Category: Prostitution

It is said that money makes the world go round, and that there is nothing money can not buy or fix. When you stop to think about it, that statement holds true for everything. With money, you can save an endangered animal, you can donate to great causes, you buy yourself all the luxuries your heart desires, you can lobby policies to your favor, you can even pay for someone to have your child. In this capitalist world, everything has a price, so why is it wrong for people to pay for sex? Why is it that woman get looked down upon for engaging in such acts, while in other places, prostitution is perfectly legal and normal? While there many reasons why people oppose prostitution, prostitution was not always viewed this way, and should not be morally wrong but in fact legalized.

To those who argue prostitution is morally wrong, some of the arguments they use are that prostitution is a degrading job because most get into prostitution out economic need. While that argument seems valid, it is not one that can endure its counterarguments. If people, mainly woman, get into prostitution for economic need, are you really going to believe it was their “only” choice? There are many options that could have been considered before prostitution. If the excuse was lacking educational achievements that hindered these women from getting a job other than prostitution, then that too is a lie. There is a reason why parents and even teachers tell their kids if they do not study, their only job will be flipping burgers at McDonald’s. I am not implying that working at McDonald’s is a degrading job but rather I am showing that there are jobs that do not require any education or experience at all. Women who chose to enter prostitution out of economic need, do have other choices such as McDonald’s and do not have to work in prostitution if they feel it is degrading.

We also have to understand that prostitution was not always viewed as a degrading, and in fact, it may have begun through religion according to The Canadian Medical Association Journal (Clarkson, 1939, pg 296). In this journal, The History of Prostitution, it is stated that prostitution may have started religiously. Some examples of it would be in ceremonies that worship Aphrodite, in which woman “would enter into relationships” just for special celebrations(Clarkson, 1939, pg 297). Another example would be priestesses in Babylon’s temples, who would all be prostitutes. Worshippers could expect to obtain great benefits by having sex with these holy priestesses. But these holy prostitutes were not treated poorly, in fact, they were always treated with “great dignity” and to this day, this custom could be found in some parts of Morocco and some parts of India.

Another reason used by people who oppose prostitution and its legalization is that they believe it will increase the violence experienced by some prostitutes. But this is simply not true, prostitution is illegal in the United States and as a result, should prostitutes feel unsafe, they have no one to turn to, and this is why there is violence in prostitution right now. According to Martha Nussbaum, a law and philosophy professor at the University of Chicago, legalizing prostitution is more likely to make things “better for women” (Bazelon, 2008)). She states that because it is illegal, it puts the “bad guys” in control. This makes sense, because if it is illegal, they can not file a complaint with their local police department because then they too will get locked up. If they are unable to get help from the police, pimps can essentially abuse them and get away with it knowing the police is not going to come looking for them later. Unfortunately, this is what is happening right now in major US cities, according to a study done by the AIDs Education and Prevention organization, they found out that of the prostitutes in San Francisco’s massage parlors, 62% of them been beaten by customers. More than half of massage parlor prostitutes have experienced violence so legalizing prostitution can help lower that number down because they would have to be afraid of being prosecuted as well.

Prostitution should be viewed just as two consenting adults who agree on the price of a service. Why is it that apps like Tinder and others who are constantly used for hooking up and casual sex able to exist without prosecution but as soon as someone pays or accepts payments it becomes a crime? In this capitalist society, everything is up for sale, surprisingly even sperm and eggs. So if many components used during sex, can be sold, why is that prostitution itself still can not be legal? If a woman wants to “sell” her body, she should have the right to do so. If she wants to make money off of her body, she should be able to do so. At the end of the day it is her body and she has free will to exercise what she wants with it. If the argument is that prostitution is harmful then she is only harming herself and other people worry about themselves and not with what someone else does. If prostitution was legal and viewed as just another job, then like a job, it can be regulated to protect the worker. Legalizing prostitution can improve the overall health of the workers and consumers. Let us look into other countries who have already legalized sex work, like the Netherlands for example. In the Netherlands, according to a study done by the government, after legalization, “the quality of life of sex workers has improved” (Garcia, 2019). The mental state of workers has improved. The overall health of workers has improved. The violence towards sex workers has declined because they are now protected like any other law abiding citizen. So all of these benefits are not theoretical, and have happened and continue to occur in other places who have also legalized sex work. Why has the United States not yet legalized prostitution? In Germany, the legalization of sex work has brought in $18 billion per year into the country (Kirschbaum, 2009). The US is 28 times bigger than Germany so just imagine how much money the US can bring in if they were to legalize prostitution. So not only does legalizing prostitution prove to be beneficial to the worker but also for the government because now they can bring in more revenue into their country.

I started this paper talking about money because money plays a big part in prostitution. The sex industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and the United States has not fully tapped into its full potential. It is just like how some US states legalized the use of recreational marijuana and have now tapped into that once elusive market. Colorado alone has already generated $6 billion in sales revenue and more than $927 million in tax revenue (Daniels, 2019) for the state. If people are going to pay for sex regardless, because that is what history tells us, it is better for the government to help regulate it for the safety of the workers and consumers but also to increase the tax revenue of the country. Instead, the government is wasting taxpayer money on prosecuting individuals who entered into consensual sex for payment. Why should people not benefit from the legalization of sex workers? If you have the money you should be able to pay for someone who consents, after all in many places it is a job and jobs require payments.

Introduction to Prostitution’s Impact

Many prostitutes extinguish their emotions while they are with customers. At least that is the case for Roberta Victor, a prostitute who was interviewed in Working by Studs Terkel. At the outset of her interview, Victor claims, “The role one plays when hustling has nothing to do with who you are” (57). However, by the end of the interview, she states, “You become your job. I became what I did. I became a hustler. I became cold, I became hard, I became turned off, I became numb. Even when I wasn’t hustling, I was a hustler. I also don’t think it’s terribly different from somebody who works on the assembly line forty hours a week and comes home cut off, numb, dehumanized. People aren’t built to switch on and off like water faucets” (65). Victor seems unaware of the fact that she contradicts herself by stating that she becomes her job [a prostitute] when before she said that she is a different person when she works. Her mindset and analytical process has changed enormously. What factors affected her mindset, from her being able to separate her work from her identity to her thinking that she has become a hustler? What are the psychological and physical effects of prostitution on a prostitute? What factors lead prostitutes to have such a mindset? Is there a way to decrease the effect prostitution has on a prostitute’s mental and physical state?

Psychological Effects of Prostitution

The psychological effects of prostitution are mainly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), somatization and stigmatization, and anxiety and depression. The physical effects of prostitution include the high risk of STDs, sexual or physical violence, and introduction to drugs and alcohol . This mindset and alteration of the analytical process is the result of exposure to violence through prostitution. So far it has been said that counselling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication can help ease the symptoms of PTSD; however, there is no permanent solution because the condition requires ongoing treatment to control the symptoms and improve the sufferer’s life. Even though are also solutions being found to decrease the physical effects of prostitution in order, there is no perfect solution. There is not any type of medication or therapy that eliminates the psychological or physical effects of prostitution completely.

The Complexity of PTSD in Prostitution

One of the strongest psychological effects of prostitution on prostitutes is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is described as bouts of anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability, flashbacks, emotional numbing, and hyper alertness. Symptoms of PTSD are more severe and long lasting when the stressor is a person ( Farley, “Is”). According to Melissa Farley, “PTSD is normative among prostituted women” (“Is”). In San Francisco, Farley conducted an experiment with one hundred and thirty prostitutes were fifty-five percent of them stated that they were sexually assaulted as children and forty-nine percent of them were physically assaulted as children. As adults in prostitution: eighty-two percent had been physically assaulted, eighty-three percent had been threatened with a weapon, sixty-eight percent had been raped while working as prostitutes, and eighty-four percent reported current or former homelessness. In accordance to the one hundred thirty people interviewed, sixty-eight percent of them met the DSM III-R, which is a criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD (Farley et al., “Prostitution, Violence”). My interpretation is that most PTSD symptoms are caused by the different types of lifetime sexual and physical violence that can begin from childhood and continue to adulthood. According to Farley, seventy-three percent of the total four hundred and seventy-three people interviewed in five different countries (South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, USA, and Zambia) reported that they had been assaulted in prostitution, and sixty-two percent had been raped in prostitution (Farley et al., “Prostitution in Five”). Any prostitutes who experience any trauma type of PTSD can result in PTSD. Researchers discovered that out of the five hundred prostitutes interviewed world-wide, sixty-seven percent of them suffer from PTSD.

Another psychological effect of prostitution which is slightly more complex is somatization. Somatization is the making of recurrent and multiple medical symptoms with no main cause. Somatization disorder results in women who were assaulted in childhood and were sexually abused. Somatization is the result of negative affectivity and feelings of incompetence (Christiansen). The relationship between trauma and somatization appears to be a result of PTSD. Somatic symptoms are common among prostitutes who are trauma survivors. According to Dorte M. Christiansen, depression, dissociation, and anxiety are not associated with degree of somatization. Not much research has been conducted on somatization and its disorders among prostitutes.

Stigma and Society’s Role

Another psychological effect of prostitution is stigmatization. Stigma is “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person”. Stigma emerges in relationships in the sense that people learn to judge, condemn, stereotype, and fault others for having certain characteristics, (skin color, weight, physical disability) or engaging in behaviors (illicit drug use, smoking, sex work) that are considered socially or culturally disrespectful (Agustin). Stigma usually involves blaming, shaming, and status loss of the sufferer and is often related to social anxieties, fears, and a related need to maintain social order or control. It’s also been said that powerful social norms and values effects lead to negative stereotypes such as that sex workers or prostitutes are considered immoral, unclean, or dangerous. Prostitutes who are often negatively stereotyped and tend to be identified by a certain characteristic mainly think that this characteristic is their sole defining characteristic, just as how Roberta Victor begin to think that she was a prostitute not a woman who worked as one. Some prostitutes worry about “perceived stigma,” and so, they do not socially interact out of the fear that people will treat them unequally because they work in prostitution as their line of work(Agustin). Another way individuals are affected by stigma is “enacted stigma” or discrimination when prostitutes are treated negatively because of the societal beliefs held about them (Agustin). However, unlike some prostitutes who internalize stigma, others perceive themselves as playing a role which is very important in society such as emotional or sexual health counselors (Agustin). Even though some prostitutes may stigmatize themselves, they are likely to not do anything about the discrimination that occurs. Even though some prostitutes resist stigma, they are likely to hide their jobs from family and loved ones because even if they think they are completely resistant to stigma, many would secretly loathe themselves (Corrigan). Stigma is one of the stronger psychological effects of prostitution because there is a possibility that stigma can lead to stress disorders and mental illness (Corrigan). There are not many cures for stigma, however there is an ongoing argument that legalizing prostitution would help decrease the psychological effect of prostitution. I believe that researchers who argue that legalizing prostitution would help seem to think that prostitutes would not feel as stigmatized because it might seem to them that they are doing a job that is now legal and this would help increase their level of self-esteem. However, it is not completely likely that everyone would approve of the legalization of prostitution because people and societies may think that it is immoral and undignified.

The more common psychological effect are anxiety and depression. Anxiety can be the cause of PTSD. Anxiety and depression rates are high among prostitutes; however, according to Margarita Alegria, only nine point seven percent of them are actually receiving treatment and about seventy percent of the prostitutes suffer from depression ( “Is”). According to Lloyd A. Goldsamt et al., anxiety and depression are closely related to illicit use of drugs, and sexual behavior. Even though prostitution is illegal in Switzerland, Zhana Vrangalova in 2005 conducted research with one hundred ninety-three legally registered prostitutes in Zurich. The result of this research showed that thirty percent of the prostitutes were suffering from anxiety (Vrangalova). Anxiety and depression are very common among prostitutes and can lead to serious disorders and mental illnesses. They both are very harmful psychological effects of prostitution. Solutions and ways include meditation, socializing, therapeutic help, and exercise, but no permanent solutions have been found.

Physical Effects of Prostitution

Prostitution also has many physical effects. One of these effects is STDs. Sexually Transmitted Disease [STD] are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through sexual intercourse or intimate contact. STDs are, nowadays, more common among teens; however, the numbers are still higher among prostitutes. Prostitutes can easily come in contact with STDs because of unprotected sexual intercourse. Prostitutes are generally known as the “high-risk group” (Gasper et al.). There is no one hundred percent chance to prevent STDs.Some STDs are curable while others are not. STDs include: Chlamydia, Chancroid, Crabs (Pubic lice), Genital herpes, Genital warts, Hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Trichomoniasis (parasitic infection), Molluscum Contagiosum, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), Scabies, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Trichomoniasis (Trich) (STD Awareness). STDs have been increasing since 2006, the CDC estimates a prevalence of one hundred and ten million new STDs annually in the US, which costs approximately sixteen billion dollars in healthcare expenses alone (“STD Awareness”). In my opinion, these are astronomically high rates. The rates of STDs are five to sixty times higher among sex workers than the general population (“STD Awareness”). Studies have shown that only forty-seven percent of prostitutes (women) know what their HIV status is (“STD Awareness”). Steps can be taken to prevent STDs; however, there is no guarantee. STDs can be prevented by using latex condoms, avoiding sharing towels or underclothing, washing hands before and after sexual intercourse, getting a vaccination for Hepatitis B, getting tested for HIV, abstaining from sexual intercourse. These are some of the ways that you can prevent to catch an STD.

Another physical effect of prostitution is sexual/physical violence. Roberta Victor reports that when she was a streetwalker she had been raped and knives over her head. According to Sophie Day conducted a survey in London in 1989-91, that one hundred and thirteen out of the one hundred and ninety-three women who reported assault were prostitutes. Sexual violence is very common among prostitutes. Beatings, kidnappings, rape, and even murder are generally considered “occupational hazards” of prostitution. A prostitute’s work and personal life are both full of dangers because of the constant danger of their customers. No real solutions would completely eliminate sexual and physical violence; however, measures can be taken to decrease the violence.

Last but not least, drug use is one of the biggest physical effects of prostitution. Not only do drugs affect the prostitute but there is great possibility that they affect the clients also. Roberta Victor states that she did drugs (heroin, cocaine, and grass) as a recreational activity; however, soon she became addicted and she worked in order to maintain her drug habit. According to WIkipedia, there are forty to eighty percent streetwalkers that abuse drugs. Researchers have found that the choice of drug can be important to the prostitute in serving real or perceived functions; such as putting on an act during work (the perceived function) and helping them remain themselves during their private lives (the real function) (Wikipedia). It has been said that prostitution and drug addiction/ abuse are closely linked because some people go into prostitution in order maintain their drug habit, while prostitutes get to “use” drugs through prostitution. This is why drug addiction can be considered a physical factor of prostitution.

Solutions and Ongoing Challenges

Solutions are more psychological based for the physical effect of drug addiction. Solutions of overcoming one’s drug addiction include: limiting the amount of drug intake, removing any reminders of your addiction, and asking your family to help support your abandonment of drug usage (“Teen”). I believe that it would also help if they remind themselves of the dangers that can be the result of drug overdose, such as the dangers of heroin being: mood swings, withdrawal, nausea, and even death. If a drug addict reminded themselves, I believe they would have a better chance of overcoming their addiction.

Prostitution is illegal yet it still occurs. However, prostitutes and sex workers do not understand how their job changes their mindset and analytical process. Prostitution has many psychological effects, including PTSD-PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and depression, and somatization and stigmatization. The physical effects include the high risk of STDs, sexual and physical violence, and the introduction to drugs. Even though some of these effects are curable others are not, and most of these are caused by participation in prostitution. Prostitution is serious and people need to understand the side effects of it yea yea yea.

MEANING OF CHILD PROSTITUTION

Child prostitution is a form of sexual abuse involving the commercial sexual exploitation of children in which a child performs sexual acts in exchange for some form of payment. Most countries have strict laws surrounding the sexual exploitation of children and so many customers engage in what is known as child sex tourism, travelling to foreign countries to evade the laws within their home country. Technology has also allowed children to be prostituted over the internet, increasing the rates of child pornography and human trafficking across the globe. Child prostitution is rarely a personal choice and is generally a form of organized crime run by an individual pimp or, more commonly, by a large-scale sex ring.

CHILD SEX TOURISM

Child sex tourism (CST) is tourism for the purpose of engaging in the prostitution of children, which is commercially facilitated child sexual abuse. … The children who perform as prostitutes in the child sex tourism trade often have been lured or abducted into sexual slavery.

NATURE OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Child sexual abuse is a global problem across all societies, civilized and uncivilized though its nature and enormity differ from society to society. Child abuse occurs in secrecy. Most of the times, it becomes a conspiracy in silence.

Child abuse is a violation of the basic human rights of child. It infringes the fundamental and constitutional rights of a child. It is a crime not only against the child victim and his/her family but also against the society at large.

Primarily and most importantly, child sexual abuse involves a breach of trust or an exploitation of vulnerability, and frequently both. Abused child is emotionally isolated. The abuser forces the child to keep the act a secret. If the abuser is a family member, the child not only loses trust in the family but also worries about what would happen to the family if the secret is disclosed. The burden of the secrecy can be carried into adolescence. Carrying a secret, and the abuse itself, can make the abused child feel different and apart from others, not like a normal person.

However, child abuse is often overlooked by family, authorities and society. Even the educated class of society is skeptical about reporting a case child sexual abuse. A self revealed victim becomes an object of insult and blame! Most of the child sexual abuses thus go unreported. The child victims often resist to report the abuse apprehending the anger of offender and judgemental behavior of the society. The societal attitude itself, on the one hand, encourages the offenders to repeat the abuse and, on the other hand, discourages the child to disclose the abuse.

There is also a considerable overlap between physical, emotional and sexual abuse and children who are subject to one form of abuse are significantly more likely to suffer other forms of abuse.

SYMPTOMS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Parents, grandparents, and guardians should be aware of the signs that could indicate that the child has been sexually abused.It should be noted that some of these behaviours may have other explanations, but it is important to assist the child no matter what the cause of these symptoms or behaviours.

• Changes in behaviour, extreme mood swings, isolation or withdrawal, uncharacteristic anger, tearfulness, and excessive crying.
• Disclosure by child (very rare).
• Physical evidence (very rare).
• Excessive masturbation.
• Age inappropriate, knowledge of sex.
• Constantly talks about sex.
• Acting out inappropriate sexual activity or showing an unusual interest in sexual matters even with other children.
• Venereal disease.
• Constant vaginal discharge.
• Bleeding in vagina or anus.
• A sudden acting out of feelings or aggressive or rebellious behaviour.
• Regression to infantile behaviour; clinging.
• School or behavioural problems.
• Changes in toilet-training habits.
• Bed-wetting & soiling, nightmares, fear of going to bed, or other sleep disturbances.
• A fear of certain places like bathroom, people, or activities.
• Bruises, rashes, cuts, limping, multiple or poorly explained injuries.
• Pain, itching, bleeding, fluid, or rawness in the private areas.
• Nightmares.
• Sleeps too much or too little.
• Difficulty walking or sitting.

PROBLEMS ARISING OUT OF CHILD PROSTITUTION

The magnitude of the problem of child sexual abuse is highly complicate. Child sexual abuse has a number of effects physical as well as psychological. It imposes both short term and long term consequences. Its impact is cast on abused child, perpetrator and community. The major victim, however, is the abused child.

• Health Problems: Child abuse, in itself, is an important public health issue. An abused child develops frequent unexplained health problems. It has serious future consequences for its victims, including delays in physical growth. The female victims of commercial sexual exploitation face early teenage pregnancy and associated problems. The victims of sexual abuse contract sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/ AIDS.
• Physical Harm: Sexual abuse imposes severe physical harm to the child. Sexual mutilation, neurological damage and damage to organs especially to sex organs are rampant in child sexual abuse cases. Even death of the child can be caused in a forced sexual abuse where high degree of physical force is exercised.
• Psychological harm: Though not apparent initially, the severe impact of sexual abuse on a child is the psychological impact. Impact of sexual abuse on mental health of children is far reaching. Psychiatric disorders are common amongst the child victims of sexual offences. Child sexual abuse is a central cause of mental health problems in adult life and a potent cause of adult psychopathology. It causes severe impact on interpersonal, social behaviour and sexual functioning in adult life. The exposure of children to the sexual advances of adults places the victim at high risk of later sexual problems. In the later stage, the abused child starts finding solace in drug and alcohol. Child sexual abuse plays a crucial role in lowering self esteem and imposing pessimism and fatalism in child. Pedophilia leaves psychosexual disorder with profound implications for the abused child, perpetrator and community.
• Family Dysfunction: An abused child exhibits problems in personality development, learning skills and behaviour. The child’s behaviour can create disturbance in stable family relations. The abused children contribute to family dysfunction. They unusually express aggressive behaviour towards family members, friends and objects.
• Chronic Depression: Chronic depression: Consequences of child sexual abuse range from chronic depression to low self-esteem to sexual dysfunction to multiple personalities. According to AMA,1/5 of all Victims develop serious long term psychological problems. These may include dissociative responses and other signs of post-traumatic-stress syndrome chronic states of arousal, phobias, nightmares, flashbacks, unusual fear, persistent sexual play with friends or pets, venereal disease and anxiety over sex or exposure of the body during medical exams.In the trauma, they also engage in self mutilations, such as injuring or hurting themselves. Multiple personality disorders,depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, substance abuse disorders, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorders are common among child victims of sexual abuse.33 Self dislike, self- destruction, guilty feeling, punishment feeling, loss of pleasure – sadness, unwanted self-criticism, feeling of powerlessness, irritability are common among child victims of sexual abuse.
• Criminalization: The victims are often inadequately protected by the law and in many cases unfortunately treated as criminals. On the other hand, abused children are most likely to become criminal offender as adults.
• Relationship Problem: Sexually abused children not only face an assault on their sexual identity, but a blow their impression of the world as a safe enough environment to live in. In those abused by close kin or someone with whom they had a close relationship, the impact is likely to be all the more profound. The experience of child sexual abuse deposits in the child a specific deficit in forming and maintain intimate relationships

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was brought in as late as 2012. As the name suggests, the statute lays down laws exclusively for protection of children. It defines penetrative sexual assault and sexual assault against children, and also provides for definition and punishment for sexual harassment of children. As per the law, sexual assault of a child is punished with maximum of five years, penetrative sexual assault is punished with up to 10 years, and sexually harassing a child lands one behind bars for three years.

Experts, however say that POSCO in its five years of existence, has failed to act as a deterrent for crimes against children.Among several measures, lawyers, activists and the citizens have been demanding capital punishment for those convicted of sexually assaulting children. Advocating this strongly is Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal, who has been urging the government to introduce a time-bound penalty for convicts of child sexual abuse.

“A 11-month-old baby was recently operated after being raped. What is the magic stick to change the mindset of individuals who commit such crimes? It’s fear. We need immediate relief. Within six months of the crime committed, award them with death penalty,” Maliwal told

It is in common knowledge that child sexual abuse happens more than the reported cases. Maliwal says “three rapes happen everyday in the capital”. “There were 31,446 FIRs by women and children between 2012 and 2014.”

The provision for capital punishment exists in India only in the “rarest of rare cases” as laid down by the Supreme Court in 1980 and in Machhi Singh v. State of Punjab, 1983, section 303 (punishment for murder by a convict sentenced for life imprisonment was punishable by death) of the Indian Penal Code was struck down by the top court.

Although no law any longer under the Indian criminal statutes exclusively states a death penalty, many provisions under the criminal law provide for capital punishment along with other forms of punishment for crimes like waging a war against the government, murder, attempt to murder, abetment of suicide of a child or insane person, dacoity with murder and kidnapping for ransom.

Unlike Maliwal demand for capital punishment, there are many who are instead in favour of strengthening of the legal system. Some also believe capital punishment should be awarded to repeat offenders or as per the law laid down in 1980.

Rejecting death penalty as the only deterrent, Kaushik Gupta, a lawyer in Kolkata High Court, said: “Punishment is itself a deterrent. Our focus should be on prevention.”

For the past several years, activists have been requesting for exclusive/special courts for children. A well-known fact is that Indian courts have massive backlog of cases that include child sexual abuse cases as well.

Lawyer and activist at Bachpan Bachao Andolan Bhuwan Ribhu explained the urgent need of exclusive courts by providing clarity with numbers, “It will take 55 years to clean the backlog in Gujarat and 47 years in Kerala,”

He underlined the need for child-friendly police stations and better medical facilities for child victims, and criticised the lack of structural and infrastructural establishments like a forensic laboratory. “It takes three years to get a forensic report of a victim,”

Stressing on reasons of unreported cases, former IPS officer Dr P M Nair says the interiors of India like tribal villages in Chhattisgarh have poor accessibility to police and law enforcement agencies and there are many such places in India where mostly the cases are unreported.

Another reason for such unreported cases is the lengthy legal course in India. “It’s a vicious circle. Citizens rights have taken a backseat,” After filing an FIR, the process of investigation by the police needs to be refined. Trained and skilled investigative officers and prosecutors are required for a case to move forward swiftly. “One must Listen to the victim. Invest in him/her.”

Talking about the underlying problem of Indian society, “There’s no understanding about sexuality in our country. No conversations about this takes place with children and adolescents. There has to be a dialogue at primary and secondary education level.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Prevention: Abuse of children in whatsoever means is not justifiable. It is sheer violation of their basic human rights. The upbringing of children in a healthy environment, both physically and mentally, is the first step towards a prosperous world tomorrow. Child friendly environment must strictly be maintained in homes and schools. Prevention of abuse is better than victimizing the child. With proper care and precautions sexual offences against children can be prevented to a great extent. Concerted action, including from civil society, needs to be taken to protect the children from possible sexual abuse.

Raising Awareness: Awareness must be created from the grass root levels- to parents, elders, teachers and to the society at large. Today’s children can also comprehend the situation. Parents and Teachers should educate children about appropriate sexual behaviour and how to say “no” and resist.

Parent- child attachment: The parents should maintain a strong attachment towards their children. The children should feel secure at home. The children must have the freedom to share all their experiences with the parents. The parents must devote time to listen to the children, clarify doubts, remove ambiguities and solve their problems. The parents should win the children’s confidence and trust. This would help the children to report fearlessly the abuse.

Recovery and reintegration of the victim: The government and all other actors should join hands to ensure early recovery of the victim. Counseling and psychiatric treatment should be given to the abused child. The victim should not be isolated from the mainstream of the society. All measures must be taken to ensure that the victim lead a normal life. The government must take measures to educate, rehabilitate and integrate the victims.

Treatment: With early detection and appropriate treatment, society can prevent some victimized children from becoming adult perpetrators. Physical as well as mental treatment must be ensured to the victim taking into consideration the type of abuse experienced, the duration of abuse, the degree of interpersonal support available , the personality of the individual and the resulting psychiatric condition that arose.

Means of subsistence: Initiatives are also needed to reduce the number of children getting into sex trade by giving them alternative methods of subsistence. There is a need to develop alternative means of livelihoods for victims and their families. Protection, prevention and rehabilitation must be seen as part of the community’s responsibility

Legal measures: Law pertaining to sexual exploitation of children and its enforcement must be strengthened. The law must be made most stringent in child abuse cases generally and in child abuse cases particularly. Legal proceedings and procedures must be child centered and child friendly ensuring the privacy and dignity of the child. There must be enhanced punishment in cases of subsequent offences. Urgent measures need to be taken in the field of law enforcement. Law enforcement officials, judges, lawyers and prosecutors require special training to handle the child abuse cases in a special manner. Creation and distribution of images of child pornography in whatsoever manner should be criminalised and liability should also be attached to intermediaries. Victim children must be regarded as credible witness. The perpetrators must be punished even at the sole of testimony of the victim

CONCLUSION

Child prostitution is the ultimate denial of the rights of the child. Child prostitution is a common problem in many countries of the world. In this practice, the children engage in sexual activity for monetary gain especially by the adults who either are their parents or their caretakers. Some children enter into prostitution due to the hard situations they face while others are sold into sexual servitude by their parents either consciously or unconsciously. Child prostitution in foreign countries is also a common practice. People do this through sex tourism and child trafficking. Most people practice child prostitution in foreign countries either because they want to avoid the laws of their countries by breaking law in foreign countries or because they misunderstand the people of the countries that they visit. Child prostitution is a multi billion business in the world that leads to wastage of many children’s lives. In some countries, cultural practices contribute to the involvement of children in prostitution. Large and small criminal groups arrange for Transboundary transfer of children and clients involved in child prostitution. Even though many human rights groups are against this immoral behaviour, some governments have not fully committed themselves to eradicating this problem from their countries. Still there is much demand of foreign children for sex in some countries making the business of child trafficking and sex tourism to flourish. In whichever the case, children prostitution is a criminal offence and all people and especially governments need to fight to eradicate this problem from the society.

It is said that money makes the world go round, and that there is nothing money can not buy or fix. When you stop to think about it, that statement holds true for everything. With money, you can save an endangered animal, you can donate to great causes, you buy yourself all the luxuries your heart desires, you can lobby policies to your favor, you can even pay for someone to have your child. In this capitalist world, everything has a price, so why is it wrong for people to pay for sex? Why is it that woman get looked down upon for engaging in such acts, while in other places, prostitution is perfectly legal and normal? While there many reasons why people oppose prostitution, prostitution was not always viewed this way, and should not be morally wrong but in fact legalized.

To those who argue prostitution is morally wrong, some of the arguments they use are that prostitution is a degrading job because most get into prostitution out economic need. While that argument seems valid, it is not one that can endure its counterarguments. If people, mainly woman, get into prostitution for economic need, are you really going to believe it was their “only” choice? There are many options that could have been considered before prostitution. If the excuse was lacking educational achievements that hindered these women from getting a job other than prostitution, then that too is a lie. There is a reason why parents and even teachers tell their kids if they do not study, their only job will be flipping burgers at McDonald’s. I am not implying that working at McDonald’s is a degrading job but rather I am showing that there are jobs that do not require any education or experience at all. Women who chose to enter prostitution out of economic need, do have other choices such as McDonald’s and do not have to work in prostitution if they feel it is degrading.

We also have to understand that prostitution was not always viewed as a degrading, and in fact, it may have begun through religion according to The Canadian Medical Association Journal (Clarkson, 1939, pg 296). In this journal, The History of Prostitution, it is stated that prostitution may have started religiously. Some examples of it would be in ceremonies that worship Aphrodite, in which woman “would enter into relationships” just for special celebrations(Clarkson, 1939, pg 297). Another example would be priestesses in Babylon’s temples, who would all be prostitutes. Worshippers could expect to obtain great benefits by having sex with these holy priestesses. But these holy prostitutes were not treated poorly, in fact, they were always treated with “great dignity” and to this day, this custom could be found in some parts of Morocco and some parts of India.

Another reason used by people who oppose prostitution and its legalization is that they believe it will increase the violence experienced by some prostitutes. But this is simply not true, prostitution is illegal in the United States and as a result, should prostitutes feel unsafe, they have no one to turn to, and this is why there is violence in prostitution right now. According to Martha Nussbaum, a law and philosophy professor at the University of Chicago, legalizing prostitution is more likely to make things “better for women” (Bazelon, 2008)). She states that because it is illegal, it puts the “bad guys” in control. This makes sense, because if it is illegal, they can not file a complaint with their local police department because then they too will get locked up. If they are unable to get help from the police, pimps can essentially abuse them and get away with it knowing the police is not going to come looking for them later. Unfortunately, this is what is happening right now in major US cities, according to a study done by the AIDs Education and Prevention organization, they found out that of the prostitutes in San Francisco’s massage parlors, 62% of them been beaten by customers. More than half of massage parlor prostitutes have experienced violence so legalizing prostitution can help lower that number down because they would have to be afraid of being prosecuted as well.

Prostitution should be viewed just as two consenting adults who agree on the price of a service. Why is it that apps like Tinder and others who are constantly used for hooking up and casual sex able to exist without prosecution but as soon as someone pays or accepts payments it becomes a crime? In this capitalist society, everything is up for sale, surprisingly even sperm and eggs. So if many components used during sex, can be sold, why is that prostitution itself still can not be legal? If a woman wants to “sell” her body, she should have the right to do so. If she wants to make money off of her body, she should be able to do so. At the end of the day it is her body and she has free will to exercise what she wants with it. If the argument is that prostitution is harmful then she is only harming herself and other people worry about themselves and not with what someone else does. If prostitution was legal and viewed as just another job, then like a job, it can be regulated to protect the worker. Legalizing prostitution can improve the overall health of the workers and consumers. Let us look into other countries who have already legalized sex work, like the Netherlands for example. In the Netherlands, according to a study done by the government, after legalization, “the quality of life of sex workers has improved” (Garcia, 2019). The mental state of workers has improved. The overall health of workers has improved. The violence towards sex workers has declined because they are now protected like any other law abiding citizen. So all of these benefits are not theoretical, and have happened and continue to occur in other places who have also legalized sex work. Why has the United States not yet legalized prostitution? In Germany, the legalization of sex work has brought in $18 billion per year into the country (Kirschbaum, 2009). The US is 28 times bigger than Germany so just imagine how much money the US can bring in if they were to legalize prostitution. So not only does legalizing prostitution prove to be beneficial to the worker but also for the government because now they can bring in more revenue into their country.

I started this paper talking about money because money plays a big part in prostitution. The sex industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and the United States has not fully tapped into its full potential. It is just like how some US states legalized the use of recreational marijuana and have now tapped into that once elusive market. Colorado alone has already generated $6 billion in sales revenue and more than $927 million in tax revenue (Daniels, 2019) for the state. If people are going to pay for sex regardless, because that is what history tells us, it is better for the government to help regulate it for the safety of the workers and consumers but also to increase the tax revenue of the country. Instead, the government is wasting taxpayer money on prosecuting individuals who entered into consensual sex for payment. Why should people not benefit from the legalization of sex workers? If you have the money you should be able to pay for someone who consents, after all in many places it is a job and jobs require payments.

Introduction to the Debate on Prostitution

Prostitution is the act of providing, or offering to provide, sexual services in exchange for compensation. Laws are in place to penalize those who sell sexual services, as well as those who purchase the services. Laws also punish those who arrange prostitution or benefit from it in any way. In the U.S. Prostitution is against the law in altogether states apart from Nevada, where it’s regulated by very strict laws. Prostitution laws specify that offering, agreeing to, or engaging in a sexual act, in exchange for money or other consideration, is against the law. Those who support prostitution are making the argument that it is a victimless crime, as those involved are often two consenting adults. Lawmakers and the majority of the public see prostitution differently. Many viewed it as harmful to the individuals involved, and to society as a whole. Prostitution laws are put in place to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases as well as to protect minors who might become involved in, or those who are forced into the sex trade, and to discourage other crimes that are often committed in conjunction with prostitution. Prostitution can involve wanted and unwanted sex. Unwanted is itself from violence, and therefore the punter requires the lady to pretend that she is enjoying it, albeit she finds it physically and emotionally repulsive. This is a form of psychological violence. But punters and pimps are often also physically violent. Sex work is typically associated with women; however, male sex workers generate sales of over one billion annually in the U.S. Their customers typically are other males. Where does prostitution occur? Brothels and prostitution rings exist underground on a small scale, and on an increasingly larger scale, entire sections of cities are informally zoned into brothels, bars, and clubs that house, and often enslave, women for prostitution. Prostitution is one of the oldest professions and ways of making money. Making prostitution illegal does not put an end to it. Prostitution occurs illegally or not.

Differentiating Prostitution from Sex Trafficking

To understand why prostitution should be legal, we must understand that prostitution and sex trafficking are not mutually exclusive. Sex trafficking is human trafficking used for sexual exploitation and is typically achieved through force; it can also be called sexual slavery. Sex trafficking is non-consequential and can involve adults and children whereas prostitution, in most cases, is consensual. Both sex work and sex trafficking involve prostitution by definition, however, sex work is typically consensual and sex trafficking involves force or deceit There is a spectrum of sexual exploitations, on one side there are adults who sell sex to pay for college tuition and rent, and a minor kidnapped, taken across borders to a brothel and sold day and night. This spectrum is shown in figure 1.

Dependent on the way you view prostitution, legalizing prostitution can help to fight against human trafficking. In Germany, when they legalized prostitution, cases of human trafficking significantly decreased by 10 percent from 2001 to 2011. When legalizing prostitution, creates a positive relationship between law enforcers and sex workers allowing for clear communication. Sex workers can see things that law enforcers cannot mean that they can help uncover human trafficking. Many take the view that prostitution only provides cover to human traffickers because it allows them the ability to use the law to threaten women’s victims. The legalization of sex work will allow the hiring of prostitutes instead of going to alternative options.

The Economic Scale of Prostitution in America

Prostitution is one of the largest professions in America, despite it being underground. It is said to have over 42 million prostitutes in the world, and 1 million in America. Prostitution in the states is one of the largest problems alongside drugs and guns. Prostitution is seen to have a larger cash flow than drugs and guns. Atlanta has to largest amount of income produced by sex work and is worth, $290 million. And Miami and Washington D.C. with $235 million and $103 million. In Alaska, there is an increasing amount of deaths 204 for every 100,000. Prostitution is a harmful job for some Many are attacked physically on average once per month. Many sex works in the US are made over the internet using sites such as Backpage.com and Craigslist, making up to 22 million dollars a year. The type of customers to prostitutes in America are a large percentage of white men (38.9%), with 19.4% being Latino men and 16.7% being black men. Some women comment on dealing with lawyers, officers, judges, and common men that hang around the corner looking for a good time. Many Law enforcement are purchasing sex breaking the law that they are meant to be upholding.

Legal Status of Prostitution in the United States

Prostitution is against the law in every state within us apart from Nevada. In Nevada, prostitution is against the law, however, one of the foremost famous brothels around the world occurs in Nevada. Regulated brothels are legally allowed to work in some counties in Nevada, however, street working is on allowed. This doesn`t stop women from walking the streets of Vegas. Nevada is the only state where prostitution is legal. However, Prostitution is merely in licensed brothels located in only eight counties within the state. Prostitution is strictly over 18. Nevada law defines prostitution as engaging in sexual conduct for a fee. Pandering is against the law in Nevada. Pandering is persuading, enticing, or compelling someone to become a prostitute.

The Role and Impact of Pimps in Prostitution

A pimp is a person, especially a person, who solicits customers for a prostitute or a brothel, usually reciprocally for a share of the earnings; pander, or procurer. (Dictionary) making money off of the world`s oldest profession has gone on for an extended time. When things about pimps, we associate them with men in an equivalent way we associate prostitutes with women. a bit like prostitution is often both sexes so can pimps. America`s biggest pimps and madams are a number of the foremost notorious people like Heidi Fleiss. the most pimps out there are Xaviera Hollander, Jason Itzler, Sally Stanford, Dennis Hof, and lots more. Some wrote autobiographies showcasing their operations and therefore the lifetime of a pimp. Iceberg Slim wrote an autobiography called pimp: The story of my life. Many pimps enter the industry because they grew up around it. Because they were exposed to sex work as children, it results in the trade being made to look normal and achievable thanks to earning a living. Pimps recruited individuals of all ages, genders, and races. However, they understand that white women are more profitable within the sex market and easier to manage. The recruitment of sex workers takes place in several spaces, for instance, scouting at transportation hubs, mass transit stations, nightclubs, strip bars, malls, high schools, college campuses, and local neighborhoods, also as through online and social media channels. There are many sorts of coercion and fraud when encouraging girls to enter prostitution, for instance feigning romantic interest.

Pimping doesn`t become trafficking until the threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to an individual on top of things of the victim is present.

Understanding Brothels and High-End Prostitution

A brothel is an area where people engage in sexual intercourse with prostitutes. There are many sorts of brothels that you simply can find around the world. the foremost high-end brothels around the world are situated in countries like the Czech Republic and Australia. Tiffany`s is the favorite high-end brothel that is found in Sydney, Australia. It holds a good range of women and therefore the location may be a peaceful countryside area. The brothel only caters to high-end crowds. The second most high-end brothel is the Bunny Ranch which is found in Carson City, Nevada. they’re known for having great-looking and seductive girls.

The third most high-end brothel is that the Relax Nightclub in Hamburg, Germany. The brothel is decorated with the theme of masquerade balls with the women-only wearing masks and lingerie which allows for an erotic and classical approach to sex. The Centaurus in Rio, Brazil has voluptuous, tanned, beautiful, and tight-bodied women. people that enter should be prepared to pay $210 for 40 minutes of personal time with the girl of their choice. FKK Oase is fifth and located in Frankfurt, Germany. This establishment is found in the forest near Frankfurt. The brothel features pillars, statues of Venus, and a plethora of columns. People come to FKK because the women do all the work. The tenth is sister which is found in Prague, Czech Republic. By definition, a brothel is somewhere where you simply choose paid sex. However, during this brothel, you are doing not need to buy sex. However, once you’re done performing the supposedly private act, your sister will show it and let the entire world know what you probably did, via cable TV. This sexual show and tell is coming soon in America. sister is that the first-ever sex-based reality television program that has spread across various European satellite channels.

Financial Motivations Behind Participation in Prostitution

The reason behind many women`s participation in prostitution is that the money that’s related to it. there’s an outsized amount of cash in prostitution and this will be appealing to people that are struggling financially and wish the income. For some, it’s the last option and for a few sex work offers better pay and more flexibility than any jobs that they will get elsewhere.

Protection allows empowerment and fulfillment for several women and leaves them feeling desirable. many ladies feel a way of power when in prostitution that they wouldn`t get otherwise. Some women find prostitution empowering and just like the idea of feeling desired by the other sex.

The Argument for Legalizing Prostitution

It is important to spot that change that you simply wish to ascertain. Are we seeking the legalization or discrimination of prostitution? many ladies are advocates for prostitution to be decriminalized. they need to urge obviate the penalties related to sex work. this is able to keep sex workers safe from police harassment and therefore the damaging effects of arrests and fines and guarantee them full human rights as workers in America. Many activists are trying to push the topic of decriminalizing prostitution worldwide. a number of these protests affected New Zealand’s removal of the criminal penalties in 2003. Amnesty International called on all countries to follow this in 2016. But within us, where buying and selling sex is against the law everywhere apart from a couple of counties in Nevada, decriminalization has been harder to urge a response. The discussion of legalization and decriminalizing sex workers has been suggesting in both DC and NY state. Many have shown their support for the decriminalization of sex work. there’s still an outsized amount of labor ahead to decriminalize sex work, and a few states haven’t valued this issue as important. Despite this sex workers are getting closer to winning the right to try their jobs without consistent fear of being arrested and having everything removed from them. Many have families that they have to guard. The movement for decriminalization has been around for an extended time. Prostitutes have faced an outsized amount of shame for doing sex work, also as prosecution across the planet. Thousands of individuals are arrested, prosecuted, incarcerated, deported, or fined for sex work-related offenses within the US per annum. Many street workers that walk the streets of latest York are threatened or abused, and they have found that the police are not any help to them. Many find themselves abused by cops which are meant to guard them. Many prostitutes are ignored by the officers that are meant to guard them, they involve the police, and they don`t come or blatantly ignore them within the street, even when the crime is rape. These problems aren’t a replacement thing, they need to be around for an extended time, and each year it gets worse. In 1917, many prostitutes were found marching on Central Methodist Church in San Francisco, they were protesting against anti-prostitution. During the 1960s, Sex workers might be found as a part of the Compton`s Cafeteria riot and therefore the Stonewall uprising fighting for rights. The same-sex workers’ movement found today also can be found within the 1970s by a gaggle called COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics). They aimed to urge obviate the laws around sex workers. Activist Carol Leigh comments that `The usage of the term sex work marks the start of a movement, the main goals for sex workers rights are decriminalization. the principles are different from state to state, and city to city. Repeated arrests in countries like Arizona and Florida, led to felony convictions and prison time. In some counties in Nevada, sex workers can only add licensed brothels and are made to be tested regularly for sexually transmitted infections. But the utilization of brothels is as bad because of the prison itself, many ladies are made to remain within the brothel 247. Advocates comment that criminalization puts sex workers in harm’s way. Commercial sex industries are less safe thanks to criminalization. When protecting their work, prostitutes are putting themselves in grave danger because they need to relocate to remote locations to avoid the police. Many prostitutes fear police violence, not simply because of the fear of being arrested, but because many prostitutes are scared of being forced into sex by officers. Some prostitutes are made to perform sexual favors to avoid being charged with prostitution. Racism occurs during sex work and lots of people of color’s chances of being arrested for sex work are significantly increased. Forty percent of adults and sixty percent of children arrested in the US during 2015 were black. Black people only take up twelve percent of the US population. Governments prefer to criminalize people rather than provide opportunities, and resources and give people the power to thrive. There are some successful movements. for instance, New Zealand decriminalized prostitution in 2003. This involved the removal of penalties for purchasing and selling sex. A study in 2008 found that ladies were easier when sex working and that they were willing to place abuse reports to the police when issues arise, this allowed for safer sex practices, and they gained the power to say no to unwanted clients. Some countries adopted the Nordic model, which takes away criminal penalties for selling sex but puts in situ penalties for buyers. In 1999, Sweden took up this approach, also as did counties like Norway. Some discuss the very fact that the Nordic model still hurts sex workers as I keep sex work underground. People say that when you claim to decriminalize sex work but are still criminalizing everything else in their lives, you’re still making their lives dangerous. Many global health and justice groups are calling for the full decriminalization of sex work. WHO are advocates for the decriminalization of sex work, this was suggested in 2012. Amnesty International made an equivalent recommendation in 2016.

Law put in place around prostitution fails women by its very existence. The women who are involved in prostitution are in more danger with the law that is in place as it forces operations underground and behind closed doors. The legalization of prostitution would allow for security and panic buttons that can be put in place to prevent unnecessary harm to prostitutes. These women would also be allowed to get mandatory sexual health checks to make sure that they are protected. Much of the abuse inflicted on these women is committed by the pimps that are exploiting them and using substances like drugs to keep them dependent. The legislation would allow for a better work environment for prostitutes. Legalizing prostitution would give women the freedom to choose who they are with and whom to decline.

Prostitution when examined falls under the morality code and can be argued to be morally acceptable. Most prostitutes that partake or solicit this activity do so for monetary payment. A payment earned is then used for survival in the world or to help maintain a standard of living for themselves and/or loved ones.

Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. Prostitution is sometimes described as sexual services, commercial sex or, colloquially, hooking. It is sometimes referred to euphemistically as ‘the world’s oldest profession’ in the English-speaking world. A person who works in this field is called a prostitute and is a type of sex worker.

Prostitution occurs in a variety of forms, and its legal status varies from country to country (sometimes from region to region within a given country), ranging from being an enforced or unenforced crime to an unregulated, to a regulated profession. It is one branch of the sex industry, along with pornography, stripping, and erotic dancing. Brothels are establishments specifically dedicated to prostitution. In escort prostitution, the act may take place at the client’s residence or hotel room (referred to as out-call), or at the escort’s residence or a hotel room rented for the occasion by the escort (in-call). Another form is street prostitution.

The position of prostitution and the law varies widely worldwide, reflecting differing opinions. Some view prostitution as a form of exploitation of or violence against women, and children, that helps to create a supply of victims for human trafficking. Some critics of prostitution as an institution are supporters of the ‘Nordic model’, which decriminalizes the act of selling sex, but makes the purchase of sex illegal.

In the modern scenario, prostitution is often considered to be violence against women and can take many different forms- physical, digital, etc. For example; pornographic acts, Human trafficking, rape, and other such instances. Whether prostitution should be legalized or not is an important and controversial question in many of developing nations today.

Prostitution can necessarily be the cause and the effect of human trafficking and sex slavery, and therefore it is also a really serious issue that we shall necessarily look into. Now, this essay will be all about the disadvantages of prostitution in our society, regions in our country and/or regions and countries around the world.

Firstly; the Legalization/decriminalization of prostitution is a gift to pimps, traffickers and the sex industry.

What does the legalization of prostitution or decriminalization of the sex industry mean? In the Netherlands, legalization amounts to sanctioning all aspects of the sex industry: the women themselves, the buyers, and the pimps who, under the regime of legalization, are transformed into third-party businessmen and legitimate sexual entrepreneurs. Legalization/decriminalization of the sex industry also converts brothels, sex clubs, massage parlors and other sites of prostitution activities into legitimate venues where commercial sexual acts are allowed to flourish legally with few restraints. Some people believe that, in calling for the legalization or decriminalization of prostitution, they dignify and professionalize the women in prostitution. But dignifying prostitution as work doesn’t dignify the women, it simply dignifies the sex industry.

People often don’t realize that decriminalization means decriminalization of the whole sex industry, not just the women in it. And they haven’t thought through the consequences of legalizing pimps as legitimate sex entrepreneurs or third-party businessmen, or the fact that men who buy women for sexual activity are now accepted as legitimate consumers of sex. In countries where women are criminalized for prostitution activities, it is crucial to advocate for the decriminalization of the women in prostitution. No woman should be punished for her own exploitation. But States should never decriminalize pimps, buyers, procurers, brothels or other sex establishments.

Secondly; the Legalization/decriminalization of prostitution and the sex industry promotes sex trafficking.

Legalized or decriminalized prostitution industries are one of the root causes of sex trafficking. One argument for legalizing prostitution in the Netherlands was that legalization would help to end the exploitation of desperate immigrant women who had been trafficked there for prostitution. However, one report found that 80% of women in the brothels of the Netherlands were trafficked from other countries (Budapest Group, 1999)(1). In 1994, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) stated that in the Netherlands alone, “nearly 70 % of trafficked women were from CEEC [Central and Eastern European Countries]” (IOM, 1995, p. 4). The government of the Netherlands presents itself as a champion of anti-trafficking policies and programs, yet it has removed every legal impediment to pimping, procuring and brothels. In the year 2000, the Dutch Ministry of Justice argued in favor of a legal quota of foreign “sex workers,” because the Dutch prostitution market demanded a variety of “bodies” (Getting, 2001, p. 16). Also in 2000, the Dutch government sought and received a judgment from the European Court recognizing prostitution as an economic activity, thereby enabling women from the European Union and former Soviet bloc countries to obtain working permits as “sex workers” in the Dutch sex industry if they could prove that they are self-employed. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Europe report that traffickers use the work permits to bring foreign women into the Dutch prostitution industry, masking the fact that women have been trafficked, by coaching them to describe themselves as independent “migrant sex workers” (Personal Communication, Representative of the International Human Rights Network, 1999). In the year since lifting the ban on brothels in the Netherlands, eight Dutch victim support organizations reported an increase in the number of victims of trafficking, and twelve victim support organizations reported that the number of victims from other countries has not diminished (Bureau NRM, 2002, p. 75). Forty-three of the 348 municipalities (12%) in the Netherlands choose to follow a no-brothel policy, but the Minister of Justice has indicated that the complete banning of prostitution within any municipality could conflict with the federally guaranteed “right to free choice of work” (Bureau NRM, 2002, p.19). The first steps toward the legalization of prostitution in Germany occurred in the 1980s. By 1993, it was widely recognized that 75% of the women in Germany’s prostitution industry were foreigners from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and other countries in South America (Altink, 1993, p. 33). After the fall of the Berlin wall, 80% of 3 3 the estimated 10,000 women trafficked into Germany were from Central and Eastern Europe and CIS countries (IOM. 1998a, p. 17). In 2002, prostitution in Germany was established as a legitimate job after years of being legalized in tolerance zones. Promotion of prostitution, pimping, and brothels are now legal in Germany. The sheer volume of foreign women in the German prostitution industry suggests that these women were trafficked into Germany, a process euphemistically described as facilitated migration. It is almost impossible for poor women to facilitate their own migration, underwrite the costs of travel and travel documents, and set themselves up in “business” without intervention. In 1984, a Labor government in the Australian State of Victoria introduced legislation to legalize prostitution in brothels. Subsequent Australian governments expanded legalization culminating in the Prostitution Control Act of 1994. Noting the link between the legalization of prostitution and trafficking in Australia, the US Department of State observed: “Trafficking in East Asian women for the sex trade is a growing problem…lax laws – including legalized prostitution in parts of the country – make [anti-trafficking] enforcement difficult at the working level” (U.S. Department of State, 2000, p. 6F).

Thirdly; the Legalization/decriminalization of prostitution increases clandestine, illegal and street prostitution.

One goal of legalized prostitution was to move prostituted women indoors into brothels and clubs where they would be allegedly less vulnerable than in street prostitution. However, many women are in street prostitution because they want to avoid being controlled and exploited by pimps (transformed in legalized systems into sex businessmen). Other women do not want to register or submit to health checks, as required by law in some countries where prostitution is legalized (Schelzig, 2002). Thus, legalization may actually drive some women into street prostitution. Arguing against an Italian proposal for legalized prostitution, Esohe Aghatise has suggested that brothels actually deprive women of what little protection they may have on the street, confining women to closed spaces where they have little chance of meeting outreach workers or others who might help them exit prostitution (Aghatise, in press). In the Netherlands, women in prostitution point out that legalization or decriminalization of the sex industry does not erase the stigma of prostitution. Because they must register and lose their anonymity, women are more vulnerable to being stigmatized as “whores,” and this identity follows them everyplace. Thus, the majority of women in prostitution still operate illegally and underground. Some members of Parliament who originally supported the legalization of brothels on the grounds that this 5 5 would liberate women are now seeing that legalization actually reinforces the oppression of women (Daley, 2001, p. A1). Chief Inspector Nancy Pollock, one of Scotland’s highest-ranking female police officers, established Glasgow’s street liaison team for women in prostitution in 1998. Pollock stated that legalization or decriminalization of prostitution is “…simply to abandon women to what has to be the most demeaning job in the world” (Martin, 2002, p. A5). Countering the argument that legalized prostitution provides safer venues for women, Pollock noted that women in sauna prostitution, for example, “have even less control over what services they will perform. On the street, very few women will do anal sex and few do sex without a condom. But in the saunas, the owners, who obviously don’t want their punters going away disappointed, decide what the women will do, and very often that is anal sex and sex – oral and vaginal – without a condom” (Martin, 2002, p. A5). The argument that legalization was supposed to take the criminal elements out of sex businesses by strict regulation of the industry has failed. The real growth in prostitution in Australia since legalization took effect has been in the illegal sector. Over a period of 12 months from 1998-1999, unlicensed brothels in Victoria tripled in number and still operate with impunity (Sullivan & Jeffreys, 2001). In New South Wales where brothels were decriminalized in 1995, the number of brothels in Sydney had tripled to 400-500 by 1999, with the vast majority having no license to advertise or operate. In response to widespread police corruption, control of illegal prostitution was removed from police jurisdiction and placed under the control of local councils and planning regulators. However, the local councils do not have the resources to investigate illegal brothel operators (Sullivan & Jeffreys, 2001).

Fourthly; the Legalization/decriminalization of prostitution does not protect the women in prostitution.

In two studies in which 186 victims of commercial sexual exploitation were interviewed, women consistently indicated that prostitution establishments did little to protect them, regardless of whether the establishments were legal or illegal. One woman said, “The only time they protect anyone is to protect the customers” (Raymond, Hughes & Gomez, 2001; Raymond, da Cunha, Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, Hynes & Santos, 2002). One of these studies interviewed 146 victims of trafficking in 5 countries. Eighty percent of the women interviewed had suffered physical violence from pimps and buyers and endured similar and multiple health effects from the violence and sexual exploitation, regardless of whether the women were trafficked internationally or were in local prostitution (Raymond et al, 2002, p. 62). A second study of women trafficked for prostitution in the United States yielded the following statements. Women who reported that sex businesses gave them some protection qualified it by pointing out that no “protector” was ever in the room with them. One woman who was in out-call prostitution stated: “The driver functioned as a bodyguard. You’re supposed to call when you get in, to ascertain that everything was OK. But they are not standing outside the door while you’re in there, so anything could happen” (Raymond et al, 2001, p. 74). In brothels that have surveillance cameras, the function of cameras was to protect the buyer and the brothel rather than the women, with one brothel putting in cameras after a buyer died (Raymond et al, 2001, p. 74). Protection of women from abuse was of secondary or no importance.

Finally; Legalization/decriminalization of prostitution does not promote women’s health

A legalized system of prostitution often mandates health checks and certification, but only for women and not for male buyers. Health examinations or tests for women but not men make no public health sense because monitoring prostituted women does not protect them from HIV/AIDS or STDs. This is not to advocate that both women in prostitution and male buyers should be checked. It is simply to point out the duplicity of a policy that implies, “We’ll have safer sex and HIV/AIDS control if we examine the women under a regulated or decriminalized system of prostitution.” Male buyers can and do originally transmit disease to the women they purchase. It has been argued that legalized brothels or other “controlled” prostitution establishments protect women through enforceable condom policies. In one study, 47% of women in U.S. prostitution stated that men expected sex without a condom; 73% reported that men offered to pay more for sex without a condom; and 45% of women said that men became abusive if they insisted that men use condoms (Raymond et al, 2001, p. 72). Although certain sex businesses had rules that required men to wear condoms, men nonetheless attempted to have sex without condoms. One woman stated: “It’s ”regulation‟ to wear a condom at the sauna, but negotiable between parties on the side. Most guys expected blow jobs without a condom (Raymond et al, 2001, p. 72).” In reality, the enforcement of condom policy was left to the individual women in prostitution, and the offer of extra money was insistent pressure. One woman stated: “I’d be one of those liars if I said, „Oh I always used a condom.‟ If there was extra money coming in, then the condom would be out the window. I was looking for the extra money (Raymond et al., 2001, p. 73).” Many factors militate against condom use: the need of women to make money; older women’s decline in attractiveness to men; competition from places that do not require condoms; pimp pressure on women to have sex with no condom for more money; money needed for a drug habit or to pay off the pimp; and the general lack of control that prostituted women have over their bodies in prostitution venues. ‘Safety policies’ in brothels did not protect women from harm. Where brothels allegedly monitored the buyers and employed ‘bouncers,’ women stated that they were injured by buyers and, at times, by brothel owners and their friends. Even when someone intervened to momentarily control buyers’ abuse, women lived in a climate of fear. Although 60% of women reported that buyers had sometimes been prevented from abusing them, half of those same women answered that, nonetheless, they thought that they might be killed by one of their buyers (Raymond et al., 2002).

To conclude; prostitution is a very commonplace act and I personally believe that a lot of problems relating to it can be solved if proper recognition can be given to both the act and the people who engage in it.

Therefore, a proper sensitization program is required in order to stabilize the situation regarding prostitution, especially in our very own village, our region, our country and the rest of the world. The rate of violence is also a serious issue and can be probably curbed perhaps only through appropriate legislation and police actions, as sexual violence is an alarming criminal act in today’s world.

However, since prostitution can also be one’s free choice, we need to stop seeing it in a negative light all the time and try to first see some advantages or benefits of it and also weigh the circumstances before we talk about prostitution.

Prostitution is known to be one of the oldest professions, and today remains an active professional in countries all over the world. Despite its prevalence, prostitution is an ongoing source of public, academic, and moral debate (Benoit, Jansson, Smith & Flagg, 2018). Prostitution can be defined as “the trade of sexual services for items, money or a place to stay” (Williamson & Baker, 2009 P.28), with street-based prostitution involving a prostitute soliciting from a public place. Street-based prostitution is one of the many ways in which prostitutes acquire clients and accounts for around twenty percent of the industry (Scott & Dedel, 2006). This essay will focus solely on female street prostitutes, although both male and transgender individuals are also found in this line of work. This essay will explore the stigma associated with the term street-based prostitution, as well as discuss how public health concerns and the law on prostitution, along with feminist debates on the topic, shape our understanding of street-based prostitution.

Street-based prostitution is the most dangerous form of the profession. This is due to the fact that many countries have criminalized aspects of street-based prostitution such as loitering, soliciting and curb crawling; and the lack of protection for these workers. Due to its illegal nature in many countries, little is known about street prostitution and the profession is comprised largely of hidden populations. However, there is an estimate of around 72,800 prostitutes in the UK (Parliament UK, 2016). Furthermore, street prostitution paints a complex picture, with many women weaving in and out of the profession (Scott & Dedel, 2006). This compromises the ability to collect accurate statistics regarding the number of street prostitutes (McCarthy, Benoit, Jansson & Kolar, 2012).

Stigma is an extremely significant aspect in the understanding of street-based prostitution and an issue that affects sex workers around the world (Benoit, McCarthy & Jansson, 2015). Stigma has been defined by Goffman (1963) as a social attribute that discredits an individual or a certain group. There is a largely negative stigma surrounding street-based prostitution and workers are often stigmatized and viewed by the general public as deviant (Vanwesenbeeck, 2001). Those involved in this work will often experience stigma in the form of discrimination, victimization and moral judgment which can all lead to isolation and loss of status (Link & Phelan, 2001) along with physical abuse and assault (Scambler & Hopkins, 1986). Therefore, those involved in street-based prostitution often experience social exclusion, either due to others or excluding themselves due to shame and secrecy (Corrigan & Fong, 2014). Lazarus et al. (2012) research has found that 55.9% of street-based sex workers reported stigma surrounding their work, leading them to hide their status from others. This gives an insight into how society views individuals in this profession (Sanders, 2018). Furthermore, the stigma surrounding street-based prostitution has been found to lead to barriers, as well as hesitancy, to use health care services (Stuber, Meyer & Link, 2008). The criminalization of street-based prostitution has also been found to worsen the stigma that workers experience (Armstrong, 2018). The illegal nature simultaneously creates an image of prostitutes as threatening, dangerous, and deviating from social norms (Krüsi, Kerr, Taylor, Rhodes & Shannon, 2015) which shapes the public’s understanding and views on this profession. Therefore, the laws surrounding street-based prostitution reinforce the pre-existing stigmas surrounding street-based prostitutes, which maintains the negative social views surrounding street-based prostitutes and influences the way they are treated (Sanders, 2016)

The understanding of street-based prostitution is also largely influenced by the public health concerns that are related to this profession. Street-based prostitutes are usually associated with a high risk of spreading sexually transmitted infections (STIs), for example, syphilis, herpes, and HIV (Scott & Dedel, 2006). This has affected the way street-based prostitution is viewed, especially after the HIV crisis impacted the way in which the general public perceived and understood prostitution (Brooks-Gordon, 2013).

Despite the views of the public, researchers have found a mixture of results when it comes to supporting this claim. Love (2015) found that there is a high prevalence of STIs within the population of street-based prostitutes. Further to this, research has also found that UK street-based prostitutes were nine to sixty times more likely to have an STI than those in the general population (Jeal & Salisbury, 2004). However, these results could be affected by researcher bias that is often associated with the stigma surrounding street-based prostitution. Researchers may design their studies in such a way that will increase the chances of finding high rates of STIs from street-based prostitutes. Such methodological issues could include; choosing a sample that have a higher chance of being IV-drug users; not using groups of women who are not prostitutes as a control group for the research and user testing methods, that are often inaccurate, with a higher chance of producing false positives (Sacks, 1996).

In contrast to these findings, a study conducted in San Francisco found that there was no difference in the prevalence of HIV between those women that were prostitutes and those that were not. In both groups, however, those that were HIV- positive were largely individuals that used IV- drugs (Stall, Heurtin‐Roberts, McKusick, Hoff & Lang, 1990). This is supported by a review by Platt et al., (2013) where it was found that HIV vulnerability for female sex workers in Europe was due to unsafe IV-drug injecting, and not the sex work that they participated in.

Street-based prostitutes in the UK were found to be more likely to take drugs, such as crack cocaine and heroin, than those prostitutes that don’t work on the streets (Sanders, O’Neill, M & Pitcher, 2018) and Sacks (1996) concluded that many members of the public hold the view that prostitutes that have HIV are responsible for developing this illness due to their own actions. However, although street-based prostitutes might get into prostitution to fuel their drug habits, the nature of the work and the distress caused to the worker often increases drug use to help the prostitute cope (Young, Boyd & Hubbell, 2000). Street-based prostitutes are not only stigmatized by the general public, but also by other prostitutes. Those prostitutes that don’t use drugs look down on those that do, viewing them as unprofessional prostitutes that are only in the profession to fuel their drug habits (Sterk, 2000). However, not all prostitutes have problems with drug use (Brooks-Gordon, 2013), and the stigma found between prostitutes in the same profession indicates just how deep-rooted the stigma surrounding street-based prostitution is.

This blame and stigma surrounding street-based prostitutes regarding the spread of STIs has led to barriers for these workers in accessing health care services. In a study researching Canadian street-based prostitutes, it was reported that 49.6% of these workers had difficulties in accessing health care (Lazarus Deering, Nabess, Gibson, Tyndall & Shannon, 2012). Furthermore, the illegal nature of street-based prostitution and drug use in many countries discourages street-based sex workers from even seeking medical care (Rusakova, Rakhmetova & Strathdee, 2015). Therefore, although there is no conclusive evidence that street-based prostitutes have higher rates of HIVor STIs (Sacks, 1996), the connection between street-based prostitutes and the spreading of STIs has remained in the public’s mind, creating a distorted understanding of street-based prostitution. Furthermore, with street-based prostitutes being blamed for spreading STIs, it perpetuates a stigma surrounding the profession. If these street-based prostitutes were not scapegoated for spreading STIs, the stigma would likely be decreased, creating easier access to health care, and reducing the prevalence of disease and illness in the profession, thus potentially leading to a change in understanding the profession.

The law on prostitution is complex and differs around the world, however, it further adds to our understanding of street-based prostitutes. In most countries, prostitution is completely illegal, whereas in other countries, prostitution is criminalized. This involves certain acts associated with prostitution such as soliciting, loitering, curb crawling and running a brothel being illegal, but not the act of prostitution itself. There are also a handful of countries that have legalized prostitution completely. Even though prostitution is at least partially legal in some countries, the law still does little to protect these workers. Many aspects of street prostitution, such as strolling down main and back streets to acquire punters, expose street base prostitutes to a greater risk of violence and danger. However, prostitutes will often be viewed by others, as well as themselves, as outside of any protection from the Law (Lowman, 2000). In a global review, it was found that 45-75% of prostitutes experienced violence in their lifetime (Deering et at., 2014) with most of the violence experienced coming from their clients.

The Radical Feminist theory is concerned with prostitution and violence against women, not only in the practice of prostitution itself but in the very idea of buying a women’s body. This notion constructs women as an object, thus taking away their individuality (Sanders, 2016) and treating them as a commodity (Scoular, 2004). This discourse takes the view that the very idea of buying sex is “the absolute embodiment of patriarchal male privilege” (Kesler, 2002 P.343). In order to achieve a more gender-balanced view on prostitution, many radical feminists support the reinforcement of curb crawling laws, which target punters, as well as prostitutes (Campbell & Storr, 2001). Furthermore, this law places the focus on aspects of prostitution, not the act of sex itself (Church, Henderson, Barnard & Hart, 2001).

Radical feminism has come under critique however as many believe that this theory “reduced women’s identity to a single trait, regardless of the structural effects of money, culture, and race” (Sanders, O’Neill & Pitcher, 2018).

Some feminists, such as Liberal Feminists, however, would disagree with this approach to prostitution. These feminists take the view that prostitution empowers women, as opposed to reducing them to sexual objects. Liberal feminists believe that a woman has the right to do what she likes with her body and see prostitution as selling a service as opposed to selling one’s body (Beran, 2012). With regard to the laws that criminalize prostitution, liberal feminists believe that they go against the woman’s right, and the freedom, to do what they want with their bodies, as well as fail to protect them through the law. In addition, laws that do not criminalize the act of buying sexual services, and therefore don’t prosecute the clients, discriminate against women prostitutes (Sloan & Wahab, 2000).

Although liberal feminists argue that prostitution involves free choice, many would argue that women do not choose prostitution, and instead are coerced into the profession (Sullivan, 2010). It is argued that factors such as homelessness, child abuse, low wages, abuse and rape are a number of reasons why women are forced down the route of prostitution without free choice (Sloan & Wahab, 2000).

There is no one uniform feminist approach to prostitution and all approaches contribute to our understanding of street-based prostitution. Each of these theories constructs prostitution in a certain way, as either exploited, empowered or coerced, thus offering a number of perspectives to shape ones understanding of street-based prostitution. Therefore, we have come to understand street-based prostitution on a continuum that ranges from prostitution as a way of empowering to prostitution as a way to exploit.

For many groups that support the rights of prostitutes, it is believed to be the incriminating laws on prostitution over anything else that place prostitutes in danger of exploitation or coercion (Davidson, 2013). There are therefore a number of debates as to whether prostitution should be decriminalized or legalized. Raymond (2003) argues a number of reasons why prostitution should not be legalized or decriminalized.

Firstly, it is argued that legalization or decriminalization won’t control the industry, but expand it (Raymond, 2003). There has been no research that has found that legalizing prostitution decreases the prevalence of street prostitution (Farley, 2004). Raymond (2003) argues that the number of street-based prostitutes will increase in the attempt to work independently from a pimp and the number of child prostitutes may increase.

Secondly, Raymond (2003) argues that women that are involved in the industry will not be protected from violence if prostitution is legalized or decriminalized. This is supported by findings in the Netherlands, where prostitution is legal, which show that sixty percent of women prostitutes are victims of violence (Vanwesenbeeck, 1994). Furthermore, Farley (2004) found that prostitute women from a variety of countries did not believe that they would receive greater protection from violence in their work if prostitution were to be legalized in their country. However, many would disagree with this as they see the decriminalization of prostitution as the key avenue to securing workers’ rights. Research has found that decriminalizing prostitution in New Zealand has increased safety within the industry as well as improved workers’ rights (Abel, 2014).

Lastly, by legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution, Raymond (2003) argues that women’s health won’t be promoted and women’s choices won’t be enhanced. There is research, however, that goes against this as it has been found that in New Zealand, the majority of prostitutes have regular check-ups regarding their sexual health (Abel, 2014). Research from Farley (2004) further supports Raymond’s argument surrounding the lack of choice. It was found that eighty percent of prostitute women showed a preference to leave prostitution, however, they did not have the means to do so (Farley, 2004). Therefore, many argue that by legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution, the government will be promoting a profession that many workers have entered due to lack of choice.

Overall, debates surrounding the legalization and decriminalization of prostitution are mixed and therefore there is no concrete understanding or view that governments or the general public hold on this issue.

To conclude, the stigma surrounding street-based prostitution, public health concerns and the law, including the various debates surrounding women’s rights on prostitution, all shape the way in which we come to view and understand this profession. The stigma surrounding street-based prostitution, which is worsened by criminalization, paints the prostitutes as deviant in the public eye and therefore not as equals in society which has a great effect on their social inclusion. Furthermore, part of this stigma revolves around public health concerns that view street prostitutes as vectors for a disease which can impact access to health care services. Feminist theories relating to violence against women or the empowerment of prostitution depicts these workers as either exploited or empowered in our views of the profession. Furthermore, it has been shown that there are mixed arguments in the debate surrounding legalization, making it harder to have a uniform view on prostitution. Finally, it is important to note that due to street-based prostitution being a largely hidden population, it is hard to fully research this community.

Areas to be discussed with pros and cons: Health, international policies, crime, and economical benefits/cons.

Moderator Questions

1. If prostitution were to be legalized, what would stop illegal sex trafficking from working under the guise of a licensed brothel?
2. How much income would the state earn if something like prostitution were to be legalized and taxed?
3. What are your opinions on women or men being empowered by having the right to choose what they are able to do to their own bodies?
4. Would decriminalizing prostitution eliminate sex workers from being a social stigma?
5. Would prostitution under a legalized institution help provide rules and regulations that would help prevent the spread of STDs from solicited sex?
6. Wouldn’t the criminalization of sex workers only make them more vulnerable to rape and sex trafficking?
7. How would decriminalizing prostitution improve the quality of life for certain areas if it were to be put under zoning regulations?
8. With the legalization of prostitution, wouldn’t other crimes such as rape decrease since there would be the availability of sex among professional workers?
9. With the legalization of prostitution, many critics have worried about things such as an increase in gonorrhea infections and sex trafficking would increase, how come their statistics are not apparent in places like Nevada or New Zealand?
10. To decrease the amount of prostitution, how has the criminalization of the purchase of sex rather than the selling of sex contributed to this study?

Pro Arguments

Crime

• Especially when considering legalizing prostitution within the United States, it is important to look at Nevada (where it is legalized to a degree) when considering a legal model. Women in the permitted brothels pointed out that sex trafficking did not exist within their establishments. Most women working here said it was either to escape harmful pimps or supplement other work.
• Prostitutes were found to be more susceptible to violence either from their “pimp” or customer. At least in the UK prostitutes were not allowed to even work with a friend close by because that would be considered a brothel. This premise was largely in support of indoor brothels where prostitutes were able to seek help from their employers or colleagues (Fuchs).
• Sex workers were found to be less likely to report a crime while on the job due mostly to the legality of their work, in fact in San Francisco prostitutes were found 82% more likely to be assaulted or 68% more likely to be raped than women of the same age and race (Fuchs).
• Legalized or decriminalized prostitution often led to decreased stress built up in the work environment which led to a side effect of decreased drug/alcohol use; thus decreasing illegal drug trade in the environment.
• One slightly grim but positive outcome of legalizing monetized sex was some men replacing rape with an easily accessible form through the usage of brothels (Brown).
• Along with the short-term benefits of sexual abuse and rape dropping by about 30-40%, Dutch cities showed that long-term effects, such as drug and weapon smuggling, also dropped (Lopez).

Health

• Women working illegally in this industry were seen to not have the benefits of any other employee in different jobs. For instance, one of the most important things when looking for a job is also looking at the health benefits. While illegally working, prostitutes did not have easy access to healthcare providers due to their work being illegal. Depending on what country a sexual employee is in, legal workers are able to benefit from something as simple as a basic health care plan (Lopez).
• The institutionalization of prostitution has a way of actually keeping sexual workers healthy. A model depicting this would be in this very country, specifically in Nevada. According to Nevada Law section 201.354 (state law, 1), brothels require their employees to submit their HIV and STD testing results in order to work within their establishment; prostitutes or customers were also required to wear condoms at all times. This in turn would help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases to customers.
• Along with physical health, it also stands to reason to look at the phycological health deriving from legalized prostitution. While prostitutes are not given the basic working rights of the average worker, this may affect their self-worth as human beings to be able to make their own decisions.
• April 2012 New York City cops using condoms found on women as evidence for said women prostituting themselves. This action by law enforcement thus discouraged women from performing sex with condoms which would then lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases(Fuchs).
• Along with basic human rights in the workplace, it has been shown that anxiety brought on by being seen as a criminal was very common in the workplace. Anxiety often leads to other forms of abuse like drug or alcohol usage.
• With the practice of institutionalized monetized sex being regulated, Time has shown that a certain loophole in Rhode Island’s policy allowed indoor prostitution to be practiced from 2003-2009. During this time frame, the gonorrhea rate was reported to take decline(Brown).

Economically Beneficial

• As with the debate on marijuana or any illegal recreational, there is the issue that if something like prostitution were to be legalized, it would in turn be able to be taxed
• While law enforcement is not spending their time or resources on prostitution, those tax dollars can instead be used on more legitimate crimes like the actual sex trade or trafficking of any kind (Brown).
• In New York, about 5000 phone conversations and 6000 emails were intercepted between a prostitute and governor Eliot Spitzer (Fuchs). The same resources in this sting could have been used elsewhere in arguably more pertinent crimes like fighting terrorism or the everlasting war on all forms of trafficking.
• Morally wrong things like gambling, alcohol, tobacco, and pornography are legalized and regulated; would not be too much of a far cry for prostitution to be as well where the main difference from pornography is a camera
• Sex trade looks to be regions where the industry in Miami is about 230$ million and in DC is $103 million; other states vary as well depending on how populated they are. All of these are easily taxable and bolster their region’s economy.
• In Atlanta, the average pimp was earning about 30k a week whereas the industry back in 2007 was worth around $290 million. Legalized brothels could tax and bring in a percentage of that revenue.

International Policies

• Many studies from countries, not just the US, citing that decriminalizing sex work increased trafficking in that area. The same studies failed to report that trafficking does not just include sex, but rather labor and human trafficking as well.
• According to the Swedish model of punishing prostitution where they prosecute the buyer instead of the seller, this method was pointed out to be flawed because this assumes that the adult male or female is not able to give consent (assumes they are just raped). Prostitution was seen to be consensual between both parties involved (Brown).
• New Zealand found that sex workers did not grow in numbers when it was legalized, it just made them more visible. The rate of HIV also did not increase since there was increased protection from the required condom usage (Brown).
• Dutch cities in the Netherlands, where prostitution was legalized in certain zones, showed that there was about a 30-40% drop in sexual abuse/rape-related crimes (Lopez).
• In Germany, prior to prostitution being legalized 2002, sex trafficking was bunched up with prostitution as well. Conviction steadily decreased since being legalized.
• Most international models for decriminalizing or legalizing prostitution realize that it will be here for the foreseeable future. Rather than prosecute people in the business, regulations sought to make the environment safer for men and women alike with required protection, specific zoning rules, and benefits gained from taxing.

Con Arguments

Crime

• Legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution has been shown to give criminals a place to traffic humans into the sex trade from other countries (Flows).
• Legalized and unregulated prostitution actually led to more abuse, either sexual, physical or drug and alcohol-related (Lane).
• Sanctioned brothels led to an increase in minors being brought in from other areas for the sex trade as well (Geist).
• More time than often, readily available prostitutes led to increased corruption in either law enforcement or politics seeking more lenient regulations like in the case of Eliot Spitzer in New York (Fuchs).
• Pimps that were basically turned into businessmen often offered policemen sex in turn for looking the other way, often to help keep women in the trade.
• Sanctioned brothels were actually disguised in a way that entrapped women to work longer unsafe hours (Flows).

International Policies

• Nordic, or Swedish Model, sought that the sellers of sex are not seen as criminal, but the buyer of the illicit good was complicit in the crime; this led to the prosecution of the buyer rather than the seller in those regions and the reduction in men seeking sexual gratitude from the monetary exchange (Almeida).
• Germany, in 2001, had legalized and almost deregulated prostitution in hopes that workers in the industry would be open to higher pay and social insurance. Later it would be found out that Large brothels would start to appear everywhere and with pimps providing a close to the abusive working environment (Lane).
• With the implementation of prostitution being decriminalized or legalized, girls are more often than none shipped to different countries into the prostitution industry as soon as they are of 18 years of age.
• Germany and New Zealand again with their more lenient policies also started to run into the problem where girls entering the industry experienced a statistic with an increase of underaged girls around 14 appearing as well (Geist).
• Denmark, which is not too far from Sweden and has decriminalized prostitution, has almost 4x as much sex trafficking (Geist).
• Countries like New Zealand found that total legalization of prostitution found that demand rose up dramatically with costs going down as well, which led to prostitutes working longer hours (Geist).

Economically Harmful

• If we assume that prostitutes are entering the industry willingly, do we assume that they have considered other options before selling their bodies? Something like poverty could mean that prostitution might be an easy way out without considering other options for an arguably healthier lifestyle (Albert).
• The introduction of approved brothels has been shown to drastically decrease the property value of not only itself but as well as surrounding businesses (Albert). What is to happen to all those people’s property if they so decide to move shop, suddenly building they are trying to sell is worth substantially less than what they paid for, or consumers not wanting to buy from them anymore simply because they are not located in a safe environment.
• As much as the following point has to do with ethics, what is there to say about regulated brothels participating in illicit activity (drug, rape, human trafficking)? As long as these events are not seen in the eye of the public, the establishment will continue to receive things like tax benefits. This, in turn, will negatively impact our morality as a community (Albert).
• Taking the Swedish or Nordic model into consideration, costs for prosecution in this field were shown to not increase once the blame was put on the buyer rather than the provider (Almeida).
• In Sweden punishment, often through fines, was based on an income basis to make sure that everyone of any income was put with proportionally the same amount of punishment (like $400 for those without jobs and about 50 days of pay for those with). Not put too much of a strain on those committing in the lower income bracket (Almeida).
• To help citizens looking to get out of the sex trade, The Swedish government has provided funding programs in which to make the process of coming out a lot easier (Almeida).

Health

• One of the more obvious premises for the resulting health of prostitution is the increased spread of HIV/STDs through unprotected sex behind closed doors.
• More times than often prolonged prostitution often leads to alcoholism or substance abuse when dealing with the stress of the work environment; i.e. longer working hours, a hazardous environment, or an absence of essential benefits (Rolfs).
• Often sex was given in exchange for drugs (cocaine), contributing to the problem of illicit drug use (Rolfs).
• Often the argument of consenting adults is used behind closed doors, this same argument applies if and when adults decide if they are going to have unprotected sex (Immordino)
• Legalizing prostitution will make it more readily available, thus increasing demand (Immordino)
• In Italy, where prostitution is legalized and unregulated, the rate at which people have become infected with HIV has increased by about 0.3% (Immordino).

Work Cited

1. Albert, Rocio, Fernando Gomez, and Yanna Gutierrez Franco. ‘Regulating prostitution: A comparative law and economics approach.’ Documento de trabajo 30 (2007).
2. Almeida, Vanderlei. “Outlawing the Purchase of Sex Has Been Key to Sweden’s Success in Reducing Prostitution.” Vancouver Sun, 21 Sept. 2016, vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/outlawing-the-purchase-of-sex-has-been-key-to-Sweden’s-success-in-reducing-prostitution.
3. Brown, Elizabeth Nolan. “The Benefits of Decriminalizing Prostitution.” Time, Time, 19 July 2014, time.com/3005687/what-the-Swedish-model-gets-wrong-about-prostitution/.
4. Flows, Capital. “Why Legalizing Prostitution May Not Work.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 17 Oct. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/10/17/why-legalizing-prostitution-may-not-work/#dfae4c16678d.
5. Fuchs, Erin. “7 Reasons Why America Should Legalize Prostitution.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 13 Nov. 2013, www.businessinsider.com/why-America-should-legalize-prostitution-2013-11.
6. Geist, Darren. “5 Reasons to Be Wary of Amnesty’s Prostitution Policy.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/5-reasons-to-be-wary-of-amnesty-prostitution-policy-198762/.
7. Immordino, G., and F. F. Russo. “Regulating Prostitution: A Health Risk Approach.” Journal of Public Economics, vol. 121, Jan. 2015, pp. 14–31. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.jpubeco.2014.11.001.
8. Kolodny, Carina. “9 Things You Didn’t Know About American Prostitution.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 8 Nov. 2017, www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/12/sex-trade-study_n_4951891.html.
9. Lane, Charles. “Charles Lane: Legalizing Prostitution Doesn’t Make It Safer.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 23 Dec. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-lane-legalizing-prostitution-doesnt-make-it-safer/2013/12/23/c23886e4-6c02-11e3-b405-7e360f7e9fd2_story.html?utm_term=.6ac0917896b4%2B%2Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca%2Flearn%2Fresources%2F10-reasons-not-legalizing-prostitution-janice-g-raymond-catw-2003.
10. Lopez, German. “The Best Evidence for Banning Prostitution Is Absolutely Terrible.” Vox, Vox, 18 Aug. 2015, www.vox.com/2015/8/18/9166669/why-legalize-prostitution.
11. Reuters, Thomson. “Nevada Prostitution and Solicitation Laws – FindLaw.com.” Findlaw, statelaws.findlaw.com/nevada-law/nevada-prostitution-and-solicitation-laws.html.
12. Rolfs, R. T., et al. “Risk Factors for Syphilis: Cocaine Use and Prostitution.” American Journal Of Public Health, vol. 80, no. 7, July 1990, pp. 853–857. EBSCOhost, ezproxy.gsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=2356911&site=eds-live&scope=site.

As far as we know the earliest recording of prostitution began in Ancient Mesopotamia around 600 B.C. (Prostitution, SexInfo Online). Prostitution has been around for forever and opinions on it have been mixed the whole time. Prostitution is defined as the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations, especially for money (Prostitution, Merriam-Webster). In the U.S. there have been many examples of prostitution being punished for different specific things throughout history. Regulations seem to have revolved around STDs affecting the number of healthy soldiers and being linked to prostitution. It wasn’t made illegal until 1910 with the release of The Mann Act (Historical Timeline). It is with this act that all forms of prostitution are made federally illegal in the United States. In the year after there was a Supreme Court trial that found laws on prostitution to be the jurisdiction of the state, but that laws on transportation of prostitutes to be dealt with federally. Since then, prostitution is still illegal in all states other than Nevada. Nevada has legal brothels, but only in rural unpopulated areas of the state.

Currently, there is a world of problems when it comes to prostitution. Originally the largest problem associated with prostitution was the spread of venereal diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Due to newer technology and contraceptives, these concerns have decreased significantly. Currently, the second most dangerous full-time legal job in the U.S. is a commercial fisherman with 86 of every 100,000 fishermen dying on the job (Sam). Prostitution far surpasses that statistic with 204 of every 100,000 dying. That is an extremely large portion and shows how dangerous this profession can be. To add to this, I’ll add that the average prostitute gets physically abused at least once a month, and the rate of prostitutes with PTSD is level with that of war veterans (Prostitution, HG.org). These statistics are mostly due to prostitutes being too nervous to go to the police when assaulted because they fear being arrested or being untrusted. It’s not right that women are afraid to say they were assaulted because of fear of our own government.

Another problem with our current stance on prostitution is there are 70,000 to 80,000 people arrested each year for prostitution. These many arrests cost American taxpayers nearly $200 million dollars a year (Prostitution, HG.org). This amount of money spent on punishing two consenting adults which without money would be an otherwise perfectly legal affair is absurd.

This brings the third point of issue to the table. Prostitution is a very fine line to walk that makes it illegal. If you imagine it as a borderline where on either side it’s legal, but if on the line it’s illegal. See below the line you have strippers, cam girls, and phone sex workers. All these professions are legal for adults. No touching is allowed in most facilities and therefore no intercourse occurs however money is being exchanged for the sexual pleasure of some sort. On the line, there is prostitution where payment is exchanged between two consenting individuals for sex. Above the line is pornography. Where two consenting adults exchange money for sex however it is videotaped and posted online for others to watch. This is categorized as entertainment and completely legal. It’s unclear as to why this is legal, but prostitution is not however porn is huge in the U.S. right now as 15,120,000 hours of porn videos are watched a day on one of the leading websites Pornhub (Can). Prostitution is very commonly seen as morally wrong however porn which is essentially the same thing is widespread and common. I don’t understand how such a fine line sandwiched between these things can be deemed illegal.

There are currently three main alternative solutions out there for prostitution. Some as always better than others None of which appear to be close to being put into action. These three alternatives are known as decriminalization, partial decriminalization, and legalization.

The first policy full decriminalization would make prostitution unregulated by law enforcement or the government and remove all laws in place regarding it. This obviously has many flaws and wouldn’t help the situation much at all other than to just say not my problem and stop wasting money on it. Although, a slight difference might be seen as the prostitutes may be more encouraged to confront assaults and go to the police. A poll taken in 1983 showed that 7% of individuals agreed with full decriminalization (Weitzer).

Partial decriminalization would simply reduce penalties to a fine or something small. This option seems even less viable than full decriminalization, because not only is it not helping it’s still penalizing those doing it. This in turn creates the same problems of money being spent and abuse being widespread in the profession.

The legalization of prostitution would allow prostitution to occur, but with stricter regulations. This would be the best option as it would help the workers feel safer as well as help the general public feel better about their use. Legalization was supported by 45% of the population in 1996 (Weitzer).

My proposed policy is that prostitution is legalized with the following regulations. All prostitutes must register with the state and be in a building. This would keep them off the street dramatically decreasing crime against them. Making this an official business would also deter people from trying to force others to go into sex work. Also, it would allow the government to tax prostitution like any other business which would be great. Monthly STD exams as well as birth control would be mandatory for prostitutes to protect against spreading diseases and unexpected pregnancies. If my proposal is put into an effect none of my problems previously stated would occur. As backup evidence to support this, I’ll use Nevada’s 30 legal brothels. In legal brothels, prostitutes rarely experience violence or contract STDs (Prostitution, SexInfo Online). I also believe this should happen because I do not see what is wrong with two consenting adults having sex for payment if it is just that, consenting. They are adults and they can decide what they would like to do.

Prostitution has been around forever and is not going anywhere. Currently, it is illegal in all U.S. states excluding Nevada. There are many problems revolving around prostitution today. Some of these problems include spending taxpayers’ money, abuse and violence towards sex workers, and contradictions between similar occupations. There are three solutions circling about what to do; decriminalization, partial decriminalization, and legalization. My proposed policy would be legalization. It would help keep the workers the same and make money as opposed to spending it. Legalization would potentially save hundreds of lives a year. Please think of what’s been stated in this paper and consider it if the vote to legalize prostitution comes near you.

Works Cited

1. “Can You Guess 2018’s Most-Viewed Categories on the Largest Porn Site?” Fight the New Drug, 9 July 2019, fightthenewdrug.org/pornhub-visitors-in-2018-and-review-of-top-searches/.
2. “Can You Guess 2018’s Most-Viewed Categories on the Largest Porn Site?” Fight the New Drug, 9 July 2019, fightthenewdrug.org/pornhub-visitors-in-2018-and-review-of-top-searches/.
3. “Historical Timeline – Legal Prostitution – ProCon.org.” Should Prostitution Be Legal? prostitution.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000028.
4. “Prostitution in the United States.” Hg.org, www.hg.org/legal-articles/prostitution-in-the-united-states-30997.
5. “Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prostitution.
6. “Prostitution: SexInfo Online.” Prostitution | SexInfo Online, sexinfo.soc.ucsb.edu/article/prostitution.
7. Sam. “Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in America 2019 – Exploring-USA.” Exploring, 27 June 2019, exploring-usa.com/most-dangerous-jobs-America/.
8. Weitzer, Ronald. Legalizing Prostitution: From Illicit Vice to Lawful Business, New York University Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/centralmaine- ebooks/detail.action?docID=865951.
9. Created from central Maine-ebooks on 2019-11-15 09:19:45.

Sex work, also known as prostitution, is a controversial topic that has been debated for decades. While some argue that it is a form of exploitation, others contend that it is a legitimate profession that should be decriminalized. In this essay, I will argue in favor of decriminalizing sex work and explain why criminalizing it does more harm than good.

The Argument for Decriminalizing Sex Work

One argument in favor of decriminalizing sex work is that it would help reduce violence against sex workers. When sex work is criminalized, it drives the industry underground, making it harder for people engaging in this type of work to report abuse and seek assistance from authorities. As a result, there are higher rates of violence against marginalized populations. In countries where sex work is legal, like New Zealand and parts of Australia, reports suggest that violence has been reduced significantly since these laws were passed.

Decriminalizing sex work could bring several positive outcomes, such as enhanced safety for sex workers, better access to healthcare and social services, and the reduction of stigma surrounding the industry. This, in turn, can help create more equitable opportunities for those involved in sex work to access legal protection and necessary resources that would not be available otherwise. Removing criminal penalties associated with sex work, it provides an avenue for sex workers to live healthier lives with more dignity.

The decriminalization of sex work could provide numerous benefits to both governments and those involved in the industry alike. Tax revenue generated from working in the field would be one possible boon, with funds raised potentially being used to support social welfare programs, such as housing subsidies or healthcare services. Likewise, decriminalization could allow for the regulation of health standards that would not be feasible under criminalized conditions, such as mandatory STD testing. Overall, these changes could have a real effect on public health and potentially lead to an improvement in people’s quality of life by providing greater access to essential services.

The Harmful Effects of Criminalization

Sex work criminalization has far-reaching negative consequences for the safety and well-being of those engaged in it. Without legal protection, many sex workers face exploitation from both clients and pimps, as well as increased risk of physical abuse. Additionally, fear of arrest or prosecution deters sex workers from seeking help and justice in cases of violence or crime against them. As a result, criminalizing sex work further endangers its practitioners by limiting their access to social services, reducing their ability to protect themselves, and increasing their vulnerability to violent predators.

Furthermore, sex work is often seen as a criminal activity, however, its criminalization can have serious consequences for those involved. As a result of being criminalized, sex workers face marginalization and stigmatization that make it harder for them to access vital healthcare, education and other social services. This can increase the risk of exploitation and violence, as sex workers are left with no choice but to either rely on potentially dangerous clients or operate in unsafe conditions.

The Cons of Decriminalizing Sex Work

Opponents of decriminalizing sex work point out that legalizing it may lead to more people entering the profession out of necessity or desperation rather than choosing to do so freely. This could make them even more vulnerable to exploitation by pimps or traffickers, who have been known to force some individuals into prostitution against their will.

Furthermore, there are concerns that legalization could lead to an increase in demand for paid sexual services, which could worsen existing problems such as human trafficking or the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Decriminalizing prostitution would actually increase human trafficking in certain countries, such as Thailand and Cambodia. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), when prostitution is illegal, “demand decreases and prices increase, which makes it less attractive to potential traffickers”. Once the act of buying or selling sex is legal, however, prices go down, and demand goes up. This makes trafficking more profitable for traffickers because there are now more buyers for their product (i.e., women) than there were before decriminalization took place.

Conclusion

To sum up, decriminalizing sex work impacts many different groups of people, and is a complex issue. To make progress towards finding a solution that is acceptable to all parties involved, it is essential to have cooperation between politicians, activists, law enforcement personnel, and those affected by this decision. Careful consideration must be given to both the potential benefits and drawbacks before making any such decision to ensure everyone involved is kept safe, as well as having access to basic rights such as health care services and legal aid if needed. This issue needs a thoughtful approach from all parties for meaningful progress.