Should charging money for sex be illegal?
Submitted by Atheinostic on Wed, 2008-03-12 03:46.
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- Deuteronomy 28:41 (KJV)
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Well, legalizing prostitution may seem all well and good on the surface, and it is. But only when ADULTS are involved. The underlying issue, the REAL issue, will not be fixed by simply legalizing prostitution. Underage prostitutes, who are most likely on drugs and have run away from home, will not be allowed to continue being prostitutes for obvious reasons. (Once you legalize something like prostitution, the government is obligated to regulate it for safety reasons like preventing the spread of diseases). So they will remain underground and continue to be oppressed and abused.
I just want to point out that everyone that has been posting seems to have an underlying opinion that prostitutes are female. Males can be prostitutes as well. Therefore it is an equal opportunity employment option, and by extension would reduce exploitation based on gender. I know that historically women have been subjected to the double standard and its hard for people to not see prostitution as yet another way to keep women down. But by providing legitimate business opportunities, women and men could charge what they thought they were worth and be able to care for themselves as such. You might think that the profession is morally bereft, but it doesn't make it wrong for all. Take a closer look at what other professions exploit the employees/consumers of that field....
Seriously. I walk into retail stores, fast food stores, etc. and see extremely attractive women (and men) working menial jobs with terrible hours, making $7.50 an hour, getting treated like crap by their supervisors, and having to pretend they don't hate the disgusting and rude customers who flood through their doors all day long. How is that better than these people having the right to legally do something they likely find fun anyway, for an agreed-upon price that's surely a hell of a lot higher than $7.50, and getting to choose their clients based on how much money they need and what the competition is like? I can't comprehend how the former is more noble than the latter, when the latter sure as hell makes more sense from a business perspective.
There are consequences. The illegality of prostitution makes prostitutes members of the criminal underground: most vulnerable members of society, most regularly living in fear and dejection, property of vicious and sociopathic pimps. The violence and terror associated with prostitution is a consequence of the law, not the act itself. From a merely practical standpoint, the legalization of prostitution is better for all involved
I would like to point out that Prostitution is NOT the oldest profession. Tool-Making is the oldest profession. Prostitutes are exchanging sex for "something" and without goods/money of exchange it would not exist.
Do I feel that my daughter/son should be arrested for accepting money for sex: no. Would I feel that I have failed them as a father for doing so: yes. Would I reject them for doing so: no. Would my guilt be from within or from societal pressure: not sure. Nothing in life is ever black and white/yes or no.
Do you ask yourself too many questions that could easily be reworded into regular statements? Yes.
Next time, try this instead:
"I don't feel that my child should be arrested for accepting money for sex. However, if they did, I would feel as if I had failed as a father. Either way, I wouldn't reject them for doing so. I am not sure if my guilt would be from within, or be pressed upon me by society's opinion on the subject."
That wasn't so hard, was it? No.
Prostitution is a product of capitalism; people wouldn't do it if they had other options. And of course people made tools for other people. presumably the best tool-maker would exchange with the best hunter and so on.
First of all, tool making wasn't a profession as such, seeing as people very likely did this for themselves. Further, you of course would be able to trade non manufactured goods for sex, like food. So prostitution might be the oldest profession.
I come from a country (New Zealand) where prostitution is legal, and I'd say we're all better for it. Our age of consent is 16, though it's illegal to exchange currency for sex services from those under 18 (This law always confuses me...)
I scoff at any country where it's illegal to profit at (almost) no cost to one's self. That's hardly fair.
Which reminds me, I must sell half of my liver.
<_< >_> <_< >_>
"I scoff at any country where it's illegal to profit at (almost) no cost to one's self. That's hardly fair."
Oh, are you a prostitute then? Most prostitutes have been sexually abused, kidnapped, gang raped, pumped full of drugs and deprived of their passport. Making prostitution legal just decriminalises the pimps.
You've experienced this, then? Done the research yourself, eh? Most prostitutes you described are in ILLEGAL prostitution. Those same problems have surrounded every illegal trade throughout history until it was legalized. Stop generalizing. There are an uncountable number of prostitutes who do NOT fit your mold, and in the places where it's legal, they're the vast majority. Outlawing something to protect the people who are abused because it's against the law is circular logic.
We prostitute ourselves out on a daily basis. I get paid to do things I'd rather be at home not doing. Why/how is sex different from this? Honestly, I believe it's a form of inequality when a woman has something special (her body), she has people who want it, she's smart enough to put two and two together and realize she can profit from it, and is prevented to do so by a law that's certainly NOT protecting her interests. She can give sex away for FREE for god's (or whoever's) sake!
And it's not like sex is free now, anyway. With the whole song and dance of dinner, movie, gifts, yadda, yadda, yadda, and no guarantee of sex after all that, why shouldn't someone have the right to pay the same amount of money to actually KNOW they're getting laid at the end of the evening?
Time and time again throughout the world it's proven that legalizing a so-called crime legitimizes it, removes the crime culture around it, makes the job safer for those participating it, allows it to regulated by the government for safety, allows healthcare to be provided to its workers, and allows it to be TAXED! None of the "legitimate" issues (in other words everything that's not "my ancient holy book says it's bad) would actually remain if it was legalized and regulated, and can you imagine how much money our government could make off the taxes?
Much like gay marriage, I have yet to hear a non-biblical reason for outlawing prostitution that made any convincing points.
I prettymuch agree with Brian-sama's opinion, be a parent while you can its your responibility too guide your childs life until their emancipated or reach the age of 18 years old ,then its their choice!
when there are an equal number of female senators, CEOs, and scientists, i'm fine with sex for money. as it stands, young women are diverted from careers that will last longer than their tits by men who want to use those tits. fuck that.
I don't know that the number of female CEO's or politicians are diminished by the vast numbers of talented young people flooding into the sex trade industry.
I'd almost think that politics would be an excellent choice for former sex trade workers, as they are clearly people who excell at interpersonal communications and likely have any number of skillsets that are laterally transferable.
i think it should because it is wrong to have someone pay to do something that u shouldnt even be doing unless it means something
I agree with Atheinostic. It's only illegal because our culture has ascribed to sex a certain undue worth, as if, like you say, on some spiritual level it should be regulated by the government simply because it's supposed to be special. So what if someone chooses for their career to sell sex? There is really no actual or practical reason to criminalize prostitution, other than for religious reasons. Just the fact that you say "shouldn't be doing proves this. I would like to see a non-religious reason for why someone, of their own volition, "shouldn't" sell sex.
Because generally it isn't of their own volition. Most prostitutes are forced into it and act as though they like it on pain of beatings and worse. Think about it; would you really want to *have* to have sex with every man who walks through your door? They don't really have any opportunity to say no, and that's why it's illegal.
Forced prostitution is wrong and should definitely be illegal. No one should be forced to have sex against their will.
Voluntary prostitution is different.
If a person makes a free choice to do something that will not harm anyone else, no one has the right to stop them by exerting force.
If consenting adults choose to have sex with each other, the government has no right to tell them that they can't or to stop them.
They may choose to have sex because they love each other. Or they could be strangers choosing having a one night stand. Or maybe they choose to have sex with strangers so that they can make a profit from selling a recording of the sex.
The government has no right to stop them. They aren't harming anyone.
It should not be any different - it should not be illegal - if one person charges another directly for sex. After all, it is already legal to have sex for money, as long as the money comes from a third party (i.e. porno.)
I find it refreshing to see someone actually agree with me on this issue. The criminalization of prostitution is a testament to the not-so-invisible hand religion has in our justice and legal systems. Although I personally find prostitution sad and unfortunate, there's a reason why it is known as the "oldest profession in the world." Quite simply, there's a demand for it, and many people (especially women) find it to be a good way to make quick money. I strongly doubt I would ever desire the services of such a professional, but there are plenty of services I never use.
What I find especially ridiculous is the glamorization of pornography when compared to the criminalization of prostitution. What's the difference, honestly? There are plenty of websites showing men paying random women huge wads of cash for quick sex. If this isn't prostitution, I don't know what is. Somehow, though, this is legal, even with a camera involved to capture the evidence.
I think this is a very male point of view. I do agree though, the way to stop it is to stop demand for it, and make men aware of what they are doing to a fellow human being. Any man who uses a prostitute is a rapist.
And yeah, porn in it's current form should be illegal, because again, it involves exploitation of people.
Exploitation is the cornerstone of the modern world. EVERYONE exploits someone at some point, and everyone gets exploited at some point. Simply because it's sex, or somehow gender-based, this somehow becomes a bigger deal? Porn should be illegal because it involves exploitation? I know computers better than nearly anyone I know personally. People ask me for help all the time, ask me questions, ask me advice. Sometimes I'm paid for it. I learned all I know as a hobby, out of personal interest. These people are exploiting my knowledge for personal gain. By your logic that should be illegal. Although again, the oddity is, isn't it the ones who demand my time and assistance as a FAVOR exploiting me more, as they're not compensating me for my sacrifice? So really, FREE sex should be outlawed for good, and everyone should be required to pay for it! Right?
Demand for prostitution has existed in every civilization throughout human history. Trying to stop demand for prostitution is like trying to put out a raging forest fire with a rifle, or trying to hold back a tidal wave with a megaphone.
Sexual intercourse between adults who freely consent is the exact opposite of rape. You can't rape the willing. And if it can be said that a client "uses" a prostitute for sex, it can also be said that a prostitute "uses" a client for money.
Should we make everything that is wrong illegal?
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