Many countries have not legalized prositution. In fact, many have criminalized it for ages, acts that have created environments that victimize sex workers and endanger them on the job.
Thanks to the efforts of human rights groups like Amnesty International and mobilization of sex workers themselves, conversations about sex work–and protecting the people who engage in that work–have found a larger audience in many nations around the world.
But prostitution is still a very divisive topic.
People shared their thoughts after Redditor TGYHJFGH asked the online community:
"What is your stance on prostitution? Should it be legal?"
"Any black market..."
"Any black market will always have greater instances of violence, abuse, and unsafe conditions compared to a well regulated legal market."
seaturkee
See Churchill and other counties in Nevada: regular testing, condoms required, and violent customers are immediately barred, which gets communicated to everybody!
"Why is it legal..."
"Why is it legal to have sex with strangers for money on camera but illegal off camera?"
MovingtoVANCITY
If I remember correctly it’s because pornography is considered a performing art so you aren’t getting paid for sex but being paid as an actor.
You also need a business license and have to meet a host of other logistical requirements.
"Like abortion..."
"Like abortion, it's going to happen regardless of legality. Legalization makes it safer for everyone involved."
TheDukedArgyll
Good point. No idea how the people in "charge" can't see this.
"I've worked as an escort..."
"Yes. I've worked as an escort in countries where it is both legal and illegal. It is noticeably more dangerous when it is illegal. There will always be people turning to sex work in society. Why not allow them to be safe?"
"Regulated work allows for rights and safety to be adhered to, and help to be sought when necessary, as in any industry. Criminalized work allows people to be abused and taken advantage of."
"When I was working legally, the police would come in and give us weekly talks, check people's ID to make sure no one was being trafficked, tell us where we can get sexual health check up, mental health advice, and routes to leave the industry should we wish to."
"Anyway, some people really do enjoy it as a way to fund an expensive lifestyle, so let them. As someone from a poor background I traveled the world thanks to just a few years of being in sex work and met some cool AF girls."
"And for the people who get into it for darker reasons like addiction or childhood trauma, those are not criminals, they need our help and support."
justaproletariat
"Legalized and taxed..."
"Legalized and taxed with the taxes going towards helping abused women and schools."
[deleted]
This would ideal – and would hopefully contribute to solving a lot of these problems.
"They should have the same..."
"Sex workers are still human. They should have the same, if not more, protections as any other person does. Legalizing it would allow for it to be regulated and have the people in the industry protected."
BruhIdk666
Legalization does not always lead to protection but that's why laws are always tweaked.
"Hard to say."
"Hard to say. You can’t address prostitution without addressing human trafficking."
[deleted]
This is true. But I've always thought decriminalizing it and regulating was a step in the right direction for dealing with human trafficking.
"Yes..."
"Yes, I think it should be. All other 'moral' reasons aside, legalizing prostitution would drastically reduce sex trafficking. I think that is enough of a reason alone."
DancingJupiter
Countries with legalized prostitution are associated with higher human trafficking inflows than countries where prostitution is prohibited so this will need to be addressed.
"Yes, but only under the condition..."
"Yes but only under the condition that the workers have a healthy work space. No pimps, strict contracts about their safety and comfort, etc."
Roguewalker72
Unionization of sex workers would truly change the game!
Criminalizing prositution is what makes the practice so bad for sex workers in the first place. Prostitution is a profession that has existed since the dawn of civilization. You are never going to get rid of it. Making it illegal is just promoting the dark side and harming everyone involved.
Solving this issue seems easy on the surface, but like many things in life, it is anything but.
Have some opinions of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!
Have some thoughts of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!
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