Should Prostitution be decriminalized?

[Kennywood]

The government just wants to screw them out of taxes.

 

[C&Jx2]

**** I misread the post I quoted. Disregard any alerts


People are forced into it all of the time. Coerced, threatened, physically beaten if they don’t perform etc... The johns may or may not know...

Many prostitutes are victims of sex trafficking.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But I do think, of there were some way to regulate, tax it, and ensure safety it should be legal.

 

[sam_gordon]

You don't really understand the sex trade at all, do you? How women end up as prostitutes against their will?

I never said women aren't forced into the sex trade, but not all of them are. My point is if you legalize it and legislate it, that might cut down on those forced into it. I'm sure you're very good at whatever your job is. You presumably enjoy it or at least the money is good enough for you to tolerate it. Why can't that be done with women in the sex trade? You have skills, they have skills.

 

[Searc]

I never said women aren't forced into the sex trade, but not all of them are. My point is if you legalize it and legislate it, that might cut down on those forced into it. I'm sure you're very good at whatever your job is. You presumably enjoy it or at least the money is good enough for you to tolerate it. Why can't that be done with women in the sex trade? You have skills, they have skills.

I'm a trophy wife and yes, I excel at it.

But to be serious, I do understand there are women who choose to do this, by their own free will. I also recognize that many are victims of sex trafficking and have no say in what they are doing, under threat of injury or death. Those are the ones that make me hesitate in saying 'legalize it'.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm a trophy wife and yes, I excel at it.

But to be serious, I do understand there are women who choose to do this, by their own free will. I also recognize that many are victims of sex trafficking and have no say in what they are doing, under threat of injury or death. Those are the ones that make me hesitate in saying 'legalize it'.

That's why it would need to be regulated. Something would need to be done to give those workers "a way out".

 

[MrsPete]

Listen, I get it. One could say I am forced to be an accountant. However, I would venture to say that is very different than basically being held captive by a pimp and having to have sex with strangers.

I was formulating a similar response in my head. Most of us are "forced" to work at something, but women who are dragged into stripping or prostituting typically don't "choose" what they're doing -- they end up in those jobs because they lack the skills for other jobs. Seriously, I've taught a couple high school seniors who were already stripping (and at least two who admit to being prostitutes), and all of them did it for the same reason: it pays well.

"Sex work" is a relatively new term that attempts to legitimize prostitution -- it's certainly more genteel than "whoring", which was the accepted word for generations. It's a term that tries to put this "job" on the same level as other work. In reality, the laws against prostitution serve to protect some of the weakest members of society (women with no other work skills) from being made victims. We need to protect these women (and girls), not allow them to become legally entrenched in a world that's often difficult to escape.

Finally, sex isn't an emotionless act, and selling yourself can easily come with emotional problems down the road -- even if you manage to avoid the violence, drugs, and potential for health problems and unanticipated children that may come of such "work". Do we really want to allow young women to get themselves into these situations, especially when they may not realize the full impact of the choice they're making?

Many prostitutes are victims of sex trafficking.

I read somewhere that teenaged runaways are typically swept up into the world of prostitution within 48 hours, and they usually begin by "selling themselves" for the price of a cheeseburger.

I tried to find the article but couldn't. I did find this article: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/us/27runaways.html. Significant statements:
- “I’d also fallen for the guy. I felt trapped in a way I can’t really explain.”
- “Gangs used to sell drugs,” she said. “Now many of them have shifted to selling girls because it’s just as lucrative but far less risky.”
- They said they went after girls with low self-esteem, prior sexual experience and a lack of options.
- “My job is to make sure she has what she needs, personal hygiene, get her nails done, take her to buy an outfit, take her out to eat, make her feel wanted ... But I keep the money.”
- “I’ll look for a younger female with a backpack,” said Mr. Thurman, describing how he used to drive near schools after hours. “I’m thinking she’s leaving home, she’s leaving for a reason, she had a fight with her parents or she just wants to leave home.”

I read another article that used the term "survival sex". It means something women do because they have no other way to get money /to survive. So, yeah, in conclusion, the above poster jokingly says he /she is "forced" to be an accountant, but if suddenly the world no longer needed accounting skills, that person could probably could turn to any number of other occupations. Women who go into "sex work" mostly don't have other options -- they're doing it to survive.

But to be serious, I do understand there are women who choose to do this, by their own free will. I also recognize that many are victims of sex trafficking and have no say in what they are doing, under threat of injury or death. Those are the ones that make me hesitate in saying 'legalize it'.

Agree.

 

[Colleen27]

In theory, I'm all for total decriminalization and regulation of the industry like any other. I don't think keeping it illegal is helping anyone, least of all the women who are treated as the repeat offenders (not their johns or pimps) in many jurisdictions. But I'm not sure decriminalization would help either. The social stigma of sex work isn't likely to go away, so there'd still be ample room for the kind of blackmail/manipulation that is used against women to keep them in the industry now, and since many of the women currently trafficked into the sex trade are undocumented, it wouldn't do anything to address the powerlessness that keeps those women silent and compliant.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I honestly don't have an issue with it being legalized on a moral level.

On a practical level I can see why it's complicated. For every willing participant there will be one who was unwilling or felt coerced into it.

Stuff like this isn't even just in the movies..in my County multiple 'massage' parlors were just raided in November with 6 people arrested and this isn't the first time.

 

[sam_gordon]

The social stigma of sex work isn't likely to go away

I'm sorry, that seems like a strange argument. Didn't there used to be a stigma against drinking, drug use, divorce, sex outside of marriage, and a hundred other things? In the reverse, there's now a stigma against smoking. So yes, social stigmas can change. Would it be immediate? Of course not, but to say it would never go away? I have a hard time believing that.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Short answer. Absolutely positively not.
Longer answer
Contrary to assertions, it is not a victimless crime. The notion that it is a mutually pleasurable, mutually desirable, and damage free voluntary transaction between two equal parties is just poppycock. Unfortunately it is not just the naive that hold that position. The Johns mostly believe it too. And were it not for the damage they leave behind, this delusional perception by the average John of the situation and promoted by the sex industry would be totally laughable. It simply doesn't fit reality. And no. There aren't massive numbers of women wanting to do it. And even those that so called wanted to get into it because they were poor and needed money or they may have some romantic notion of what it is quickly learn the truth. And in fact most of them are trafficked, abused, strung out, and have no realistic way out either. And what is worse is not only are the Pimps getting increasingly violent, so too are the Johns. And whereas Pimps used to protect their merchandise so to speak, now they don't care. It's modern day slavery. And we should value women more than that.
We should Absolutely positively not legalize it nor decriminalize it in any way.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm sorry, that seems like a strange argument. Didn't there used to be a stigma against drinking, drug use, divorce, sex outside of marriage, and a hundred other things? In the reverse, there's now a stigma against smoking. So yes, social stigmas can change. Would it be immediate? Of course not, but to say it would never go away? I have a hard time believing that.

Maybe it would eventually go away... but in the meantime, that stigma is one of the tools used to keep women compliant in sex work against their will. So legal or not, there will be women working as prostitutes against their will because of "employers" who threaten to out them to family, other prospective employers, etc. if they try to leave. To me, the main point of decriminalizing anything is to make it safer and more humane but the stigma of sex work is likely to ensure decriminalization is ineffective on that count, at least from the perspective of the women in the industry. Unless something can be done to shift the (im)balance of power that is inherent in sex work, women will continue to be coerced and manipulated into becoming and remaining prostitutes.

I suppose it could still have the effect of making it safer for the customers, in terms of more disease prevention measures and less chance of getting robbed, but to be honest, it isn't their safety that I think needs to be a priority.

 

[Lilsia]

Short answer. Absolutely positively not.
Longer answer
Contrary to assertions, it is not a victimless crime. The notion that it is a mutually pleasurable, mutually desirable, and damage free voluntary transaction between two equal parties is just poppycock. Unfortunately it is not just the naive that hold that position. The Johns mostly believe it too. And were it not for the damage they leave behind, this delusional perception by the average John of the situation and promoted by the sex industry would be totally laughable. It simply doesn't fit reality. And no. There aren't massive numbers of women wanting to do it. And even those that so called wanted to get into it because they were poor and needed money or they may have some romantic notion of what it is quickly learn the truth. And in fact most of them are trafficked, abused, strung out, and have no realistic way out either. And what is worse is not only are the Pimps getting increasingly violent, so too are the Johns. And whereas Pimps used to protect their merchandise so to speak, now they don't care. It's modern day slavery. And we should value women more than that.
Absolutely positively not.

A lot of the concerns that you bring up are valid. But having legitimate places that prostitutes can work, with regulations, and security, would actually help them. Right now, woman are on their own and are easy prey for for pimps and Johns. Having an oversight can dramatically improve their conditions.

 

[MamaBelle4]

I think my issue is that it is hard to know who is doing it because they want to vs. forced too. How are you going to determine the difference?

Didn't read all the replies yet, so forgive me if this was already addressed.

If it were legal, it would be a lot safer for those who are forced into sex work to get help. They don't have to fear being charged with something if they go to the police.

 

[Colleen27]

Didn't read all the replies yet, so forgive me if this was already addressed.

If it were legal, it would be a lot safer for those who are forced into sex work to get help. They don't have to fear being charged with something if they go to the police.

Unless they're undocumented and fear deportation.
Unless they're underage and fear being forced back to what ever it is they ran away from.
Unless they're ashamed of their work, however they got into it, and fear exposure.
Unless they're addicted and fear possession charges or withdrawal.

BTW, you don't have to decriminalize sex work to take the fear of police away. Most sex trafficking advocacy organizations are pushing not to make prostitution legal but to shift the burden of prosecution to johns and pimps, treating women as victims rather than criminals. And states are starting to change their laws to formalize that approach.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I do think some people would be helped by legalization, but I think even more would be hurt. Overall, I'm not for it.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Unless they're undocumented and fear deportation.
Unless they're underage and fear being forced back to what ever it is they ran away from.
Unless they're ashamed of their work, however they got into it, and fear exposure.
Unless they're addicted and fear possession charges or withdrawal.

BTW, you don't have to decriminalize sex work to take the fear of police away. Most sex trafficking advocacy organizations are pushing not to make prostitution legal but to shift the burden of prosecution to johns and pimps, treating women as victims rather than criminals. And states are starting to change their laws to formalize that approach.

Yes, those are all examples of people's situations. Another example, adult woman chooses to do sex work. Gets beat up by her John. She's a legal citizen, but has no where to turn. John goes on to beat more women.

If it were legal, it would be easier to prosecute these crimes and protect these women. Nothing can protect or save everyone, but any progress is better than none.

 

[Carol_]

No.

 

[ponyboy]

All victimless crimes should be decriminalized.

 

[sam_gordon]

I do think some people would be helped by legalization, but I think even more would be hurt. Overall, I'm not for it.

I'm genuinely curious. Why would more people be hurt? Do you think there would be more pimps who are "oh, since this is legal, I can have more prostitutes and beat on them"? Presumably, if legalized, the women/men would have to get regular physicals (every 6 months?). Then have some plan in place that they can tell the doctor "I don't want to do this any more" and the doctor makes a phone call and they're taken somewhere away (halfway house? I don't know). That's obviously over simplified, but an idea.

No one worries about the accountant's boss beating on them or forcing them on drugs. Why is that?

 

[Searc]

All victimless crimes should be decriminalized.

It isn't a victimless crime, as we've been discussing.