Should The United States legalize prostitution?
Prostitution is one of the world's oldest professions or so they say. No one comes right out and says that they've used the services of a prostitute, but obviously a lot of people have. And since this is kind of cash-and-carry style of business, there's a lot of income out there that's not being taxed. Now, we're in a recession and we got this whole debt ceiling thing going on. We need a way of creating jobs and paying down our national debt. We can argue until we're blue in the face about raising this guy's taxes and lowering that guy's taxes, etc. But the fact of the matter is that there's a lot of people out there that are making damn fine money that aren't paying any taxes. And it's not because they have write-offs and tax shelters. It's because they are whore's and their income is illegal (in most places). Also, to their own detriment, they're not really getting an opportunity to pay into social security and medicaid. I know they want to raise the retirement age to 70, but, really, who wants a 70 year old prostitute? I don't know. Maybe a 70 year old man. You tell me, but I digress. Plus, if prostitution were legal then they'd have to register and go for periodic exams, make sure they're clean, etc.
Yes
Side Score: 23
|
 |
No
Side Score: 16
|
|
|
|
|
3
points
Why is the US so goddamn concerned with what happens in the bedrooms of its citizenry? Personally I think it should absolutely be legal, and I don't think it should be taxed, either. People should be free to do with their bodies what they want, and if that involves having consenting sex with another adult for pay, I don't know what's so bad about that. That being said I don't think it'll ever happen; the government it too greedy to let something like this pass untaxed, if it does get legalized. Indeed, dating resembles prostitution. By my third date with a girl I've blown more on dinners and movies and flowers and pretty, shiny shit it would have actually been cheaper to just go with a professional sex worker (if sex was all I was after). Prostitution just seems like a very direct, to-the-point simplification of the sexual aspect of the dating scene. Dating a girl with the intent of getting laid and showering her with expensive gifts to achieve your goal isn't only legal, it's an intrinsic part of our culture. But cutting to the chase and just paying for the pleasure is illegal, and for some reason often regarded as morally wrong. I don't get it. Lastly, like with many things, prostitution is going to happen everywhere in the world regardless of its legal status. Legalizing it (and thus regulating it) would make it safer for the prostitutes, safer for the customers, and it would put a few crooked, criminal pimps out of a job and have them replaced with legitimate employers. There would be less dead hookers showing up in dumpsters, less STDs needlessly spread, and less criminals making money off an unregulated industry. Sounds like a win win win. Side: Yes
Why is the US so goddamn concerned with what happens in the bedrooms of its citizenry? That's not really the main moral issue here. Legalizing prostitution causes more demand. It only helps in mainstreaming abuse of women. Indeed, dating resembles prostitution. By my third date with a girl I've blown more on dinners and movies and flowers and pretty, shiny shit it would have actually been cheaper to just go with a professional sex worker (if sex was all I was after). Prostitution just seems like a very direct, to-the-point simplification of the sexual aspect of the dating scene. Dating a girl with the intent of getting laid and showering her with expensive gifts to achieve your goal isn't only legal, it's an intrinsic part of our culture. But cutting to the chase and just paying for the pleasure is illegal, and for some reason often regarded as morally wrong. I don't get it. I understand this, but I don't agree with it. In a culture that glorifies sex of course this is going to happen. But this reasoning distorts the original intent of dating. Dating should be for the purpose of getting to know and meeting people in consideration of marriage (or life-time togetherness if you're one of those people who don't think marriage is a necessity). Lastly, like with many things, prostitution is going to happen everywhere in the world regardless of its legal status. Legalizing it (and thus regulating it) would make it safer for the prostitutes, safer for the customers, and it would put a few crooked, criminal pimps out of a job and have them replaced with legitimate employers. I don't think this is true at all. This is just giving more power to pimps and endangering prostitutes more. Since so many prostitutes are controlled by pimps, its very hard for them to get registered as employees because that the pimps out of a job like you said. So it follows that these pimps would go to lengths to prevent they're controlled prostitutes from doing anything that might affect their business. Presumably, a large portion of prostitutes in the U.S. are under 18. How would the government deal with this? Would they just keep that instance illegal? That really does not help the situation, as its cycle can simply continue normally, or even thrive if these women cannot become legal and registered, making them popular for any pimps that have lost women to the legal system. There would be less dead hookers showing up in dumpsters, less STDs needlessly spread, and less criminals making money off an unregulated industry. Sounds like a win win win. I don't really think this would do anything to decrease crime against prostitutes. Would males paying for sex have to be checked for STDs beforehand? In many cases, I don't know if women would want to register as a prostitute. Its not easy living with that label, and if they are able to keep it clandestine its not as bad in their mind. I think the U.S. should concern itself more with cracking down on sexual trafficking. Because if nothing further is done about that, pimps will still control the larger amount of prostitutes, and if demand keeps increasing, more women will be needed to be legally registered or else a competition essentially ensues between the government and back-alley pimps. So I don't think this really solves any problem, but rather only causes a greater one. Side: No
1
point
Legalizing prostitution causes more demand. It only helps in mainstreaming abuse of women. How does prostitution = abuse of women? And I don't view prostitution as in inherently evil business, so I don't mind if the demand increases. But this reasoning distorts the original intent of dating. Dating should be for the purpose of getting to know and meeting people in consideration of marriage In an older, more conservative, prude, and birth control-less society, yes, maybe that would have been the purpose of dating. But times changes and things change and ideas change. What's wrong with dating also encompassing the pursuit of sexual companionship, for its own sake? I don't think this is true at all. This is just giving more power to pimps and endangering prostitutes more. How is legalizing and regulating prostitution and putting pimps out of a job giving more power to pimps and endangering prostitutes Since so many prostitutes are controlled by pimps, its very hard for them to get registered as employees because that the pimps out of a job like you said. Would you rather they all go unregistered, and continue to work in an illegal and unregulated business? Some illegal, unregistered prostitution will occur after prostitution is legalized, yes, the same way some illegal booze trafficking still goes on even though the Prohibition is over, but the black market, be it for alcohol or prostitutes, is severely weakened and diminished when these things are legalized. Presumably, a large portion of prostitutes in the U.S. are under 18. Presumably... hm... Would they just keep that instance illegal? Well yes, as sex with minors is illegal. That really does not help the situation, as its cycle can simply continue normally, or even thrive if these women cannot become legal and registered, making them popular for any pimps that have lost women to the legal system. What you're talking about here is underage girls forced to have sex. This sounds more like the sex trafficking of minors than prostitution. It's a big problem, to be sure, but it's not the problem we're talking about so of course legalizing prostitution would have little to no effect on this industry. I don't really think this would do anything to decrease crime against prostitutes. So having the prostitutes work out of a monitored, regulated brothel as opposed to standing on shady street corners doesn't do anything for the safety of these hookers, you think? If you have to put your drivers license and credit card on file before you sleep with a prostitute, you'd probably be a lot less inclined to kill or assault her, no? Would males paying for sex have to be checked for STDs beforehand? Well there are several places where prostitution is legal and there are many successful brothels that have varying techniques when it comes to preventing STDs, but enforcing the use of protection is a very common one, and obviously not something done on the black market. In many cases, I don't know if women would want to register as a prostitute. Its not easy living with that label, and if they are able to keep it clandestine its not as bad in their mind. There's a database for identifying and tracking sex offenders, the kind of things that allows you to check to see if a child molester is living in your neighborhood or something, but this system doesn't exist for lawyers, or accountants, or teachers, or construction workers... it wouldn't exist for prostitutes, either, should the profession be made legal. Prostitutes would be able to maintain whatever degree of anonymity they want in regards to their job, as surely as a stripper, or fast-food burger-flipper, or telemarketer. I think the U.S. should concern itself more with cracking down on sexual trafficking. Because if nothing further is done about that, pimps will still control the larger amount of prostitutes, and if demand keeps increasing, more women will be needed to be legally registered or else a competition essentially ensues between the government and back-alley pimps. Sex trafficking is a bad problem, yes, but it's not the same thing as prostitution. Sex trafficking is a form of slavery, prostitution is providing sexual service for money. And any illegal competition that would exist if prostitution was legalized would be between the free market and the black market, not the "back-alley pimps" and the government. Having the government regulate an industry doesn't make it the government's industry (i.e. the US government regulates the production and sale of alcohol to make it safer, but the US government doesn't own and operate any breweries or liquor stores). Side: Yes
2
points
I think it should be legalized, but at the state or county level, not the federal government. Nevada currently has legalized prostitution. Also, I don't really want to see it advertised. Maybe they can have some obscure symbol to mark their establishments, but nothing that you'd mind having your kids see as you're driving down the street, and they shouldn't allow peddling on the street. Side: Yes
1
point
3
points
Yes, I do have kids, and no, I wouldn't want them to go into prostitution. In fact, I don't want to have anything to do with prostitution, but that doesn't mean I think it should be illegal. Are you suggesting that I should think that anything I don't want to do should be illegal? Side: Yes
1
point
Personally, I think the practice degrading and immoral, but should everything that is immoral be illegal? By having prostitution legal, the government could more effectively protect the rights and well-being of both the prostitute and the customer. You would have to be registered in licensed to "legally" work as prostitute. Working out that registration would then be illegal. And, of course, you're going to have to meet certain criteria to work as prostitute. And, if the customer gets an STD, there's a framework for revoking your license. Side: Yes
1
point
This argument that legalizing prostitution leads to the abuse of women doesn't hold water with me. If anything, I would say that the opposite is true. First of all, by registering as a prostitute, you CHOOSE to be a prostitute. I know most of us are Americans, but it IS possible to refuse service to anyone. Now, there is a certain amount of human trafficking that does go on. In a world where prostitution is legal, what is the incentive for anyone to get a prostitute illegally off the black market when you can find a perfectly legal and willing one? If anything, legalization empowers the prostitute. It gives her/him a level of protection that she/he did not have before. You cannot extend any sort of legal protection to that which is illegal. On a different note, this notion of comparing dating and prostitution seems alien and strange to me. Seriously. Grant it, there's probably a few a desperate people out there who hire a prostitute for companionship. But hiring a prostitute isn't really about building a relationship. It's the opposite. There's a simple transaction that needs to be made and usually the customer doesn't even care what the provider's name is. After all, when you hire a prostitute, you're not exactly paying them to stay; you're paying them to LEAVE. Side: Yes
1
point
|
1
point
You cant argue that America should maintain it's moral ethical code and keep Prostitution illegal when Hardcore Porn is made in America, apart from Porn being filmed and sold as entertainment there is no difference between a Porn star and a Prostitute they both get paid for having sex so having one legal and one illegal is a massive double standard and can hardly be described as moral Side: Yes
First of all, I am not condoning pornography, but I think it is relatively harmless. The moral issue is NOT the sex and monetary element involved. Its about the general culture of it and the people involved. These two should not be compared so readily. Porn stars and prostitutes are much different, unlike you said. A majority of prostitutes did NOT choose their "profession." Yet the majority of porn stars did. Also, a viewer of pornography is not in any danger, but those who purchase prostitutes can easily become the victim on an STD. Now, even if attempted to be regulated, most pimps would not allow prostitutes to register, and many independent prostitutes would rather operate without having the label. Pornography, however immoral it might be, is pretty well maintained and tests are given routinely to those in the business. This means that BOTH parties are being tested. In prostitution, only one party is (if even that), and that only spells danger for one or both of the consenting adults. Its not a double standard, because the two are extremely different. Pornography is not just a camera, its also a strict set of rules and regulations that benefit the workers and make things run smoothly. Frankly, the same is just not possible for the practice of prostitution. Side: No
1
point
In a poor family it would force women to do it, if it was legal. If a woman couldn't get food on the table for her kids, I guess she would think that selling her body would be a very easy job, since the female body isn't so hard to sell (I'm saying it's easy to accomplish, not easy to do - as in it will be mentally hard for the woman) Imagine an average couple, who have the exact amount of money to get a roof over their heads, and food on the table - but suddenly they get a bill that is a little too big. The man could ask his wife to go get some money by going on the street. I'm not saying that would be the case, but I'm saying that 'some' women would probably be forced to do it, but at current point the law is protecting them, and that is how it should be. Side: No
1
point
In a poor family it would force women to do it, if it was legal. How can being less authoritarian force anyone into anything? Imagine an average couple, who have the exact amount of money to get a roof over their heads, and food on the table - but suddenly they get a bill that is a little too big. The man could ask his wife to go get some money by going on the street. People already do that, it's nothing new. I'm not saying that would be the case, but I'm saying that 'some' women would probably be forced to do it, but at current point the law is protecting them, and that is how it should be. The law is "protecting" them from doing something they don't want to do? Seems legit... Side: Yes
1
point
How can being less authoritarian force anyone into anything? If you can't pay your bills, or can't bring food on the table, prostitution is an easy way out - and families might force the women in their family to do something they don't want to. Like prostitution. The law is "protecting" them from doing something they don't want to do? Seems legit... are you serious? I don't know how things are in America. But I can give you an example how the law sometimes protects people from things they don't want to do, but are sometimes forced to do. (What I am going to explane now is how the maternity leave system is in my country) When a woman gets pregnant, she gets maternity leave. She has full rights to go to work right after her birth if she wants to, but if she does, she will not receive maternity leave. If a woman had just gotten a baby, and her maternity leave was coming in every month, she might (or her husband might) see it as an opportunity to get an extra salary for a few months, by going to work AND receive maternity leave. As everybody probably know, women should rest after giving birth. Therefore to protect mothers, they made a system, that only gives you maternity leave if you aren't working. Sorry if this text is hard to understand, and sorry for my grammars and stuff. The law against child pornography, is protecting children from something they don't want to do. Because their parents might force them if they're low on money. The law is "protecting" them from doing something they don't want to do? Seems legit... Yes it is very legit! Side: No
1
point
I really see your argument as a form of moral weakness. We all make decisions. We all have choice. I grew up poor in a poor family. I never used poverty as an excuse to do something that I believed to be wrong. I could have very easily sold drugs, but I didn't. I worked hard in school and got scholarships to college. If anything is wrong with our society, it isn't really a question of what's legal and what's not. It people accepting responsibility for themselves, people accepting responsibility for their own actions. Not just in this scenario, but practically any scenario, when I read phrases like "forced to", I think "there's a person who's never going to amount to much". And I really don't mean that in a mean way. I'm just being honest with you. If you're a person who's always being forced, then you haven't accepted responsibility for your own life. All you can ever be is a victim.... of the situation, of circumstance, of "the system". But here's a thought. If you don't want to be a prostitute, don't sell your body for sex. It's your choice. Side: Yes
1
point
1
point
Actually, the opposite would be true. Right now, if you sleep with a prostitute and you get an STD, what can you do about it? Nothing. Chances are that you don't even know her name. Maybe, if you're a regular, you can track her down again. But, still... what do you do about it. There's not really any kind of recourse. If it were legal, then there can be more oversight. The government then has the right to regulate it. You can STD, you file a report with whatever they decide to call the prostitution office. They have her tested; they revoke her license. Could she still potentially work illegally? Sure. But if prostitution were legal, why would anyone go to an unregistered, unscreened prostitute when there are legal and periodically-screened prostitutes available to them. You can test prostitutes for STDs has a requirement of their license when it's legal, when it's illegal you have no such recourse. Side: Yes
|
