Why is Prostitution Illegal?

[Twilight_guy]

It's illegal because it's taboo. It's taboo because we live in a society who have morals based on judeo-christian tradition. This tradition says that relationships must be monogamous so no sex with random people. Therefore its frowned upon to have multiple partners but the law can only limits prostitution because that's one of the few things it can have power over.

If prostitution was legal, because its potentially dangerous, STDs and all, prostitutes or their employers would probably need to have a license and occasionally receive inspections. Food vendors go through similar procedures to ensure that their food is safe.

 

[Lucifron]

The problem is when Amateur Annie is behind on her rent and decides to put herself on the market for some extra cash. How can you keep track of that? Now in my opinion sex is a lot more fun then accounting or carpentry and I'm sure you'd agree. Rampant part-time prostitutes would be everywhere as a decent looking woman could easily get $500 a week with as little as 5 hours per week, our slutty female workforce would albeit disappear since they can easily get paid with far less effort. Do you think Amateur Annie is going to claim this money as taxable?

You are right that sex is more fun than most jobs, but I don't believe that the situation would worsen at all. The situation really isn't different from when Carpenter Carl opts to refurbish his neighbor Friendly Fred's porch for 500$. I also have severe doubts that every other woman would in a snap become enthralled by the idea of prostitution just because it's legal.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I think, because with every thing you do, you need to be careful. You can remedy bad selling, and forget about bad sex. But you can't really remedy STD's, so if you get one you are screwed. Since a lot of people refuse or just don't use proper protection from the get go, spreading an incurable disease like HIV doesn't seem like a really good idea.

PROBLEM! Alcohol is sold and alcoholism is a disease. Tobacco's sold in various manors and it can be extremely harmful in various ways depending on consumption type.

Also, to the point of sex being an addiction, so are each of those, yet they're sold just fine.

You can break the addiction of alcohol and cigarettes, though. When you get AIDs, there is no going back. Therein lies the difference. Your life is now on a very short timer, and you can spread it fairly easily to someone else too.

Bullshit argument is bullshit.

AIDS isn't limited to prostitution. You can give sex away for free, ya know... Nobody holds every person you sleep with to a disease screening except you. If your standards are lax or the person you're sleeping with had one moment of indiscretion, jig is up.

A legalized prostitute would have to be subject to constant testing that your normal person would not as a job standard.

Let's not play the disease card on something that is freely given every second of every day. It just distracts from actual facts and actually works in favor of legalized prostitution instead of against.

 

[teisjm]

It's legal in Denamrk where I live, guess we just have less of a crucifix/other relegious symbol up our asses here... But then again, the politicians were debating about making it illegal.

The STD check/licence thing the OP mentioned might work out perfectly fine, could also include yearly/halfyearly mental checkup.
With legal prostitutes, it might be harder for evil people to sell women as sex slaves as well. So you'd end up with way less prostitutes who was selling themselves against their own will.

Making prostitution illegal doens't solve the problem with prostitutes ruining their lives cause they cannot fathom the consequences for theyr psyche (if it's true what anti-prostitution people say, that it fucks with your brain), they'll still sell sex, just look at countries where it's illegal
It only makes the prostitutes more vulnerble, cause they have to hide what they're doing, which makes it easier for sick fucks to abuse them.

 

[Dags90]

Hehg, all I'm saying is the other legal 'bad things' can be overcome/fixed. HIV can't. I don't believe it will be totally legal until they can cure AID's personally.

You do realize that with advancements in HIV/AIDS treatment, HIV is not a "you have X years to live" deal. People live for decades with it now, healthy productive lives even. And again, it's your responsibility who you sleep with, this attitude is seen in AIDS wherein people with HIV/AIDS aren't legally obligated to inform their partners of their status (though deliberate deception may be illegal).

 

[nick n stuff]

i see your point but it's highly immoral and by making it illegal a deterrent is put in place. think that's how it is seen by the guy who came up with the law. i wouldn't legalise it mind

 

[Kagim]

Well, my only guess why the government doesn't step in and regulate it is for 3 reasons.

First off In Canada we have less the 50% voter turn out. Meaning most of the voters are lobbyists and religious fundamentalists. These people do not want prostitution to be legal. Since they make up most of the 48-49% of voters they get there wish and it stays illegal.

Secondly if the government actually makes it legal and regulates it people will lay blame to the political party if anything negative happens in it. One underage girl lies her way into a brothel and whichever party is the reason for it happening. "If only those Conservative bastards didn't legalize it that girl never would have got the job!" Now we both know that's stupid but I find most people like to blame the government for anything that happens. Unless its a good thing they do, at which point no one says a word...

Thirdly it could just be hard to make sure everyone is paying there taxes. They do have the same trouble with contractors. I mean has anyone here done some home construction for a friend "as a favor" despite being paid? I remember my dad telling me about how a number of contractors he met working at a hardware store like being paid in half or whole cash so they can lie about what they make.

That's what i can figure at least.

 

[Insanum]

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

Most of the issues you mention are issues regarding involantary prostitution. This indeed should remain illegal, but I don't see why creating legal establishments that are well monitered and regulated by the government should make that issue any worse. In fact, if people know there are legal places to buy sex then they may not be as likely to find illegal ways of doing so, making the business less profitable for your aforementioned pimps.

They would be unlikely to set up such businesses in residential areas too so I don't think the point about people living nearby would be too much of a problem.

As for people asking non-prostitutes for sex, well, that could be a problem but perhaps they could create some kind of indicator common amoung all brothels so people know.

You seem to be under the impression that legalising prostitution means just saying to pimps "Okay, what your doing is now allowed". It wouldn't work like that. Underground selling of counterfeit cigs and certain beverages is still illegal but there are legal places where the products can be sold more safely.

Sorry for the late reply (i was asleep. Damn sleep, Cutting into my debates!).

The problem is forced[/I] prostitution is a large part of the industry, and whilst i accept that there are people that willingly take part in the industry, they are in the minority. It would be naive to think that legalising the industry would eliminate that problem.

Its human nature to want to have sex, and i was on the "legalise" side of things upto the age of 18, but once you see these people, and i was informed about a lot of the side to prostitution that a lot of the general public don't know, you realise that you shouldn't need[/I] to regulate the industry - It should remain banned, And it should have more police attention.

 

[demoman_chaos]

The problem is forced[/I] prostitution is a large part of the industry, and whilst i accept that there are people that willingly take part in the industry, they are in the minority. It would be naive to think that legalising the industry would eliminate that problem.

If prostitution was legal, those that are forced into the industry could come forward. With it illegal, they can't because they are afraid of being locked up. Those girls wouldn't be near as afraid (they may still be scared by their pimps, who would be getting desperate since they would be losing quite a lot of business) to talk to the police and report what is going on. Since more would be reporting it, there would be more raids and arrests leading to a major decline in forced prostitution.

Okay I was quite enjoying reading this thread and the different opinions, but this paragraph has signalled my departure. Seriously that's the most incredibly stupid statement I've ever seen.

Chickens don't have support systems for disadvantaged chickens, or charities for foreign chickens who can't support themselves. In fact, we have domesticated chickens.

Wait, I'm not een sure how to respond, that's just so ridiculously stupid.

It was not meant to be a truly serious post, but chickens don't abuse said support systems and charities like humans do. A large portion of people on welfare are exploiting it, thus taking away from those that need the help. Do chickens exploit the good will of their fellow chickens?

 

[Insanum]

The problem is forced[/I] prostitution is a large part of the industry, and whilst i accept that there are people that willingly take part in the industry, they are in the minority. It would be naive to think that legalising the industry would eliminate that problem.

If prostitution was legal, those that are forced into the industry could come forward. With it illegal, they can't because they are afraid of being locked up. Those girls wouldn't be near as afraid (they may still be scared by their pimps, who would be getting desperate since they would be losing quite a lot of business) to talk to the police and report what is going on. Since more would be reporting it, there would be more raids and arrests leading to a major decline in forced prostitution.

(once again, No offence) That's a Niave way to look at the world. If the women are being forced[/I] into working the trade, and fearing for their lives if the quit/run (which a good 95% are) they aren't breaking the law per se - They wouldn't be charged if the police raided a brothel and they told the police about being forced into the trade.

Most of them are so scared they wont admit to being forced.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I think, because with every thing you do, you need to be careful. You can remedy bad selling, and forget about bad sex. But you can't really remedy STD's, so if you get one you are screwed. Since a lot of people refuse or just don't use proper protection from the get go, spreading an incurable disease like HIV doesn't seem like a really good idea.

PROBLEM! Alcohol is sold and alcoholism is a disease. Tobacco's sold in various manors and it can be extremely harmful in various ways depending on consumption type.

Also, to the point of sex being an addiction, so are each of those, yet they're sold just fine.

You can break the addiction of alcohol and cigarettes, though. When you get AIDs, there is no going back. Therein lies the difference. Your life is now on a very short timer, and you can spread it fairly easily to someone else too.

Bullshit argument is bullshit.

AIDS isn't limited to prostitution. You can give sex away for free, ya know... Nobody holds every person you sleep with to a disease screening except you. If your standards are lax or the person you're sleeping with had one moment of indiscretion, jig is up.

A legalized prostitute would have to be subject to constant testing that your normal person would not as a job standard.

Let's not play the disease card on something that is freely given every second of every day. It just distracts from actual facts and actually works in favor of legalized prostitution instead of against.

Hehg, all I'm saying is the other legal 'bad things' can be overcome/fixed. HIV can't. I don't believe it will be totally legal until they can cure AID's personally.

Lung cancer is pretty damn fatal but we still have cigarettes...

And, again, I am going to point out the fatal flaw in your thinking. Sex is freely obtainable for a high number of people, a lot of which lack discriminating tastes in partners. Soooooooo, how does keeping prostitution illegal do anything but make prostitution illegal? Your logic only supports legalizing prostitution as it would subject them to testing and scrutiny.

 

[Continuity]

I have never fully understood this. As the late (and great) George Carlin said, "Selling is legal, fucking is legal. Why is it illegal to sell fucking?" "Why is it illegal to sell what is perfectly legal to give away?"


Sex is legal when its free, but illegal when you pay for it. It doesn't make sense to me.
Here is my proposed solution. You have to have a license to be a prostitute, which requires a weekly STD test. Fail the test, lose your license.

Any ideas why prostitution is illegal and any idea ideas on how it would work if it was legal (like the above mention license)?

its not illegal, so far as I understand the law anyway, its soliciting that's illegal (in the UK). but there are many good reasons for prostitution to be regulated by the law, many prostitutes are extremely vulnerable maybe drug addicts or maybe immigrants or effectively slaves to their pimps. its better to outlaw all prostitution than to risk sanctioning the abuse of women.

 

[Jroo wuz heer]

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

child labor (in my opinion, I didnt create this law)along with statutory rape, are illegal because childs minds are viewed as easily corrupted and manipulable, so adults could take advantage of them. (i.e. pressure them into working for minimum wage or lower, or in the case of statutory rape, having sex)

 

[darkorion69]

If you are not a prostitute, and have never been a prostitute...how can you say factually what percentage of sex workers are forced in to the sex trade?

Are you all aware that HIV does not kill you in a few days, or weeks...it takes YEARS to end someones life. Additionally you can have sex when you are HIV Positive with condoms and not spread the disease. There is some risk of transmitting HIV, but I hate when people act like an HIV suffer has a Death Timer and can never have sex again.

As to whether I would be proud of any of my three children being prostitutes...the answer is a resounding yes. I have been paid for sex on more than one occasion and there is no shame in it for me. If one of my children (of legal age to have intercourse) wants to be a prostitute I will tell them about the risks but I would not presume to tell them that it is evil, wrong, or that I respect/love them less for their choice.

But I figure the 'Prostitution is Always Exploitation' posters on this thread are not approaching this with an open mind. Is it so hard to admit the possibility that objective morals are horse crap? Morality is subjective and I wish people would stop acting like it is Written in Stone.

 

[kinggingerman]

every issues related with prostitution is because its illegal, the criminal part, violence rape murder. its all cause its illegal, legalize it and regulated it. its no longer criminal. the violence rape and murder and abuse would skyrocket down to almost nothing.

when you make some thing a crime that should not be a crime, it becomes a crime. if you made worms illegal, uncle bob would have to go to the mafia to get his worms for fishing. and he might get killed for wearing a wire cause officer dennis was going to send him to jail for 20 years for illegal worm use.

Watch penn and teller by any chance

 

[Westaway]

Well, because they don't want prostitution to be a back up plan. If it was legal, every broke gal would become one. Keeping it illegal lowers the amount of them out and about.

 

[antipunt]

There are a lot of good arguments in this thread against prostitution.

I feel more educated.