Legalizing prostitution in the U.S. has been a long-standing debate … and one that is picking up steam as of late (Legal + Prostitution = 187,000 Google hits).
According to American Thinker, the Pretty Woman myth is dangerous and glamorizes a lifestyle no one should be emulating:
Street prostitutes often service as many as ten to fifteen men a night; little wonder that they age rapidly and get tired out and used up. Often they end up drug-addicted, bruised, and battered, often at the hands of their pimps, who take most of their earnings and get rich. Prostitutes call their work “paid rape” and note the friends who “didn’t make it out alive.” Nearly half of the women in prostitution attempt suicide.
Although prostitution is legal in many countries, statistical data shows that there is more than meets the eye to this pro-legalization argument. In famously relaxed Amsterdam, for example, 80% of the, uh, work force report working against their will, and 60% of Germany’s prostitutes aren’t there by choice either. I cannot imagine being coerced into selling my body for money, but evidently an underground gang-like network exists in many of these countries where refusing is not an option. Ouch. And Australia’s two-year-old legal prostitution system has resulted in a 91% increase in HIV-positive women. Double ouch.
Freelance writer Wendy Gittleson recently countered with ten reasons why prostitution should be legalized in America. Her main point focuses on the health of the prostitutes through regular health screening, although I am pissed thrown off by her terminology:
It’s good for the health of her customers (johns): Legalized prostitution would allow the state to require that all prostitutes take regular health exams, helping to ensure that she or he is not carrying a sexually transmitted disease.
I mean, the first (and theoretically best reason) for legalizing the so-called oldest profession is for the health of men? Uh, WTF?
Herein lies the bone that I have to pick. We are a society where, if a guy sleeps with a lot of girls, he’s a stud … but if the reverse is true, the woman is considered a slut. In both fictional portrayals and the media, men seem to get off (so to speak) with an apology and a simpering smile. After reading this, I almost want to applaud Ashley Dupre for coming out on top of the debacle with Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer!
And on a totally related note …
Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz (what the hell is going on over there at Harvard, by the way?) publicly referred to prostitution as a “victimless crime” and spoke out in defense of Spitzer, his former student.
Dershowitz told MSNBC shortly after DuSpitzGate:
I feel that this is an America-only story that we have to put in perspective. You know, big deal, married man goes to prostitute! In Europe, this wouldn’t even make the back pages of the newspaper. It’s a uniquely American story. We’re a uniquely, you know, pandering society and hypocritical society, when it comes to sex.
Do you think prostitution will ever be legal in America? Should it? Would regulation make it more palatable, or is it just another way for women to be dragged down?
I have nothing positive to say about prostitution; the world would be a better place without it, as far as I can tell.
There doesn’t seem to be much a problem in Nevada,and no one is forced to work in their brothels. They also have a couple of guys working at one of them,although I can’t imagine they are servicing 10 clients a night. It is a victimless crime in an adult consensus. And on the way home you should be able to stop at Buds r Us and pick up some pot.
Just because someone isn’t ‘forced’ to work in a brothel, doesn’t mean that it’s all flowers and rainbows.
I think the legalisation of such practices make it easier for the women who WANT to be prositutes to be prostitutes, but I just can’t imagine how many of them there really are. I would expect that most women have been convinced that this is the best they can do in life, have been sucked in by what they think would be a luxurious and lucrative lifestyle or are actually forced into it by someone else.
Is your argument really that they can’t want to do that kind of work? because you could use that logic to ban so many jobs; burger flipper, janitor, hotel maid, chimney sweep, meat packer… the list goes on forever of what people settle for to pay the bills.
Joey I agreed with everything you said on this page so far.
In the early 20th century, prostitution was legalized in New Orleans in the Storyville district and it was a successful and safer environment for all involved. The military had issues, however, with their men going and getting their rocks off in Storyville and so it was shut down.
Prostitution should be legal and regulated, like any other industry. Take away the shame, take away the abuse, and legitimize it. Our problems with prostitution are rooted in hypocritical morality, racism, and classicism.
The reason I think prostitution should be legalized (or possibly decriminalized) is purely for the safety of the woman. The way it works now is, a woman has a pimp who takes a good percentage of her money to “protect” her, but in reality is likely to be abusive and shady as hell.
In a legal setup, you’re more likely to be represented by a brothel run by a woman, or at least an ethical man. These brothels have cameras and security systems, and they have security to check up on each of the prostitutes to make sure they’re alright and not being raped/beaten/strangled/whatever.
Being a prostitute is dangerous, and it penalizes women who are in the line of work because they’re desperate.
I also think this would help cut down on underage prostitution, because the public takes a much harsher view of men to take advantage of homeless teenagers. Separating the two out, I think, would lead to good things.
I can’t decide whether legalized prostitution would be a good idea or not. On the one hand, the likelihood of a prostitute being represented by someone who isn’t going to beat the crap out of her is probably higher, but I don’t think the abuses of prostitutes will go away, either.
If you were to abuse one of the ladies in a Nevada brothel you’d go to jail.
Bullshit that it’s better for the health of the customers or prostitutes: because the end of prohibition was better for the health of alcoholics.
It will just make more pimps, more prostitutes, more people thinking that it’s ok to pay for sex, and, ultimately, more problems for tax payers to pay your elected government official to ‘fix’.
It would mean an end to pimps,girls wouldn’t need them. Lots of people died or became sick from illegal booze during the prohibition. The only people who really benefited from prohibition were the mafia,they cried like babys when it was repealed.
I’d like to point out that drug cartels and mafias are currently benefitting from the fact that prostitution is illegal. They are very involved in sex trafficking operations – drugs, guns, and women are all send down the same pipeline.
But yeah Joey is right – legalized prostitution means no pimps. Nobody puts up with pimps when prostitution is legal, because the prostitutes have a more legitimate option for a broker – a brothel owner. Plus, the prostitutes don’t have to fear reporting abusive men.
Also, prostitution isn’t called “the oldest profession” for nothing. Legal or not, it will always exist. And I frankly don’t have a problem with someone visiting a legal brothel to pay for sex, provided that person is not cheating on anyone and is free of STI’s.
I don’t have a problem with legalizing prostitution. I agree with those who have said that it would eliminate the pimp population and provide women with a safer and more controlled environment in which to work. And Shannon makes a good point: it is the oldest profession in the world, and it will continue to exist. As long as there are men who are willing to pay for sex, and women willing to be paid for sex, prositutes will exist.
Let’s not forget that all prositutes are destitute, street-walking addicts. Some are high-end escorts. Some are regular women who are just trying to keep food on the table, and maybe taking a few clients once or twice a week allows her to provide for herself and the others who depend upon her.
Legalizing prositution could lead to increased safety, decreased levels of STDs and STIs, decreased levels of crime, which in turn could allow law enforcement agencies to focus efforts on other types of crimes.
I just think adults should be able to make their own decisions about their life, whether it be prostitues, pot, or anything else.
I will never forget this story. Back in the early 80′s the company I worked for was under going a tax audit. I worked with the auditor for 6 weeks. At the end of this time he suggested to me that I become an accountant for high priced call girls. He believed that they needed someone they could trust that would manage their money and investments so that they could exit the field quite wealthy. He explained that it wouldn’t be illegal for me to do so.
I do think that prostitution should be legal. I have no problem with 2 consenting adults engaging in something that benefits both of them.
I always found it quite interesting that an IRS auditor was telling me to do this.
better to be a prostitute in a brothel in a safe environment with required condoms, etc, than be walking scary streets! legalize it.
I have been a long time activist here in Oklahoma City (since 1996) targeting public, forced and organized prostitution. I focus my efforts on documenting the reality of street level prostitution and lifting the anonymity that empowers the Johns.
Legalization is not the answer and simply creates more problems. Look no further than Nevada. Even though prostitution is legal in all but the largest counties, Nevada still ranks as a top 5 state in the USA for illegal sex trafficking and rape. Nevada is also a top 10 state for illegal prostitution arrests. Legalization has not helped the problem.
Additionally, legalization does nothing but encourage young women who would not otherwise consider prostitution and victimizes the most vulnerable segment of prostitution. Under a legalized & regulated system a woman with a STD, drug addiction and/or a felony record would not be eligible to work. Those traits are most common amongst the street prostitutes – the segment most complained about by the public.
Additionally, if you actually read well researched books on Nevada and foreign prostitution you will find it is not all romance and roses. I recommend reading ‘Making Sex Work’ by Mary Lucille Sullivan and/or ‘Prostitution & Trafficking in Nevada’ by Melissa Farley.
Brothels are anything but safe. Most brothel prostitutes report having a pimp on the outside. Also, most Nevada brothels do not even allow the prostitutes to have a car on the property.
Here’s an example of the street prostitution in my city http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdE2EepMQQY
You do make a great point about women with drug addictions and STD’s not being eligible to work. However, there’s a good solution to that too, that apparently isn’t used in Nevada – treatment programs. Nevada, I believe, takes a very tough stance towards drug addicts, choosing incarceration over rehabilitation and treatment. I think there’s an opportunity within the legalization of prostitution to direct women who aren’t eligible to free treatment programs and clinics where they can be treated for STD’s, addictions, AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES which frankly tend to be the root of all of these things (drugs and prostitution). I do not think that any state has an adequate safety net for these women; I work at a nonprofit that takes in women struggling with mental health issues, drug addiction, domestic and sexual violence, and homelessness. Most of the women are dealing with all of these things at once, and many do have a history of prostitution – it tends to be survival sex and a means to get money for drugs.
Like I said, it’s a nonprofit, not run by the state. But my goodness, I wish every state had more of these places. The women come to us and immediately get a case manager who helps them get set up with NA/AA meetings several times a week, plus outpatient rehab if they need it (many are coming straight from inpatient rehab), mental health and chemical health support groups within the facility, a psychiatrist to prescribe any necessary meds for underlying mental health problems (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolarism are all common), job skills training, college courses, really everything they need to get their lives back on track.
The average stay is 6 months, and in that time I’ve seen women completely turn their lives around, going from a homeless addict to a self-sufficient, contributing member of society with a job, able to pay for subsidized housing, able to get off welfare.
I think that legalizing prostitution AND getting more of these facilities in place at the same time would really help with this kind of thing. Moving from a criminal standpoint to a rehabilitation view works. It truly does. America imprisons a higher percentage of its citizens than any first world country, yet we still have the highest rates of crime and drug use. Hmm, clearly it’s not working. What have we got to lose by trying something new? Now I don’t think we should just legalize everything, but there’s a difference between a drug dealer and a drug addict. Our justice system doesn’t really differentiate between the two, and I think it’s time to. Because we’re dealing with social problems by locking people away and not dealing with them, so all they do is re-offend and jails have revolving doors. In and out, in and out, with no chance or resources to change. Jailing prostitutes is not a good idea, because people don’t want to hire anyone with a record. So by incarcerating these women, we’re actually ensuring that when they get out, they have even fewer opportunities to change. What other choice do they have than return to the streets? Legalization and the implementation of more facilities for women to clean up would mean that the women who really don’t want to be prostitutes have the opportunity to change. And the women who DO want to be prostitutes won’t get beaten up by pimps.
Shannon, I just want to thank you for the great work you do–these sort of non-profits are of tremendous value, and those that work for and with them do not get enough credit. :-)
Aww thank you! I mostly just do phone answering and help keep the place running (they have a “mall” where the women can buy donated clothing and toiletries for points they earn from chores, and it constantly needs to be reorganized), but it’s the most fulfilling thing in the world. I encourage anyone who has a bit of spare time to find some place like this in your community and volunteer. It will give you a new perspective on a lot of things that you may have not fully understood before. I know I’ve learned a lot about how interrelated a lot of issues are, and how devastating poverty is. But I’ve also seen how a little bit of help can go a long, long way. And how strong these women are, to pick themselves up and work so hard to carve out a life for themselves, after suffering for a long long time.
youre nothing but a fucking bully! you say youre out to expose the “johns”, but have you given any thought to these girls who you are humiliating at the same time? i suspect you dont give a rats ass. i love how you call yourself an “activist”. is this it? well done!
ii can see it is purely based on your distaste for the industry and (or at least the “segment” that is in your neighborhood) you dont give a damn about these girls.
youre the kind of guy who will jump up and down about legalizing it. so whats the alternative then brightspark? ever occur to you that they have no where else to go because you and your asshole friends feel the need to imply your rules and regulations. and believe me, the “johns” will go wherever the girls are. they came there for a reason other than to ruin your day. and yet you still complain…
you are a fucking wanker!!
You can’t use Nevada crime statistics in comparison to other states,Nevada is a catch basin for the down and out,drifters,petty crime and drugs. Most of the problems you’ve related to are caused because of “street prostitution”,not organized and legal prostitution. I personally knew a woman who put herself through college working weekends at a Wells Nevada brothel,with her car parked in the employee parking area.
People seem to forget that Nevada and Arizona are also meth capitals of the world. OK, maybe not that bad, but the drug and alcohol problem is huge. I do belive that has a lot to do with the street prostitution.
I live here….
Re: Arizona… Joe Arpaio scares the crap out of me. He’s the epitome of what’s wrong with being tough on crime. I DO think he has some great policies (especially w/ arresting deadbeat dads), but he’s all for mass incarceration of what I consider to be petty crimes and social issues crimes. He’s going to have a huge mess on his hands when suddenly all of his inmates are being released en masse into a society that will not give them jobs and housing. Especially when a dude who gets arrested for smoking weed or possessing crack is sent to prison and housed with more dangerous criminals, and learns how to commit more crimes, escalating upon release. They don’t call jail the school of crime for nothing. Criminals actually view it as a place to learn more about their craft. This just isn’t sustainable – more and more people are going to be caught up in the system and it’s going to explode, sucking up more resources and taxpayer dollars. Look at California right now – their prisons are bursting at the seams, giving offenders shorter sentences, but it doesn’t help because those offenders just commit more crimes and come back in. It’s just a dangerous merry go round.
By legalizing prostitution, we might be able to alleviate some of the shame involved with the transaction. And by removing the shame, then the women involved might be more likely to seek help when abused or drug addicted or whatever.
By continuing to shame the women who are prostitutes, we are just making sure they never feel confident enough to seek out any sort of help.
Prostitution isn’t going away. It is the oldest profession. Men will always be looking for a woman who will accept money in order to play out whatever fantasies he can’t act out in his own home. And there will always be women who either want to perform that function or feel like they have no other choices.
But if we stop shaming the women who are prostitutes then maybe we can being to change the culture. And for a rule-oriented society such as ours, legalization is the first step to legitimization.
If it’s my body to do anything else with, why the hell can’t I sell it?
I see no possible justification against legal prostitution. If you have issues with abuses, deal with them. If pimps are a problem, make that illegal. If you’re worried about women being ‘forced’ into it by economic necessity, celebrate her ability to decide that sex is less bad than flipping burgers – an option she decided against.
It’s completely stupid to make illegal a fair business transaction.
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yo girls i cannot wait 4 the expendables to come out! It’s gonna be awesome!
While I appreciate you quoting me, a link would have been nice. Maybe then, your readers would have had a more accurate picture.
Unfortunately, the formatting changed for the Examiner and the numbers I had up there are no longer there. Regardless, like many “top 10 lists”, the top listing is number 10, the least important reason. If you care to read further down, the health of the women rates higher on the list. The number one reason and the only reason that really matters is that it’s a woman’s body. As long as she’s causing no harm, she or he should be free to do with it as she or he sees fit.
Here is the link to what you’ve quoted.
http://www.examiner.com/social-justice-in-national/10-reasons-we-need-to-legalize-prostitution
Hey :) Your piece is linked following “Freelance writer Wendy Gittleson” (recently countered with ten reasons why prostitution should be legalized in America.) I checked it out, and it links directly to the URL you posted above.
Thanks for clarifying about your number order, though :-)
by the way. i am a prostitute in new zealand where it is legal. i live a good life and im happy. i thank god everyday that i dont live in america :(
i just want everyone in the industry to be okay, and more importantly healthy. i follow prostitution and its culture all over the world. and i know its really uneasy to say, but i think america is one of the worst.
we legalized prostitution here based on logic and common sense. american working girls seem to held down by a sect of society who believe that if they yap and flail about how its so “degrading” . could you guys get hold of a thesaurus at your next wanker meeting and come up with a different adjective. i feel like im reading the same shit over and over again. oh, i am! haha. And you go on one of the usual suspect’s crappy shows on fox news.”wont anyone think of the children?” and later “the girls are being “trafficked” (another washed up word you guys insist on) “its the johns and the pimps that should go to jail! they are forcing them int that terrible lifestyle….”
and who will offer this help? you? no no, you have done your bit. you have upheld the stop that awful legalization business
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