.
Yes there will always be instances of forced prostitution and sex trafficking but if prostitution was legalised then they would have to have a permit/lisence to do their job which can be monitored and make those who are abusing the law easier to pick out and prosecute
So as you can see I agree with your argument lol

I understand where you were going with this. However, I don't see prostitution being legalized helping those that are involuntarily put in that position.

I'm all for it :)

This is a very nice article although if you ever do a rewrite I'd suggest using the more general term of 'sex workers,' because there are other sex related jobs that can be deemed illegal thanks to the wording. For example, pornography workers have been arrested under the heading because they are having sex for money.

There's also a lot of misogyny inherent in many of the laws. For example, the legal definition of brothel is so broad in my state that it effectively banned single women (whether, widdowed, divorced or never wed) from running a female only boarding house. It's still in effective today.

Well thought out. Well argued. Very nice.

I think you did a good job researching your article. You [I]did[/I] make good points. I have to give you credit for that.

I have a question for you though, what about Human Trafficking Victims? You said:

“Prostitution is the voluntary sale of a labor service.”

People, who are forced into the sex trade, don’t get that ‘voluntary’ option. If prostitution was legalized, that’s giving pimps the OK to sell people. Those people aren’t just women or men, in their teens and older. Some people being sold are boys and girls, five, six, seven-year-olds and some younger. The people who come here are promised a good education, job, marriage, and sometimes all three so they can live in the United States.

So you have to ask yourself, is it better to go to a specific place where prostitution [I]is[/I] legal, or legalize it and let innocent people who don’t want to be in that situation be raped and abused?

I'm surprised there's no christian extremists on here ranting about sins. Anyway I don't know much about this issue but I have read "Sold" a book about human sex trafficking in India. If legalizing prostitution and regulating it would alleviate the instances of women getting dragged into the trade against their will then I'm sort of confused as to why we haven't already done it. That is assuming that we can properly regulate the trade? Is there any research on that?

I find this interesting! I love the research you put behind it! I personally think it's wrong, but it's technically a "victimless crime."

II always say it's stupid it's illegal, it's their body and it's not hurting anyone.
Though I think marijuna's better off being illegal... just my opinon.
Anyway, very good article!!

I always thought it should be legalized, I totally agree with your points though, it's just a few of many illegal things that would be better off legal.

This is a very well researched article, and you raise great points. Have you considered entering it in this month's article contest?
http://www.mibba.com/forums/topic/174483/