Prostitution
 

I had a discussion with my mom about prostitution and I figured I would ask you guys what you thought about it.

What are your opinions on prostitution? Should it be legal or not?

I personally think prostitution should be legal, if the person decides to sell sexual favors then I don't see why that should be wrong. I mean, it's their body afterall - and they should be able to decide how they want to use it. Maybe it's because I see sex and love as different things - I think sex is just a natural act, and love is an emotion, they are not the same thing and I don't see why sex can't be sold for what it is.

I am against trafficking though, meaning that I am against people being forced into prostitution, that is obviously an awful thing.

I think a person should be able to decide what to do with their body.

I don't see the point in a law because it's not as though laws ever stop people doing anything does it?

It should be legal though because many prostitutes get attacked by their customers and end up not reporting it to the police because they are too worried about getting into trouble themselves.

Personally I think prostitution is no different to doing porn, except at least in the porn industry you can pretty much guarantee you won't catch anything as everyone is regually tested. So if the prostitute will only work with protection (i.e condom) then I don't see a problem.

I also think that prostitution should be legal, if people want to earn money that way, it's their right. Strictly speaking, prostitution *is* legal in most European countries anyway, it's "solicitation in public" which is generally illegal (hooking in the street), but advertizing your services on the internet or in newspapers and then service your customers in a private location is totally legal.

I'm not sure if the women (or men, mostly women are prostitutes though) are afraid to speak out here in Sweden or not... but I do know that what they are doing is not considered illegal. It's the people who pay for their favours who are doing the illegal thing (meaning, it's legal to sell yourself but illegal to buy someone else).

I think also many women (again, men also, but mostly women) don't go to the police because their pimps would probably kill them (literally).

There was a lady here in Sweden who worked as a prostitute and she wanted to be treated like any other worker, except her act isn't really considered a job. She went to the police and reported the Sweden's prime minister because she "pays to him", so according to her this means that he is her pimp. And pimpin' ain't legal here, yo.

I agree with you QueenBee.
Think prostitution should be legalized and recognized as a "normal" job.
It exists for several hundreds of years now and it will always exist.

In France, we saw interviews of prostitutes who were arrested sometimes to pass the night to the post of police BUT, in the same time, the government was asking to them Taxes for the money they've earned. :D *French logic!*

Before there were "closed houses". I don't know why they 've closed them.
The result was that the girls went to the street to work and I don't think it's the best thing.

Think too that if it was legalized,may be, it would slow all these horrible traffics, all this violence ...
At least, the girls could report more easily the abuses...

So indeed, what about to replace all the bad and violent pimps by just one single pimp who/which would treat them better in respecting their rights and protecting them from the violence: the State!!

I know...not moral at all..but, in France the State was the owner of the tobacco fabrication and distribution so....what about to improve in the "condemnable world" in becomming the official Pimp?.... :D

PS: sorry ...so slow in writing that I've just repeated the previous posts which were non present when I began to write.

To tell you the truth, I don't have a good answer for this one. I just know that I'd hate for my daughter to ever have to earn a living through sex, so it'd be hard to vote for a law that would allow the daughters of other people do it.

Prostitution is the oldest profession in the world; it has been operating under every single form of government known to mankind so it is pretty obvious that regardless of what people do as long as the demand for commitment-free sex is there, it'll still be running. So the real question becomes whether we want the gov't to regulate the industry, creating a safer environment for it or just turn the blind eye on it.

And the latter isn't working, y'all.

One of the reasons I don't think they want to regulate is because of religious pressure. Coz as far as the churches would be concerned regulating would equal promotiong etc :rolleyes:

Yeah because avoiding common sense and sweeping prostitution under the carpet would work out so well, I mean it worked wonders for the child molestation scandal, right?

Well, that's the churches idea on common sense, i.e they have none.

It should be made legal if not for anything else for the sake of the prostitutes. It'll take away all the power from the pimps and actually give ladies the right to proper medicare.

Rachel has a good point. In the US I believe the only state where prostitution is legal would be Navada. I think in the US if the government started regualting prostitution and made it legal, then all the fundamentalist groups would flip the fuck out and it would be much like Roe v. Wade.

Personally, I don't agree with prostitution, I feel sad people that have to resort to selling themselves just to live, it doesn't reflect well on a countries economy or government. I also feel sad for people that actually pay a person to fuck them... they can't find someone willing to do it for free? Just go to a night club. However, I still agree that there needs to be laws governing STD testing and to protect the prostitutes from being assaulted.

Well, it's about the same thing and it's certainly not free, at least not for straight guys. If you go to a club to cruise straight girls just for a quick shag, you'll end up paying everything for the girls (because that's always been the unsaid understanding in those places, guys give money, girls give sex in exchange, it's also a business transaction), and by the end of the evening, you'll have spent more money on the girls than on an average prostitute. So some guys prefer to go to prostitutes, it's the same process, just faster and to the point.

Anyone can get a job at mcdonalds. The only reason to work as a prostitute is you make more money. A lot more money. That would be hard for me. Selling your body to strangers just because it pays better. How do they justify that?

just cos it has always been done doesnt mean it should be made legal to do it. it sends out the wrong message.

...what's the right message?

Do you have The Book? Read it! :D

i personally would not sell my body. however, that does not mean it is the right choice for everybody. i don't impose this view or any view on others, and when it comes to prostitution, ppl can and should do what they please. whether it's sending out a positive message doesn't mean anything to me because every single action that anyone takes can be interpreted in a positive or negative light. on one hand, it's empowering because it says that women are taking control of their lives and doing with their bodies whatever they please. on the other hand, it is seen as one of the most degrading (if not THE most) means to earn a living. i suppose it's truly up to the individual.

i dont know. but im sure that the message that selling ur body is ok isnt the right one.

that's the thing..what is the 'right' message is far too interpretive to come to a conclusion. eventually ppl just agree to disagree. and when integrated with law and politics the 'right' message becomes exponentially more convoluted. and with religion, even moreso.