We’ve heard the argument a bazillion times: Consensual sex is legal. Exchanging money for goods and services is legal. Why then, when we combine these two legally sanctioned activities, do they become illegal?
The reasons for this are many and complex. Some branches of feminism view prostitution as a form of sexual slavery. The scriptures of the Abrahamites declare it a sin and they lobby for its illegality from a theocratic standpoint. Others object to the presence of prostitutes, which are perceived as bringing down property values. Still others object to prostitutes as lowlifes and disease-spreaders.
If prostitutes are low-lifes, then it is because their profession is illegal. If the act brings down property values, that is because it is not legitimized. Strip clubs bring fantastic amounts of money into communities, as do adult shops and pornography. Sex sells, and if the community isn’t receiving tax income from prostitution, then it is because no one pays taxes on illegal income. Want to raise property values in your neighborhood? Open a brothel next to the 7-11.
The risk of disease can be managed the same way it is managed in other professions. Massage therapy has endless restrictions, certifications, and procedures to prevent the transfer of pathogens between clients and practitioners. Tattoo parlors and acupuncture clinics also undergo stringent requirements to do business. VD Testing and mandatory condom use are just two measures legalized prostitution could use to keep both clients and practitioners safe.
There is one victim of prostitution, the prostitutes. They put themselves in danger walking the streets. Abusive clients victimize them, refusing to wear condoms or pay them. They are raped and robbed. They are scorned and persecuted.
All of these abuses are the result of the illegality of their profession. Prostitutes are victimized precisely because the government pushes their activities underground. They cannot seek police protection, like every other business in America does. Predatory elements attack them in the shadows because of their vulnerability, while law enforcement preys on them in the open. Prostitution would be a victimless crime if society would stop victimizing prostitutes.
With prostitution legalized, it would move out of poorly lit streets and alleyways and into respectable establishments. It would be more out of sight than it is presently. The scantily-clad women would be in a safe place, off the streets, with managerial oversight, bouncers, and panic buttons for clients that break the rules. Any rape that occurred would result in the rapist going to prison, unlike the present situation where the rapist continues to victimize in crimes that may go unreported.
When you look at it this way, people who believe Prostitution should be illegal are actually pretty misogynistic, supporting a social architecture that victimizes women by stripping them of their authority over their sexuality. The rare “feminist” who opposes prostitution actually works against feminism. The Christian fundamentalist works against grace. The homeowner works against their community’s welfare.
So legalize prostitution. Provide bouncers at the brothel to protect the women. Test clients and employees regularly for STDs. Require sanitary conditions, proper contraceptive use. Protect the anonymity of the women. Apply “sin” taxes to the establishments.
If we can’t eradicate prostitution, then we might as well cultivate a culture that benefits from the practice. Regulate, Regulate, Regulate is so much better than Criminalize, Criminalize, Criminalize.
Comments:
Apparently this article kicked off a pretty thoughtful discussion elsewhere on the net, if you’d like to hear others discuss the issue.