Why is Prostitution Illegal?

[ZippyDSMlee]

Prudish fou American values is the reason why its illegal in most of the US(2 or 3 states have it legal its just difficult locations and what not to keep it up and coming...er I mean up and running....), in order to run one legally you need the er...staff be tested regularly and maybe even the patrons.

So lets say it was legal and regulated, most cities would ensure that the locations are out of the way for them on the outskirts of town making it hard to get patrons then add on fees for the city,ect there is just so much you have to do making it legal wont really help. At least not like it did for booze like it would for weed/mushrooms/flowers.

As I said before you have a permit and license both cost 500$ each one covers general knowledge over what you are growing and producing (this can be done for home brews,liqueur,ect ) get caught selling to a minor 5K fine 5 year suspension and you have to retake and re buy the permit and license.

 

[Insanum]

-Snipped for attention-

Right, We have a whole stigma of problems here. Ill try and list some[/I] of them. (Please note, What im saying applies to the UK mainly)

1. People Trafficking
2. STD's
3. NIMBY's
4. Safety
5. Moral Standpoints.

Ok, So:

1. We've all seen the image of the "pimp". The problem is, These people are real, And they arent nice people. The problem is, A lot of the girls (i cant quote figures, Im fairly certain they dont exist) dont want[/I] to be in the industry. One such instance where this is the case, is when people have been trafficked into the country by gangs, To serve in such an industry. To explain, Let me give you an example;

You're a girl (who can be as young as 13) from an unspecified Eastern European country. You've been talking to someone who's offered you the opportunity to come live and learn in a country with a better education than the one you're living in. So, You take him up on the offer. You meet him at the airport & fly to your new home. When you get there he takes you to an apartment with a few other girls from your home area. he takes you into a room, and suddenly, that nice man who has brought you away from your friends, Family, and your old life, Changes. He takes away your passport & tells you that you belong to him. You will do as he tells you, or he will hurt you, Or your family.

Thats one problem with the industry - These girls are terrified[/I], to the point that they would lie for these scumbags.

2. STD's - People dont see beyond "Prostitute" - They dont see that its a human being, that has been given a disease by someone else, Just like any other person would.

3. NIMBY's - "Not in my back yard"'s - The last thing you want is to look out of your window and see a prostitute. You also dont want your area crawling with curb crawlers.

Imagine if Your girlfriend (or you if you're female) was walking home at night, And a car pulled up and asked if she was looking for business. Thats not very nice for one, And its also threatening, as this man may not take no for an answer.

4. Safety - You can see some of the issues ive listed above, Plus These girls are outside at all times & conditions, in sometimes, Relatively little. You've got the sexual health issues, and dont forget that one slip, and you're pregnant. Then theres the risk of rape, Assault and in extreme cases, Death. We've all seen the new articles about people murdering prostitutes.

A lot of the girls are drug addicts, And that is an evil spiral - They get into the industry to make some money, and then to numb the mental/physical anguish of what they are doing they become addicted to harder drugs, like heroin. Then, instead of working to pay off a debt, They work to pay off the drug habit.

5. Moral Standpoints - As the (UK) law stands, It isnt illegal to pay for sex - It is illegal to solicite (i.e Curb crawl). You've got to also ask yourself, Look at the people that you[/I] sleep with any of them? If you've got to pay for it, Then theres a problem.

Those are just some of the issues. I could go on all day, But ive got other stuff to do.

 

[supermaster1337]

What you have all said is reasonable but I have to formally disagree they are not the predominant reason.
The main reason is RELIGION! It is illegal due to religious beliefs.
I researched it myself and this is the conclusion to the question.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

Prostitution is illegal because if it wasn't, strip clubs would go out of buisness.

 

[Ken Sapp]

Why is it illegal? Because the Bible tells us it is immoral.

Should it be illegal? No. The arguments against legal prostitution are fallacious in my opinion. Legal prostitution would lead to fewer of the criminal activities that currently surround its practice and if instituted and enforced correctly would reduce the incidence of STDs.

 

[swolf]

The same reason why Child Labour is banned. Because it's immoral.

I am against it as well but there's a few problems with the statement you made. For example, why should they gov't be in charge of dictating what we do based on their views on morality? Is it immoral to charge so much for medicine? If you reduce the cost of medicine then how would they pay the people who did the research? Also, how can one argue that a person choosing to give it for free is more moral than one charging for it? How is it moral to not allow a person to charge for a service that they choose to do? See what I mean? Like I said, I'm against it (as I'm against other issues) but have trouble trying to rationalize why it shouldn't be done without my reason being ripped apart. I guess, I figure that it would be better to legalize and regulate things that people are going to do anyways than simply make it illegal. Though it's reasons like this why I will never become a politician...I end up disagreeing with myself...I dunno...

Prostitution is illegal because if it wasn't, strip clubs would go out of buisness.

I think they'd take a drop in profits but there are still people who want the tease instead of just the services of a prostitute. I would say that it would be cheaper to hang out at a strip club for a while to "get ready" for the prostitute instead of paying for the prostitute for a while. Though I do see your point. Also, with prostitution being legal, would your partner go to a strip club or prostitute (if you had to choose one)? Many would say the strip club. Also, the strip club's cheaper. You pay a cover (approximately $3-5 dollars though can go up from there), pay the dancers (that goes by the hour so I'll guesstimate...um, $20-30 sound fair?), a lap dance or two (approximately $30 if I remember right). So, a 2 hour trip to the strip club equals to about $65-95. How much would a visit to the brothel cost? I remember seeing The Bunny Ranch on HBO and they charged a bit more than $100 for one hour. (I didn't add the cost of alcohol because I don't drink at strip clubs, makes money slip away too fast. Though, if you want to add that...well, let's say you drink 5 drinks at between $5 and 10 a piece, that's an extra $25-50.) Though, I would guess that if prostitution became legal, then why wouldn't a prostitute work at a strip club? I mean, that would seem like an ideal place to work...so, all the above math is useless...oh well, it was a fun waste of time.

Its a "morality" issue right now. Hell, in most states even strippers can't be fully nude.

That always makes me feel ripped off...though, on that particular subject, I've been to one which had an 18 and over side and a 21 and over side (where you could drink alcohol) separated by a wall...you actually had to go all the way outside to enter the other side. Anyways, for some reason, the 18 side had full nude, the 21 side didn't...thought that was odd.
BTW, I'm a married man now so I don't really go to strip clubs that much anymore. The above statements were made from when I was younger and used to go more often. Though, if I find a strip club with male strippers, I will apply/ tryout for a job there. It's good money that I can use for college...my wife says she doesn't like the idea but could get used to it if the pay was worth it. If I could make the same amount doing a job that's "more acceptable" than she would prefer I take the other job.

 

[Billion Backs]

Religion, mostly. And culture. But given all the superstition surrounding just about every culture, and general religious impact, culture and religion are pretty damn close.

With 80% of the world still admitting to being theistic, old habits die hard.

By the way, the same reason why homosexuals are still prosecuted in many countries. And not allowed to marry (although in my opinion it's somewhat different. Call me a cynic, but marriage is a religion thing. A civil union, as long as it provides all the same effects from a legal point of view, is as good (or bad, depending no your view towards marriage).

 

[Miumaru]

The same reason why Child Labour is banned. Because it's immoral.

Assuming the OP is talking about the USA, then that is flawed reasoning. The law in the United States is not about being ethical or 'right', but about being fair. The only reason it's illegal is because no one has seriously tried to press it into legality. Although I personally agree that it is 'immoral', that reasoning just doesn't fly.

Anyways, I fully believe it should be legalized.

1. Reduces spread of STDs/STIs (via weekly checkups)

2. Sex crime rates diminish because people no longer need to break the law for what they want.

3. Increased revenue for government by taxing licenses prostitutes

4. Increased protection for prostitutes. I'm sure we all know the stories of them getting killed and dumped in the river.

The only downside I could see is that society may become so sex-oriented that it starts to impede with more important things. But considering that this is already happening, this would just be icing on the cake.

People need to stop assuming letting something be legal that is morally ambiguous will lead th world to some lawless hell. No one ever seems to want to suggest giving it a chance it seems. Not like after legalizing it, if it actually does start to ruin the world we could make it illegal again.

 

[Kakkoi]

In the US certain states have legal brothels. And Most of them have very strict policies regarding STD testing and such.

 

[quantumsoul]

I think it was made illegal to by the Christian Church to promote marriage and family unity which helps increase the population, especially with all the warring that used to go on in medieval Europe.

Now that population size is more than stable, such a thing isn't quite necessary, but once you make something illegal long enough it becomes so taboo that making it legal again doesn't get much support.

Like if you made beans illegal because they made people fart(especially if you have religious reason "though shall not fart"). Keep that law for a 100 years or so. People will think eating beans is immoral. Maybe not the best example but I think you get what I mean.

 

[demoman_chaos]

-trimmed-

During prohibition, many criminal organizations did quite a lot of evil (I'll skip the details for time's sake), which stopped nearly completely once alcohol was legalized.
Anything regulated generally becomes much less abused. If regulated and legalized, there would be a lot less girls on street corners. Brothels would reappear and most of the business would take place inside the brothel. Pimps would be out of work since illegally selling something legal doesn't work out very well, or they'd become legit businessmen.
For every issue, there will be NIMBY's. They are unavoidable, but they aren't unignorable.
Morality is really up to the person. It is not up to a government of other figurehead to decide what is and isn't moral. It is up to everyone to decide for themselves what is moral.

 

[IxionIndustries]

Because the government can't tax by sperm count.

 

[Hiphophippo]

It's ridiculous that it even is. By making it legal we remove the shady part of it.

Sex: Give it away all day long for free, but don't dare charge a dime for it.

dumb.

 

[Dags90]

In the US certain states have legal brothels. And Most of them have very strict policies regarding STD testing and such.

It actually isn't whole states, the only place I've ever heard of for legal brothels in the U.S. is whatever county just outside of Vegas. And look what's happened to Vegas! Celine Dion.

That's why prostitution is illegal, fear of hammy Canadian singers.

 

[martin's a madman]

I'm pretty sure where I live prostitution isn't illegal, but solicitation is.

 

[KSarty]

Because governments have forever believed that people need to be protected from themselves, plain and simple.