Why is prostitution illegal?

[Jonnyclueless]

I'm kinda of curious to find some anti-prostitution arguments. I'm having a hard time understanding the basis for prostitution being illegal. I am sure there are some decent arguments out there.

Any opinions?

 

[Damien Evans]

Why is prostitution Illegal?

It's not, at least not here.

 

[kerikiwi]

Not illegal here either.

 

[SophieHirschfeld]

I've yet to hear a good argument against prostitution.

 

[Jonnyclueless]

But it is illegal in many places. Thus the question 'why?'.

 

[jimtron]

In the U.S., the powers that be don't take too kindly to pleasure for the sake of pleasure. You're supposed to suffer, like Jebus did. Sex is for procreation.

On the other hand, it's perfectly legal to pay people to have sex, as long as it results in a product that you can sell (porn).

Now do you get it?

 

[bozothedeathmachine]

My theory is, increasingly irrelevant "moral" arguments aside, it's more difficult to tax and regulate than other service industries. As half the population was naturally born with the "goods" to provide the service it could happen anywhere at anytime and Gubment wouldn't get their cut.

Although, I'm sure there are plenty of book-ish IRS agents who would volunteer to go undercover looking for smutty tax evaders.

 

[Abooga]

Since I learned that a huge percentage of prositutes here in Spain are victims of human trafficking, are often brutally forced to do it, often with threats of violence against their family etc., I don´t understand how can men (if they know this) still go and solicit their services... Would you rape someone if the dirty work of raping, the violence, the risk etc. were absent and you could just safely "stick it in" and go, while someone else restrained her?

Is it very different over there? Are all or most of the prostitutes doing it happily and voluntarily with nobody forcing the situation on them?

>From wikipedia: The feminist Andrea Dworkin, herself an ex-prostitute, argued in the 1980s that commercial sex is a form of rape enforced by poverty (and often overt violence by pimps).< I guess this is true everywhere. Unless we lived in an utopian society...

 

[Magenta]

My theory is, increasingly irrelevant "moral" arguments aside, it's more difficult to tax and regulate than other service industries.

Why would this be more difficult in the US than in countries where it is legal and regulated?

As half the population was naturally born with the "goods" to provide the service it could happen anywhere at anytime and Gubment wouldn't get their cut.

You do know that men work as prostitutes, don't you?

 

[jimtron]

Since I learned that a huge percentage of prositutes here in Spain are victims of human trafficking, are often brutally forced to do it, often with threats of violence against their family etc., I don´t understand how can men (if they know this) still go and solicit their services... Would you rape someone if the dirty work of raping, the violence, the risk etc. were absent and you could just safely "stick it in" and go, while someone else restrained her?

Is it very different over there? Are all or most of the prostitutes doing it happily and voluntarily with nobody forcing the situation on them?

>From wikipedia: The feminist Andrea Dworkin, herself an ex-prostitute, argued in the 1980s that commercial sex is a form of rape enforced by poverty (and often overt violence by pimps).< I guess this is true everywhere. Unless we lived in an utopian society...

One could argue that legalizing prostitution would be better for the prostitutes, as it could be regulated. I would guess that the majority of prostitutes are being exploited, but I don't think prostitution is inherently unethical or immoral. There are a great many workers not in the sex-work industry who are exploited as well.

Theoretically I see nothing wrong with prostitution, as long as the sex worker is doing it voluntarily and in a safe environment (which I realize may seldom be the case). But again, it's not just sex work where people are forced to work in dangerous conditions, and otherwise exploited.

Another question to ask: why is pot illegal, while tobacco and alcohol (both of which kill far more people) can be advertised and freely sold?

 

[Wudang]

Interesting question as I've always associated it with the Xian (and especially Calvinist) "God forbid you should have a good time". But some googling says it predates that, for instance http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/greekprostitution/Prostitution_GrecoRoman.htm

 

[Abooga]

Yes Jimtron, but it could be argued that it would be like giving state approval to "a form of rape enforced by poverty"

I don´t think prostitution is inherently immoral when prostitutes do it purely voluntarily with no pressure form anyone. But in real life....

"There are a great many workers not in the sex-work industry who are exploited as well."
Exactly, in this society employers should have some limits as to what they can demand form workers.

 

[Abooga]

Isn´t it somewhat incongruous to legalise prostitution and have such strict sexual harassment laws that a boss that offered workers a raise for performing sex acts on him/her would be prosecuted?

 

[jimtron]

Yes Jimtron, but it could be argued that it would be like giving state approval to "a form of rape enforced by poverty"

I don't agree that prostitution is rape. Sometimes yes, most times maybe, but not inherently. I don't know much about Las Vegas (legal) prostitutes, but I doubt they would call themselves rape victims. If it was legal and regulated, theoretically it could be OK, in my view.

I don´t think prostitution is inherently immoral when prostitutes do it purely voluntarily with no pressure form anyone. But in real life....

"There are a great many workers not in the sex-work industry who are exploited as well."
Exactly, in this society employers should have some limits as to what they can demand form workers.

Is the problem with sex workers, or the exploitation of workers in general?

 

[Jonnyclueless]

I would imagine that if it was legal and regulated, the customers could then see credentials and they would be more inclined to use the legitimate prostitutes instead of the shady ones who are more likely to be the slave/forced types.

I mean if one could decide between a prostitute that has been certified as safe or one that isn't, who would want to take the risK? I'm sure there's more to it than that though, being as I don't have much experience in how the whole process works.

Maybe the fact that there would be financial records of it that could then be politically incriminating would have the opposite effect. But hey, I'm sure they could all take cash.

 

[jimtron]

I would imagine that if it was legal and regulated, the customers could then see credentials and they would be more inclined to use the legitimate prostitutes instead of the shady ones who are more likely to be the slave/forced types.

I mean if one could decide between a prostitute that has been certified as safe or one that isn't, who would want to take the risK? I'm sure there's more to it than that though, being as I don't have much experience in how the whole process works.

Right. This is maybe a more complicated issue, but the same might be true of illegal drugs--if they were legal and regulated, they might be safer, and the crime element pretty much taken out (see: prohibition).

 

[Abooga]

(I can´t get the quote function working)

You see Jimtron, I was agreeing with you in that it is not "inherently" rape. It is not if it is a purely free choice, but in practise it´s not like that, so it is a bit like rape, in the extent that the prostitute is forced, bullied or the circumstances (society, luck, lack of other options etc.) force it on her/him.

"Is the problem with sex workers, or the exploitation of workers in general?"
Both are problems, aren´t they? but what I was saying is that in a society where workers are exploited, giving employers the possibility to exploit them even more is not a good thing. That´s what I meant with "in this society employers should have some limits as to what they can demand form workers". Sorry but English is not my first language.

 

[jimtron]

Both are problems, aren´t they?

What I mean is, sex work isn't the problem, the exploitation of workers in general is the problem. It's not wrong to hire someone to sew garments; it is wrong to do so if you pay them crap and don't give them benefits and put them to work in awful environments.

That´s what I meant with "in this society employers should have some limits as to what they can demand form workers". Sorry but English is not my first language.

I agree. And you're English is fine!

 

[Abooga]

If your wife´s boss offered her a raise for doing her a BJ, what would you think of that?

 

[Abooga]

"sex work isn't the problem, the exploitation of workers in general is the problem"

So you agree that there is exploitation of workers. Do you think that "exploiting" someone having him/her for example working 8 hours in a machine and having him/her have sex with customers is in the same level of "exploitation"?