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Is it better to legalize prostitution or keep it illegal

I find prostitution to be distasteful, but I think it is better for the health of society to make it legal.

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paul1967 8 May 2
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49 comments

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14

It's just commerce. If someone wants anonymous sex without any entanglements, and another person has that to offer, why not allow two consenting adults to make the transactional exchange? If there's no law preventing them from having sex without a contract, then why should we interfere if they decide to monetize it? While I find the idea distasteful for myself, I've never cared to tell another adult what to do.

11

Better to make it legal. Health screenings, birth control and not getting beat up by a pimp. I have no interest in partaking but people gonna do what they’re gonna do... prostitution is at least consensual and for that reason should not be illegal.

Do you think if it this question were put on a national ballot it would pass? Most people here are progressive or liberal and therefore more inclined to say legalize it, but my guess is moderate voters, and even some conservative people would see the logic in legalizing it.

@paul1967 I don’t think it would pass. This country is way too christian. Logic only matters to a logical mind.

@ArdentAtheist LMAO. It's funny because it's true and it's sad for the same reason.

11

George Carlin said it best, "Why make selling something illegal that's perfectly legal to give away?"

LMAO Man do I miss him. He didn't have, common sense he had exceptional sense.

10

Legalise it, regulate it, tax the shit out of it like everything else.

9

If someone wishes to be a prostitute, then I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to. However, I do think that there should be some laws put into place to protect those involved, for instance, mandatory use of protection and frequent std testing. I also think it is important to make sure they are not being forced into it.

All good points

9
  1. I thought it was already legal? Congress is already prostituting themselves.

  2. like the no vote choice.

  3. Legalize it for safety. Everyone's safety: sex workers, johns, police, brothers, etc.

9

in germany, switzerland, austria, the netherlands, greece, hungary, turkey & latvia prostitution is legal & regulated, & why would it not? renting out our bodies for any other physical exploit is legal, is it not? how hypocritical can we be?

You're spot on as usual.

@paul1967 😀 thanks & blush

9

Make it legal. Stop the hypocricy.

8

I am a retired nurse with a business degree, well educated and have a beautiful home. I am divorced.
I choose to do what I do because I enjoy meeting men that lie about me not to me.
I also enjoy helping men understand their sexuality from a nurses prospective. The money is great.
I would love to be legal but not regulated, I know that is asking for to much!!!

I swear this isn't me trying to be insensitive or rude I'm just confused are you a sex therapist or an escort? I know you said you're a nurse but I got a little confused towards the end.

@paul1967 @Sunshinegardener is a retired nurse. She never said she was a therapist. She explained why she enjoys doing what she does and what she likes about it, and that she likes the money. You swear it is not you trying to be insensitive or rude, but I would suggest you to try some other way because you came across as insensitive and rude.

8

There is an old saying (I am paraphrasing here): "If people want something, and you make it illegal, you will only make criminals rich." All you have to do is look at Prohibition and our country's Drug War to see that this is true.

I said "if people want something..." Are you implying that you want murder?

@Fanburger You're comparing prostitution to murder? I may be able to see your point if the person agreed to be murdered.

That's true to a point and trust me I get you know this, but there are limits to that philosophy. An example would be underage prostitution. My primary concern is that we legalize prostitution and the criminals who profited from adult prostitution will turn to sex trafficking children.

@Fanburger Legalized murder? Reminds me of the movie, The Purge.

@Fanburger extrapolation is not actual thought!

6

The Greeks and Romans had it right: service in the name of Aphrodite served the state.

RichE Level 5 May 2, 2018
6

Honestly, why hasn't this happened already? Too many people making lots of money this way, on both sides of the fence, and we all know who is getting screwed. Would legalizing help? It would help some folks.

6

Legalize

6

Seems we now have pissed off white male virgins terrerost. This may help less the less radical pissed off virgins

6

I'm just not sure how it would affect human trafficking. If I knew legalizing prostitution wouldn't make it more prevalent I'd vote in favor.

You have a point I hadn't considered. I don't know the answer to that, but my instinct says it might lessen it because the government regulates it and they get taxed like everyone else, but I could be wrong too. Anyways, good point, I'll need more time to consider it.

I think it would affect trafficing by cutting off the supply. If men (or women) were able to go to a place and do this legaly then there would be less of a market for sex trafficing. Also women who are assulted or abused by a client during the corse of things would be able to go to the athorities. As of now they can't do much about it because they would be admitting to a crime themselves.

Legalization would permit law enforcement to concentrate on trafficking rather than harassment of women working to make a living. Trafficking won't stop, but it can be better policed.

@paul1967 there is an interesting documentary on Netflix called Tricked (2013) that discusses the connection between prostitution and human trafficking. I'm not suggesting it's the end all on the topic but it brings a few views to light worth considering.

[m.imdb.com]

@MarlaPaine I will check it out. Thank you

6

We are so far behind other countries on this. Legalize it!

6

Legalize, destigmatize, legitimize, regulate, and tax. Incels will have no excuses.

I was thinking them when i said legalize

I get the hint of satire, and irony yet you're both forgetting another factor. Cost.

If you think that the majority of these "incels" have high paying careers apart from their self destructive lifestyles, whether chosen or inflicted due to mental health issues, can afford a brothel then it's sadly not in the realm of reality.

Not to forget that most of these incels are the most common "slut shamers" out there, so legal prostitutes would be seen to them as 'unworthy' and a waste of money.

While it may not cure these whiny, hot air bags, of their apparent, media hyped desire, to seek out our blood. It'd be a damn fun time for those that seek out sex for the pleasure of sex. I vote legalize.

@DavidAckerman Actually I was half joking with that. I think there would be some effect on incel culture--but some mutated form would likely remain. Like, they would make it about "girlfriendy-stuff" like affection, appreciation, love, dating, emotional support, etc. The same "Wah, girls aren't giving me" but only not about sex anymore.

@BeardedWonder You are obvs more studied up on this than I. Sounds totally legit.

@stinkeye_a
Oh stop it you, I'll blush. 😛 I wouldn't say studied, I'm an armchair psychologist at best; I just try to look at the larger picture.

5

In parts of Europe (Germany) it is legal and the workers come under the government. They get benefits and retirement. I remember a case where a new house opened and the old house sued. The judge said there was plenty of business for everyone and threw the case out.

Even in Australia prostitution is legal, though regulated under state law.

@LetzGetReal We are the prudes of the world (except for the Middle East). And we owe it all to...religion!!

5

It’s been around forever and we’re not going to stop it so why should it be illegal. What 2 consenting adults do when it comes to sex shouldn’t be any of the governments bussiness.

5

Prostitution has long been commonly referred to as the oldest profession in the world. No culture, religion, or government entity has been able to eradicate it. Legalizing the sex-trade would put in regulations and safeguards to reduce abuse and the spread of disease. Legalizing would free up resources and allow law enforcement to concentrate on child sex-exploitation.

I’m afraid there will always be a criminal element in the sex-trade industry. Legalizing it may at least keep it at a more controllable level.

The porn industry has grown with the introduction of the Internet. Escort services and Sugar Baby sites have exploded. Nudity and sex in the movie industry are commonplace. Sex is not the taboo subject it once was with booty calls and friends with benefits, is it any wonder that sex has become a commodity.

When it is possible to make more money in an evening than working a "legit" job for a month it becomes easy to understand that it is a viable option for some. College and University students carrying heave debt with limited job/career options can easily be persuaded to consider prostitution as an option.

Betty Level 8 May 3, 2018

@SpikeTalon

Thank you. 🙂

5

Keep it illlegal. That way prostitution would never happen.

That is a little naive - isn't it?

@DerekD No. Just like drugs. Keeping them illegal means that nobody will do drugs.

@indirect76 ??? exactly

5

The correct answer is: decriminalization. It's not sufficient to 'make it legal' or to make it partially legal.

Hmm, there is a good TED talk about this:

[npr.org]

This goes into a couple of issues related to stigma, prostitution being one of them and it's a fascinating... er... read(?) which covers the issues very well. Prostitution being one of them and the gal who is interviewed does an amazing job of covering the ins and outs of the different forms of handling prostitution from a 'legal' point of view. And the consequences, who is really harmed, from each one.

Also, there is an Adam Ruins everything that adds to interesting historical insight into Prostitution and it's effects (when legal) on society and it's rather surprising... or not, if you are a misogynist.

There, happy researching. 🙂

Here's the podcast with Jan Mackell Collins who studied prostitution in the 19th Century American West and it's affects on society therein. Really interesting stuff and rather (to me) ironic.

[player.fm]

@Gnarloc That was incredibly informative. I had absolutely no idea, but that makes perfect sense. It wasn't in any of my grade school history books, and if it had, I probably would have gotten a better grade. Thank you for sharing that with me.

@LetzGetReal A good research question would be the presence of disease in brothels through the ages (including convents, as there is some evidence the church used them as a sort of brothel). I say this because some of the diseases that you and I know of, and now associate with STDs, were not known, or as prevalent, back in the day... or at least some of the reading I have done suggests that being 'loose' wasn't as much of an issue, back when.

I became an adult in the '80s and fully realize that I dodged the HIV bullet... but, how prevalent was it really at the time? Ie: I had several partners and wasn't very 'safe' but didn't get sick...so, how prevalent were STDs, and specifically HIV, back then?

Again: Good research question!

5

I would say yes, but the exploitation of women does not end with legalization.
It just changes form.

I agree, however, whether it's legal or not, it's happening.

@paul1967 That is true, but legalizing it is not a solution.

@Davesnothere Is the better solution to keep it illegal allowing criminals to profit, diseases to be spread, and having drugs pushed on the women to maintain control over them until we can find a better solution? I'm not trying to be snarky, and maybe you're correct, but it just seems obvious to me that regulation by the government appears to be a better option since no better solution has been offered up over the last two thousand years. plus years

@paul1967 Except that legalization in Europe did not stop any of that, it just drove it underground. Sex slavery is still rampant.

I do not think the solution is in law, nor do I think it is attanable anymore than utopia or an end to war.
I think the only real solution is for humans to elevate their own sense of worth, to value other humans as much as themselves universally.

I am not holding my breath on that.

5

Geeze.... Lets just give it away, give it away...
Watch "Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away [Official Music Video]" on YouTube

UH, just so you know, they were talking about their music.

"The lyrical meaning behind "Give It Away" is centered on the philosophy of selflessness and altruistic behavior. . . .When Kiedis was looking through her closet he came across a jacket he liked, and commented to Hagen that it was "really cool".[9] Upon expressing this, Hagen immediately told him to keep it. Her reasoning behind this selflessness was due to an attempt to constantly make her life more enjoyable, and explained to Kiedis that "if you have a closet full of clothes and you try to keep them all, your life will get very small. But if you have a full closet and someone sees something they like, if you give it to them, the world is a better place."[9]

The act was something that affected Kiedis significantly because he had never before experienced such an enlightening ideology on life. Growing up in Los Angeles, he had always thought differently from Hagen. Instead of giving material possessions away and being free thinking, the vocalist believed one must take what one wants, as no one else will provide.[9] Instead, he now adopted Hagen's philosophy: "It was such an epiphany that someone would want to give me her favorite thing. That stuck with me forever. Every time I'd be thinking 'I have to keep,' I'd remember 'No, you gotta give away instead.' When I started going regularly to [drug and alcohol] meetings, one of the principles I had learned was that the way to maintain your own sobriety is to give it to another suffering alcoholic. Every time you empty your vessel of that energy, fresh new energy comes flooding in."

The Band was talking about sharing their music, much to the record companies dismay

Listen to it again and think music instead of sex and you will see it all fits, its a double metaphor

@Davesnothere. Thanks Dave.... there went my joke...lol. BTW... I didn't know that.

@BucketlistBob I like you, Dave, you're weird but in a good way.

@Knd502 most double metaphors have an element of humor to them

@Knd502 because it sounded like he missed it and only got one side and I am fond of that poet

5

I say legalize it. If not, create red light districts. I could never pay for sex or get involved with that sort of a lifestyle. I always felt like if I had to pay for sex, I would be stooping to a new low. I understand people will pay for sex, but it is their own choice.

I agree, and my girl Rosie Palm would give me hell for paying for it anyways. Too much info... yeah it was, but that's just because I don't have a working embarrassment filter.

@paul1967 There is nothing wrong with self-love. Sure it maybe a mental image, but we all make love to our selves, right? I have been told by other guys they don't do that sort of thing, and I say bull$h!t on that.

@countrylife LMFAO If they don't then shame on them.

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