NationStates Jolt Archive

prostitutes have been around since the beginning of history. there have always been honry men and willing females eager to make money, but its always been frowned upon. Now that they want to make it legal (in Berkeley, at least), my question is why should something that degrades women become a legal profession (granted there are already things like exoctic dancers and strippers--however it is not their purpose to engage in sexual intercourse and they do not stoop as low as prostitution.)

I think it's pretty pathetic when a guy has to pay a woman to have sex with him. I think it's even more pathetic when a woman accepts money from the type of guy who has to pay for sex. These people are pitiful excuses for human beings and the majority of them spread drugs & disease. Legalize it for them? No thanks.

prostitutes have been around since the beginning of history. there have always been honry men and willing females eager to make money, but its always been frowned upon. Now that they want to make it legal (in Berkeley, at least), my question is why should something that degrades women become a legal profession (granted there are already things like exoctic dancers and strippers--however it is not their purpose to engage in sexual intercourse and they do not stoop as low as prostitution.)
if a woman chooses to provide sexual services in exchange for money then that's her choice, and it isn't any more demeaning than if she chooses to clean houses or wait tables. it's unskilled labor, pure and simple, and the idea that sex is demeaning to women is at the heart of your problem with this issue.

in fact, if you think about it, prostitution is far more demeaning to men. they are the ones who feel the need to buy physical contact, and they are the ones without the self-respect, patience, and intelligence to find and please a mate who is actually interested in more than their wallet.

the only problems with prostitution currently are due to the fact that so many women are not participating voluntarily, but are being forced into it. legalized prostitution would do away with that far more effectively than keeping it illegal (as has been proven in countries like the Netherlands where prostitution is legal, or in the "Bunny Ranches" of Nevada), so if your concern is for the abuse of women then you obviously must support legalizing prostitution. :)

unskilled labor? UNSKILLED LABOR? UNSKILLED LABOR?
You must be one dead fu...

if a woman chooses to provide sexual services in exchange for money then that's her choice, and it isn't any more demeaning than if she chooses to clean houses or wait tables. it's unskilled labor, pure and simple, and the idea that sex is demeaning to women is at the heart of your problem with this issue.

in fact, if you think about it, prostitution is far more demeaning to men. they are the ones who feel the need to buy physical contact, and they are the ones without the self-respect, patience, and intelligence to find and please a mate who is actually interested in more than their wallet.

the only problems with prostitution currently are due to the fact that so many women are not participating voluntarily, but are being forced into it. legalized prostitution would do away with that far more effectively than keeping it illegal (as has been proven in countries like the Netherlands where prostitution is legal, or in the "Bunny Ranches" of Nevada), so if your concern is for the abuse of women then you obviously must support legalizing prostitution. :)

I understand you now; you're a prostitute... no wonder you think it's ok to abort babies.

:p

I think it's terrible how women are forced into being the slaves of pimps by poverty.

I understand you now; you're a prostitute... no wonder you think it's ok to abort babies.

:p
1. that's flame, so please be careful...i wouldn't want to see you banned for flame when there is so much potential for good discussion on this thread.

2. i am not a prostitute, i'm a student. personally i have never exchanged sex for money, or money for sex, but i don't see anything inherently wrong with doing so if all parties are consenting. the tradition we call marriage was founded as a legal form of prostitution, after all, with a female receiving financial compensation from her husband in exchange for her sexual and child-bearing services. granted, our concept of marriage has evolved, and i fully believe that relationships based on more than quid-pro-quo are healthier, but i think you need to take a more objective look at the situation before you start shrieking insults.

3. my support of abortion has nothing to do with my personal sexual practices. i supported abortion just as strongly when i was a virgin, and just as strongly when i was single and "playing the field." my support of the right to choose has not varried with my sexual activity level...has yours? that seems like a very odd way to develop your values, but i suppose it would explain a few things about your opinions...

unskilled labor? UNSKILLED LABOR? UNSKILLED LABOR?
You must be one dead fu...
one dead huh?

performing sexual services would be unskilled labor, since it would not take higher education or specialized vocational training to perform such tasks. is there something about the term "unskilled labor" that confuses you?

I think it's terrible how women are forced into being the slaves of pimps by poverty.
agreed; just to be perfectly clear, i ONLY support prostitution when all parties are consenting, and currently that is most often not the case. in fact, i support legalizing prostitution specifically because i despise the current status of prostitution in America, and i believe that evidence supports the idea that legalizing prostitution would eliminate many of the most hideous abuses being endured by women in "the business" today.

I think it's terrible how women are forced into being the slaves of pimps by poverty.

Oh it's terrible... :rolleyes: they get hooked on crack and have sex with
freaks because they think they're too self-important to work at McDonald's.

Oh it's terrible... :rolleyes: they get hooked on crack and have sex with freaks because they think they're too important to work at McDonald's.
i don't know where you live, but i would like to extend an invitation to you: please come visit the community clinic that i volunteer at, and meet the women who you are insulting. if you can walk away from that experience with your mind unchanged then i will shake your hand.

Look all it comes down to is free choice. Yes we can sit here and say that it's wrong and degrading and discusting. (And believe me, I totally agree). Prostitution is just wrong in my mind, but that's me.
Others may not see it that way, and we have to respect that everyone is different. We may not agree with what some people do... but chances are they think some things we do are wrong or whatever too. We just need to stop and see it from their point of view...

prostitutes have been around since the beginning of history. there have always been honry men and willing females eager to make money, but its always been frowned upon. Now that they want to make it legal (in Berkeley, at least), my question is why should something that degrades women become a legal profession (granted there are already things like exoctic dancers and strippers--however it is not their purpose to engage in sexual intercourse and they do not stoop as low as prostitution.)

Prostitution should absolutely be legal. Look at Nevada, the only place in the US where it always HAS been legal. Prostitutes in Nevada brothels get excellent health care, make a great wage (so much that most "retire" after just a few years on the job), and have all kinds of legal protections. Compare that with the "progressive" states that have banned it...prostitutes are disease ridden, barely make enough to survive, and are frequently beaten by pimps and johns.

Prostitution should be safe, legal, and heavily regulated.

I agree... i mean if we can't stop them, we might as well make sure they're safe...

I think it is pretty sad for those women who depend upon providing those services to those who pay for it but I feel it is their choice and if thats what they want to do then go for it is all I have to say to them. Also sometimes it is not their fault because some of them have no other way of getting money because they couldn't go to college or had to drop out of highschool for family reasons and couldn't get back in or something else like that. What would you do if you had to get money and there was nothing else you could do?

The concept of prostitution is wrong. Plainly wrong.
Sex is an act expressing love, and when the relationship is based solely on a dirty piece of paper... How can you even think that it is possibly a good thing??
:(
90% of the time it is related to organized crime, it spreads disease, it degrades women and men, creates more homeless people and drug addicts...

Frown on prostitution.

Edit: So what if they "choose" to do it? They are emotionally unstable people if they trade their body. Let's "legalize" suicides next.

I think it's pretty pathetic when a guy has to pay a woman to have sex with him. I think it's even more pathetic when a woman accepts money from the type of guy who has to pay for sex. These people are pitiful excuses for human beings and the majority of them spread drugs & disease. Legalize it for them? No thanks.

Does dinner, wine, and roses count?

90% of the time it is related to organized crime, it spreads disease, it degrades women and men, creates more homeless people and drug addicts...

exactly...all of those problems are reduced (if not eliminated) when prostitution is legalized. please read up on the facts before solidifying your opinions, for your own sake.

I see the facts, do not worry. Yes they would be better off with their jobs regulated and all, but:
1. As I said, it is wrong, and is for the most low fallen people
2. You cannot control it, so you legalize it, I see weakness right there

= My main point is that it is wrong; I am not campaigning for prostitutes' rights here, they should find something else to do for a living

i don't know where you live, but i would like to extend an invitation to you: please come visit the community clinic that i volunteer at, and meet the women who you are insulting. if you can walk away from that experience with your mind unchanged then i will shake your hand.

Try coming to where I live as I just walk down the street with crack whores
offering you drugs & flashing their vaginas, and find the acceptance in that.

Try coming to where I live as I just walk down the street with crack whores
offering you drugs & flashing their vaginas, and find the acceptance in that.

I dunno where you live, but I've been to similer places. Bottle is right on this one. I'm against prostitution on moral grounds, but honestly now-the only difference between this and "dinner and a 'movie'" is that we're playing with real money.

I see the facts, do not worry. Yes they would be better off with their jobs regulated and all, but:
1. As I said, it is wrong, and is for the most low fallen people

i understand that you believe that. i believe that religious superstition is for the most low, fallen people, but that doesn't mean that i should campaign to forbid people to make their own choices on religious issues. please extend the same courtesy to your fellow citizens; they deserve the right to choose what they will do with their own bodies, and you don't need to try to parent them.


2. You cannot control it, so you legalize it, I see weakness right there

the best way to control it is to legalize it. if we want to have control over it then we should take the propper steps. that's not weakness, that's practicality. additionally, prostitution is, in and of itself, a victimless crime; as long as all parties are consenting, nobody is harmed by prostitution, and therefore i don't see any reason for the government to concern itself with the private sexual choices of adult citizens.


= My main point is that it is wrong; I am not campaigning for prostitutes' rights here, they should find something else to do for a living
i'm not campaigning for prostitutes' rights either, i am campaigning for the rights and freedoms of all citizens of my country. what we do with our own bodies is our business, not the government's, and what we choose to spend our money on is likewise our own choice. other people may not like it, but as long as the exchange of money and services is mutually consented to by the participants there is no reason why any outside party should have the right to prohibit such interactions.

I dunno where you live, but I've been to similer places. Bottle is right on this one. I'm against prostitution on moral grounds, but honestly now-the only difference between this and "dinner and a 'movie'" is that we're playing with real money.

If you can't see the difference between
"dinner & a movie" and prostitution
then your opinion is irrevelant.

It's the same as saying that legalizing concealed weapons can control it.

It is never going to go away. We need to make it safer both for the provider of this 'service' and for the client. We need to stop it from being 'ok' to murder prostitutes and bury them on your pig farm.

prostitutes have been around since the beginning of history. there have always been honry men and willing females eager to make money, but its always been frowned upon.

Actually, the ancient Babylonians were all for it, and in Rome's period of decadence it was fashionable to have your hair dyed blonde (as prostitutes were required to do)

I'm sorry. I can't help it.

Also, prostitution is a great idea. There's nothing degrading about doing something you don't mind doing.

Illigal prostitution spreads aids and other sexual diseases, encourages the drugs trade, and makes money for pimps who discard their women and use them as "tools"..

I want to legalise it so that at least the majority of prostitutes can be tested and/or be treated if any sexual disesis are discoverd.. the use of condoms can be enforced, pimps put out of buisness and also treatment of drug-addicted prostitutes.. this will slow the spread of sexual diseases surely..the government can regulate the bothels.

yes i know prostitution is "wrong" and it is for "sad" men.. but prostitution is one of the world's oldest "professions"- it cannot be stopped.. men need their sexual needs forfilled no matter how "sad" they are.. or if its a stag night! lol!
(ps. what to many men do on the net aswell? work? haha) jk

the legalisation and control of prostitution has more benifits than not.

Plus, as an added bonus, if it is legalized and regulated, you can tax it. Think of all the revenue the government is missing out on that it could tap into.

Plus, as an added bonus, if it is legalized and regulated, you can tax it. Think of all the revenue the government is missing out on that it could tap into.

ah yes that aswell! $$$

So what if they "choose" to do it? They are emotionally unstable people if they trade their body. Let's "legalize" suicides next.

Sounds good to me!

Not all prostitutes are women. And why is prostitution, bottle calling it unskilled labor and such, so frowned upon where porn actresses are portrayed as glamour girls?

The subject of the thread is misleading. It asks whether prostitution is a good thing. Frankly, I don't really have an opinion on that. My initial reaction is that it's bad, but I've heard some pretty good pro-prostitution arguments. However, I have a definite answer for the legalization question: YES!

Not because it would be easier to control, or because government could tax it, simply because nobody is involuntarily hurt by it. Whether or not it's a good or bad for the participants shouldn't legally matter as long as they participate willingly.

hump, er, bump

The subject of the thread is misleading. It asks whether prostitution is a good thing. Frankly, I don't really have an opinion on that. My initial reaction is that it's bad, but I've heard some pretty good pro-prostitution arguments. However, I have a definite answer for the legalization question: YES!

Not because it would be easier to control, or because government could tax it, simply because nobody is involuntarily hurt by it. Whether or not it's a good or bad for the participants shouldn't legally matter as long as they participate willingly.

Also, by legalizing it, you can regulate it to stop the health risk, put the pimps out of business, and those who are forced into it (slave labors and Illegal Immigrants) can be freed.

Also, you can tax the heck outta it, place HEAVY fines for those operating without a business permit and strangle it with red tape.

The criminalization of consensual acts is at best a road to hell paved with good intentions. Prohibition doesn't even come close to its policy objectives- why it retains support is beyond any form of logic.

As someone who is against abortion and against euthanasia, I still support the legalization of prostitution, for all the health, tax, crime arguments mentioned above and additionally because I believe the presence of women willing to "rent out" their bodies to the pathetically obsessed reduces the far worse problem of rape occasionally committed by these same pathetic people when barred from legal ways to get what they want.

Evertime someone talks about the legalization of prostitution, an old George Carlin routine comes to mind.

"There are worst things you can do to a person, giving them an orgasm is not one of them. In the Army they train you to kill people, Down in Vietnam, I could get a medal for spraying Napalm on 20-30 people... here they arrest you for giving someone an orgasm."

Paraphrased.

With prostitutes you’re not paying them to have sex with you. You’re paying them to leave after you’ve had sex with them. Have you ever tried to get rid of a prostitute that you haven’t paid for. It’s impossible. She’ll stay so close to you that people will think that you’re married. She’ll start eating your food and start showering in your bathroom. She won’t even have sex with you again. The only thing making it not like a marriage is the legal ceremony and the wedding ring.

Prostitution isn't a nice topic, but it WILL always be around, either because people are forced into it (whether by circumstance or actual force) or because for some bizarre reason, they want to.
I voted to legalise it, since that allows a lot of the exploitation (from pimps etc) and dangers faced by the women (and men) to be dealt with.

"Prostitution is wrong" is an opinion not an argument.

Where prostitution is licensed and legalised, prostitutes are safer, their clients are safer and people who don't want to see whores in their streets don't have to because the whores are in brothels.

Prostitution can be unskilled labour, but for some prostitutes it is exceptionally skilled labour. Lots of people, men and women, make an excellent living out of prostitution and are perfectly happy with their career.

I don't understand why anyone would think that teenage runaways get addicted to crack because they're too high and mighty to flip burgers. The problem of crackheads working the streets is a problem of crackheads rather than a problem of prostitution. These specific people are generally being horribly exploited by pimps and may well hate being prostitutes. While I am in favour of legalisation generally, I worry that these exploited rather than voluntary prostitutes might lose soe legal protection if pimping were legalised.

I voted to legalise it based on all the arguments that Bottle has so eloquently put forth.

Though one can argue that pretending to enjoy sex with some of these johns could be thought of as a skill. ;)

I think it's pretty pathetic when a guy has to pay a woman to have sex with him. I think it's even more pathetic when a woman accepts money from the type of guy who has to pay for sex. These people are pitiful excuses for human beings and the majority of them spread drugs & disease. Legalize it for them? No thanks.

Legislating against things because you think they are pathetic is called fascism. It is probably unconstitutional (although I couldn't be sure).

Whatever happened to the land of the free? Do you really want the government telling two consenting adults where they can put their genitals?

Also, how do prostitutes spread drugs? Free blow with every blow?

Not all prostitutes are women. And why is prostitution, bottle calling it unskilled labor and such, so frowned upon where porn actresses are portrayed as glamour girls?


actually the same people that go for prostitutes are likely to be the same ones that think porno stars are glamourous. other people find them disgusting as well..."selling" their bodies to the camera and not just doing something else decent. there's decent nudity thats art...and then there's just nudity for the hormones. i have nothing against the first.

Should be completely legal. Government has no right (as I always say) to tell people what they can do sexually, if all are consenting.

It should be legal because I don't think anyone's opinion on the matter should affect whether or not someone wants to sell their body, or if someone wants to buy.

unskilled labor? UNSKILLED LABOR? UNSKILLED LABOR?
You must be one dead fu...
ROFLMAO!!! Oh, God! You guys are somfin else! ROFLMAO!

agreed; just to be perfectly clear, i ONLY support prostitution when all parties are consenting, and currently that is most often not the case. in fact, i support legalizing prostitution specifically because i despise the current status of prostitution in America, and i believe that evidence supports the idea that legalizing prostitution would eliminate many of the most hideous abuses being endured by women in "the business" today.
That sounds very similar to some of the arguments I have heard for legalizing drugs. There is a very serious problem with both of these "solutions."

I would never have given my three daughters permission to either use drugs or to become a prostitute. To have the state, in the guise of legalization, in effect give my daughters "permission" to do either would be overruling my desires as a parent to never have them do so.

Law constitutes either prohibition or permission for adults. To eliminate a prohibition in law, such as repealing laws against murder for example, constitutes permission, in this example, to kill.

That sounds very similar to some of the arguments I have heard for legalizing drugs. There is a very serious problem with both of these "solutions."

I would never have given my three daughters permission to either use drugs or to become a prostitute. To have the state, in the guise of legalization, in effect give my daughters "permission" to do either would be overruling my desires as a parent to never have them do so.

Law constitutes either prohibition or permission for adults. To eliminate a prohibition in law, such as repealing laws against murder for example, constitutes permission, in this example, to kill.

Until they are 18, you own them. Never let them forget that. But once they are 18, and legal adults, why shouldn't they be able to do what they wish with their own selves? You can disapprove of their choices, and if they're still living with you, make it very difficult if they don't do what you want, but when they're 18 they're considered adults, with all rights and responsibilites, and if they want to do something, why shouldn't they be able to? If you are so concerned with your children going ahead and doing these things without your permission, then there could be a compromise: it could be only legal for people over 18, like tobacco and such.

That sounds very similar to some of the arguments I have heard for legalizing drugs. There is a very serious problem with both of these "solutions."

I would never have given my three daughters permission to either use drugs or to become a prostitute. To have the state, in the guise of legalization, in effect give my daughters "permission" to do either would be overruling my desires as a parent to never have them do so.

Law constitutes either prohibition or permission for adults. To eliminate a prohibition in law, such as repealing laws against murder for example, constitutes permission, in this example, to kill.
As Sdaeriji said, we'll just legalize it over the age of 18.

I don't approve of it or think it's a "good thing" but I think it should be legal. Quite similar to my view on abortion.

As Sdaeriji said, we'll just legalize it over the age of 18.

Let me just thank you for actually spelling my name correctly. You don't know what that means to me.

Where I live, melbourne, Australia, prostitution is already legal as long as it's part of a known business. A year back one of the brothels tried to put itself on the sharemarket, I'm not too sure if it made it on or not...

if a woman chooses to provide sexual services in exchange for money then that's her choice, and it isn't any more demeaning than if she chooses to clean houses or wait tables. it's unskilled labor, pure and simple, and the idea that sex is demeaning to women is at the heart of your problem with this issue.

in fact, if you think about it, prostitution is far more demeaning to men. they are the ones who feel the need to buy physical contact, and they are the ones without the self-respect, patience, and intelligence to find and please a mate who is actually interested in more than their wallet.

the only problems with prostitution currently are due to the fact that so many women are not participating voluntarily, but are being forced into it. legalized prostitution would do away with that far more effectively than keeping it illegal (as has been proven in countries like the Netherlands where prostitution is legal, or in the "Bunny Ranches" of Nevada), so if your concern is for the abuse of women then you obviously must support legalizing prostitution. :)


No. I think prostitution is unskilled labor. I think it's something that appeals to women who don't want to work very hard. It's easy enough to make a living on your back. It's freaking hard to make a living waiting tables or cleaning hotel rooms.

As for the men who frequent prostitutes...there are all kinds, but most of them have trouble finding a partner who will put out for free for a reason. Maybe it's something as simple as a last fling before the wedding, or maybe it's because he's dangerously kinky, and likes to beat up, rape or kill women. Maybe he's just really unpleasant in general. Maybe he's a basket-case. Maybe he's got poor hygeine or is mentally ill. There are normal men who visit prostitutes, but there are an awful lot of damaged goods floating around in that world, both among prostitutes and johns. It's better not to legitimize it.

The idea might look good from where you're sitting, as an abstraction, but really, that world isn't glamorous or pretty. It's sordid and ugly and tragic. Legitimizing it just gives it more permission to encroach on the rest of life, and soil the things that are good about it.

How can I put this a different way....

Would you like your mother or your sister or your wife or your daughter to be a prostitute? If so, then by all means, vote for its legalization.

How can I put this a different way....

Would you like your mother or your sister or your wife or your daughter to be a prostitute? If so, then by all means, vote for its legalization.

Or, you can Legalize it and kill it with regulations, taxes, health codes, penalties, punishments, and anything else the government (state and federal) can think of. Make it too costly and people will wonder is it worth it? I've known alot of people who quit smoking not for health problems but because they couldn't afford their habit.

Or, you can Legalize it and kill it with regulations, taxes, health codes, penalties, punishments, and anything else the government (state and federal) can think of. Make it too costly and people will wonder is it worth it? I've known alot of people who quit smoking not for health problems but because they couldn't afford their habit.

That wouldn't make it any less dangerous. I guess what I'm asking is whether you'd like a woman you cared about to be a part of that world. It's like asking whether you'd like to watch them form an addiction to heroin. It's travelling in the same circles, and I don't see how legalizing it, even with lots of regulations and codes and taxes will change that. People would still peddle tail on the black market, and drugs.

That wouldn't make it any less dangerous. I guess what I'm asking is whether you'd like a woman you cared about to be a part of that world. It's like asking whether you'd like to watch them form an addiction to heroin. It's travelling in the same circles, and I don't see how legalizing it, even with lots of regulations and codes and taxes will change that. People would still peddle tail on the black market, and drugs.

But then, the Punishments can be more severe, and Legalizing Prostitution does not mean Legalizing of Drugs... Drug use can be grounds for loosing your licence to work... making it more likely you'll be heavily fined for operating a business without a licence + Drug Possession + Drug Use, then You can add violation of Health Codes, or if the Prostitute is already infected with STD or AIDS and continues to pratice... endangerment of the Public's Health, and lawsuites of assalt with a deadly (biochemical perhaps?) Weapon. Afterall, Regulations state, Full Health Checkup of Employees every Month. (Speculated Regualtion) Consider the punnishment for that Vs. Pandering... which can be added to an Unlicenced streetwalker...

That wouldn't make it any less dangerous. I guess what I'm asking is whether you'd like a woman you cared about to be a part of that world.

No, but I would like her to have the choice. There is a difference you know.

No. I think prostitution is unskilled labor. I think it's something that appeals to women who don't want to work very hard. It's easy enough to make a living on your back. It's freaking hard to make a living waiting tables or cleaning hotel rooms.

As for the men who frequent prostitutes...there are all kinds, but most of them have trouble finding a partner who will put out for free for a reason. Maybe it's something as simple as a last fling before the wedding, or maybe it's because he's dangerously kinky, and likes to beat up, rape or kill women. Maybe he's just really unpleasant in general. Maybe he's a basket-case. Maybe he's got poor hygeine or is mentally ill. There are normal men who visit prostitutes, but there are an awful lot of damaged goods floating around in that world, both among prostitutes and johns. It's better not to legitimize it.

The idea might look good from where you're sitting, as an abstraction, but really, that world isn't glamorous or pretty. It's sordid and ugly and tragic. Legitimizing it just gives it more permission to encroach on the rest of life, and soil the things that are good about it.


I disagree with both of your points: a) that prostitutes are lazy and have no work ethic, and b) that the majority of men who frequent prostitutes are psychologically or physically damaged.

First, we agree the women (and men in some cases) who have sex for money do so as unskilled labor - but we disagree on the significance of unskilled labor. It is defined as a work choice that does not depend upon a prerequisite diploma. Secondly, I'm going to make the assumption that a good work ethic means the desire to perform time-consuming and difficult labor in exchange for an appropriate monetary compensation (assuming that the work itself is not illegal - in which case I am obviously arguing that prostitution ought to change its status to a legal form of wage earning).

My argument rests on the fact that prostitution is indeed very time consuming and difficult (often more dangerous than factory work or mining, for example). It may not seem that "laying on your back" is very hard work. However, the act of sex is only part of a prostitute's job description, and even that can be exhausting. She must be able to entice her potential clients and be well versed in exotic techniques that can appeal to even the most discriminating tastes, know how to bargain the price for her service.

The men who frequent prostitutes do so for a variety of reasons, but they are hardly all "damaged". A prostitute's services are exactly that: service in exchange for money, making it one of the central tenets of North America's capitalist economic policies. Many of the men who frequent prostitutes realize this simple fact. And while some who frequent them will be abusive and deranged, this actually stems from a deeper sociological problem: since our society sees prostitution as a dirty profession, this less-than-respectable status gets attributed to the sex workers themselves. The value of their work and their lives becomes cheapened in the eyes of the society, and can extend to the behavior of many johns.

To legalize the sex trade, and to regulate it with appropriate facilities, proper medical plans and safe work environments will indeed begin the process of acceptance of these hard-working women. Society will begin to see their contribution (through taxes if nothing else) and offer them what they rarely receive in their professional lives: respect. Only good can come from legalizing their profession.

We have a system that kind of works:
Prostitution is legal, but with two limitations: It can't be your primary source of income (meaning, you have to have another job), and no 3rd party can benefit in any way from your prostitution (meaning that there are no pimps). Otherwise you're free to do as you please.

This seems to work fine...

I used to advocate a legalising for prostitution, until I realised one thing, it is REALLY cheap to run a brothel. Why do you people expect a brothel where the women get high wages, and have the right to not be used as they wish by sadistic perverts could by any means draw people to it when there is a brothel two blocks away where the prostitutes are properties of the pimp and the customers can do whatever they want for half the price?

I used to advocate a legalising for prostitution, until I realised one thing, it is REALLY cheap to run a brothel. Why do you people expect a brothel where the women get high wages, and have the right to not be used as they wish by sadistic perverts could by any means draw people to it when there is a brothel two blocks away where the prostitutes are properties of the pimp and the customers can do whatever they want for half the price?

Easy. We outlaw the second one.

Hospital superbug quits in EU row!

Yours,
Mr. Luxury Yacht (It is spelt Luxury Yacht but is actually pronounced Throatwobbler Mangrove)

3. my support of abortion has nothing to do with my personal sexual practices. i supported abortion just as strongly when i was a virgin, and just as strongly when i was single and "playing the field." my support of the right to choose has not varried with my sexual activity level...has yours? that seems like a very odd way to develop your values, but i suppose it would explain a few things about your opinions...

And what about the choice of the unborn child? I think the choice begins before conception not after. Once you conceive, barring rape or vioence, you made that choice the night before. If you did not choose to have sexual intercourse there would have been no chance of conception. If you chose differently then you did not take into consideration all the effects of your actions an was not prepared for the consequences. If abortion was not legal there would be no easy way out and people would have to think twice before acting. With the easy way out of being able to choose murder as an option people don't need to think.

Prostitution is the world's oldest profession, it has been around since the beginning of history. If women want to accept money for sexual intercourse then that is their choice. Most women are probably disgusted by the idea, but there are always some who are not. For those who aren't, give the people what they demand, but tax it. There are taxes on cigarettes, gambling, alcohol and other various vices people are atune to. If the act degrades women then that is the shame of the women preforming the acts not women in general. If a woman is called a "whore", that is meant towards her not the entire female population.

one dead huh?

performing sexual services would be unskilled labor, since it would not take higher education or specialized vocational training to perform such tasks. is there something about the term "unskilled labor" that confuses you?


unskilled labor? you obviously have not had enuff sex to distinguish between a skilled and an unskilled sexual companion...you aint born with some of those skills...takes practice and training, they should have their own unions and degree certificate programs to guarantee performance/service levels to their customers.

I don't think that prostitution should be legalised. It's not legal in the Netherlands, it's only tolerated if it takes place in particular areas, such as Red Light Districts. I think that prostitution is bad because it degrades both parties involved in the act. The vast majority of Prostitutes are women, not men. I think that in this day and age men shouldn't support women financially. Men paying women for sex is supporting them financially. Another aspect of this is that these women are saying that men or certain men have nothing to offer them except money.

I think I'm now being harassed by Prostitutes who are going to various nights out that I go to. I go there to find a woman who likes me for who and what I am, not a Prostitute. It now seems that any or all women I meet when I go out either are or could be Prostitutes. These Prostitutes don't identify themselves as Prostitutes and it could take some time for me to find out if any of them are Prostitutes. I often search the Internet for Prostitutes' websites so I know who to avoid. Apart from these clubs, I go to pubs and I recently went to a slightly different club, which was a kind of "crossover" event attended by some people I wouldn't normally see. I don't know what else I'm supposed to do to start a relationship with a woman who isn't a Prostitute. I've also thought about asking every woman I meet if she is a Prostitute to save time, but I don't think I can because women who aren't Prostitutes would probably be offended by this.

My situation has got so bad that I recently phoned a helpline to ask them if I was gay or if I could become gay to get away from these Prostitutes, but after asking me a couple of questions, they told me I definitely wasn't gay. At this moment my ambition is to have sex again before my birthday on December 1 (World AIDS Day), but I don't know of any way I can guarantee getting it, without going to a Prostitute. Can anyone suggest any other way?

Easy. We outlaw the second one.
Oh you have solved it...:P

Make it legal, end the world wide slavetrade involving underage girls and if you don't like prostitution, then mind your own business, just like you are now by ignoring the slavery.

Also, by legalizing it, you can regulate it to stop the health risk, put the pimps out of business, and those who are forced into it (slave labors and Illegal Immigrants) can be freed.

I wouldn't say that it would put the pimps out of buisness so much as it would bring about better pimps. Pimps perform a valuble service by protecting their hookers. Legalization would encourage law abiding pimps to put criminal pimps out of buisness. Also, I don't the health risk is that serious anyway. It's just used by law enforcement as an excuse for costly prostitution stings. Believe it or not, they use condoms. Think about it, you'd have to be nuts to go without one.


Also, you can tax the heck outta it, place HEAVY fines for those operating without a business permit and strangle it with red tape.
Why would you want to do that? I don't support heavy taxes on anything. And why bother legalizing it if you're going to try to regulate it to death. I find such abuses of the law-making process deplorable. You might as well just ban it outright. At least that's more honest.

Make it legal, end the world wide slavetrade involving underage girls and if you don't like prostitution, then mind your own business, just like you are now by ignoring the slavery.

Here, here.

As for the men who frequent prostitutes...there are all kinds, but most of them have trouble finding a partner who will put out for free for a reason. Maybe it's something as simple as a last fling before the wedding, or maybe it's because he's dangerously kinky, and likes to beat up, rape or kill women. Maybe he's just really unpleasant in general. Maybe he's a basket-case. Maybe he's got poor hygeine or is mentally ill. There are normal men who visit prostitutes, but there are an awful lot of damaged goods floating around in that world, both among prostitutes and johns. It's better not to legitimize it.

.
Actually, I suspect you are wrong. I must confess this is not from any first-person experience. However there are plenty of websites that discuss prostitution frankly. Most often the men say they are looking for sex with no strings attached. Some prostitutes say that many of the men who come to them are attractive and nice. The men just don't want to build a relationship, spend the time flirting, or feel guilty for leaving right afterwords.
Often they already have a relationship, but ther are pieces missing. (Women who use sex as a tool to grossly manipulate their spouse seems common)

It is like cooking I guess. Some men can cook for themselves, some marry a great (or not-so-great) cook. Just because they go to a restaurant does not mean they have an eating disorder.

OK, well, that may be a bit off, but the point is about as close as I can come for now.

I wouldn't say that it would put the pimps out of buisness so much as it would bring about better pimps. Pimps perform a valuble service by protecting their hookers. Legalization would encourage law abiding pimps to put criminal pimps out of buisness. Also, I don't the health risk is that serious anyway. It's just used by law enforcement as an excuse for costly prostitution stings. Believe it or not, they use condoms. Think about it, you'd have to be nuts to go without one.

Not knowing anything about the Prostitution's world, I always assume that there are Pimps who do care for their girls. Health risks may be low but they are still there... condoms are not 100% effective. and I was referring to those who will not follow regulations (Health checkups for employees and such.) and who says there are no nuts out there?





Why would you want to do that? I don't support heavy taxes on anything. And why bother legalizing it if you're going to try to regulate it to death. I find such abuses of the law-making process deplorable. You might as well just ban it outright. At least that's more honest.

Cigars and Cigarettes are heavily taxed, Alcohol needs a licence to be sold and an age limit to be bought,and now you cannot smoke in public areas, drinks cannot be sold between certain times. yet people are still lighting up and drinking up and new people are joining them almost every day. By banning it, you won't stop it, you'll just make it harder to stop. It's banned in most states already and it's still going on. However, By choking it with red tape, those who practice Slavery and other illegal practices will find themselves forced to 'clean up' or move out. Besides, the Taxes will be similar to 'User Fees' not everyone pays... only those participating.

It is like cooking I guess. Some men can cook for themselves, some marry a great (or not-so-great) cook. Just because they go to a restaurant does not mean they have an eating disorder.

Damn, I was just about to say that myself.

Legalizing prostitution would also help the economy. It would create jobs and economic activity. Being legal means it could also be more easily regulated. Even if the tax were minimal it would have a positive impact on the economy as the commerce picked up.

So prostitution isn't legal in America?! I didn't know that... :eek:

Don't know if anyone has said this already but...

Prostitution is legal in Germany, New Zealand, Holland, Denmark, Australia (I believe) and the Netherlands (among many other countrires).

France has a prostitution union, as does Cambodia. There are probably more countries.

Look it up.

Hmm, I wonder what kind of benefits THEY get!