Legalizing Prostitution
Prostitution is the act of exchanging sexual acts for goods or services that are agreed upon by both consenting parties. Depending on where you are, prostitution may be deemed legal or illegal. Prostitution should be legalized because, if it is, more regulations can be put in place to make it safer for both the client and the worker in regards to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. It should also be legalized because prostitution is a victimless crime, which means that both parties are consenting, and prostitutes do not commit inherently violent acts. Furthermore, prostitution should be legalized so that if a worker is harmed or forced to do something without their consent, they can take the matter to the police and see that the perpetrator
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is punished.
If prostitution is legalized, protections could be put in place that would make sex work safer. Paul Abramson, PhD, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, wrote in his book Sexual Rights in America: The Ninth Amendment and the Pursuit of Happiness, “The evidence from Nevada suggests that decriminalization… would better protect the health and safety of both prostitutes and their customers.” Currently, prostitution aids in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. However, if prostitution is legalized, regulations can be set in place where sex workers would get tested for sexually transmitted diseases so as to lower the chance of spreading diseases. Prostitution is currently considered a crime, yet it is victimless.
Sherry F. Colb, JD, a professor of Law and Charles Evans Hughes Scholar at Cornell Law School, states, “Prostitutes are not committing an inherently harmful act. While the spread of disease and other detriments are possible in the practice of prostitution, criminalization is a sure way of exacerbating rather than addressing such effects… What makes prostitution a 'victimless crime' in the sense that no one is necessarily harmed by it is that there are consenting adults involved.” When both parties involved are of age and consenting, there is no harm done. Henceforth, there is no reason that prostitution should be legalized due to the idea that it is dangerous or unsafe. Violence is prevalent in the sex industry. Melissa Ditmore, PhD, the Coordinator of the Global Network of Sex Work Projects, says, “Police cannot and do not simultaneously seek to arrest prostitutes and protect them from violence.... Gary Ridgway said that he killed prostitutes because he knew he would not be held accountable. The tragedy is that he was right – he confessed to the murders of 48 women, committed over nearly twenty years. That is truly criminal." With prostitution being illegal, then the true crimes that are perpetrated against sex workers go unpunished. If a worker is harmed in some way against their will, the police do nothing to help; they can’t do anything. But if prostitution is legalized, then people who commit crimes against sex workers can be brought to justice.
Overall, prostitution should be legalized because, if it is, protections can be put in place for sex workers and their clients. Prostitution is not an inherently harmful or dangerous act. If two consenting adults take part in sexual activities, it should not be
illegal.
is punished.
If prostitution is legalized, protections could be put in place that would make sex work safer. Paul Abramson, PhD, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, wrote in his book Sexual Rights in America: The Ninth Amendment and the Pursuit of Happiness, “The evidence from Nevada suggests that decriminalization… would better protect the health and safety of both prostitutes and their customers.” Currently, prostitution aids in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. However, if prostitution is legalized, regulations can be set in place where sex workers would get tested for sexually transmitted diseases so as to lower the chance of spreading diseases. Prostitution is currently considered a crime, yet it is victimless.
Sherry F. Colb, JD, a professor of Law and Charles Evans Hughes Scholar at Cornell Law School, states, “Prostitutes are not committing an inherently harmful act. While the spread of disease and other detriments are possible in the practice of prostitution, criminalization is a sure way of exacerbating rather than addressing such effects… What makes prostitution a 'victimless crime' in the sense that no one is necessarily harmed by it is that there are consenting adults involved.” When both parties involved are of age and consenting, there is no harm done. Henceforth, there is no reason that prostitution should be legalized due to the idea that it is dangerous or unsafe. Violence is prevalent in the sex industry. Melissa Ditmore, PhD, the Coordinator of the Global Network of Sex Work Projects, says, “Police cannot and do not simultaneously seek to arrest prostitutes and protect them from violence.... Gary Ridgway said that he killed prostitutes because he knew he would not be held accountable. The tragedy is that he was right – he confessed to the murders of 48 women, committed over nearly twenty years. That is truly criminal." With prostitution being illegal, then the true crimes that are perpetrated against sex workers go unpunished. If a worker is harmed in some way against their will, the police do nothing to help; they can’t do anything. But if prostitution is legalized, then people who commit crimes against sex workers can be brought to justice.
Overall, prostitution should be legalized because, if it is, protections can be put in place for sex workers and their clients. Prostitution is not an inherently harmful or dangerous act. If two consenting adults take part in sexual activities, it should not be
illegal.