RE: Time to legalise Prostitution
January 16, 2014 at 4:43 pm
(This post was last modified: January 16, 2014 at 5:08 pm by Crossless2.0.)
As I have mentioned elsewhere, I worked as a bartender in a legal brothel in Nevada for four years. The way it works there is that counties with a population above a certain threshold are not allowed to have legal prostitution (this precludes legal prostitiution in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City, etc.). However, less populated counties have the option of legalizing it if they wish and many do. Brothel licenses are given out much like casino licenses. Applicants have to pass a rigorous background check and submit their financials for review. Holders of brothel licenses may not have casino licenses and vice versa, so you will never see video poker machines in a brothel.
The ladies submit to regular testing. I forget the frequency with which this or that STD or other condition such as hepatitis is tested for, but on-duty working girls are required to see the doctor and give blood samples each week. The use of condoms is mandatory.
I can't speak for the other brothels, but the one I worked at had no shortage of women seeking work. The ladies come from all walks of life. Some were turned out young and seek employment in Nevada to get off the street and work legally. Some have never so much as danced in a club before making the leap to prostitution. Some have substance abuse issues, but not all do. Some are single mothers with little formal education, trying to provide for their children. A surprising number are married and providing a crucial second income. I knew several ladies who had B.A.s or B.S.s (including a few who had advanced degrees) who simply preferred the easy money to be made. No one's arm was twisted to be there. If a lady decided it wasn't for her or that she had put in her time and wanted to move on, no big deal. Again, there were several waiting to take her spot.
For what it's worth, I support legalizing and regulating prostitution. Nevada provides a clear example that it can work safely and profitably for all involved. The alternative is a system that does nothing to stop prostitution but encourages every abuse and danger people normally associate with the world's oldest profession.
**Edited to add that the number of brothel licenses in Nevada is fixed. The only way to obtain one is to buy it from an existing license holder (the vetting process mentioned above applies).**
The ladies submit to regular testing. I forget the frequency with which this or that STD or other condition such as hepatitis is tested for, but on-duty working girls are required to see the doctor and give blood samples each week. The use of condoms is mandatory.
I can't speak for the other brothels, but the one I worked at had no shortage of women seeking work. The ladies come from all walks of life. Some were turned out young and seek employment in Nevada to get off the street and work legally. Some have never so much as danced in a club before making the leap to prostitution. Some have substance abuse issues, but not all do. Some are single mothers with little formal education, trying to provide for their children. A surprising number are married and providing a crucial second income. I knew several ladies who had B.A.s or B.S.s (including a few who had advanced degrees) who simply preferred the easy money to be made. No one's arm was twisted to be there. If a lady decided it wasn't for her or that she had put in her time and wanted to move on, no big deal. Again, there were several waiting to take her spot.
For what it's worth, I support legalizing and regulating prostitution. Nevada provides a clear example that it can work safely and profitably for all involved. The alternative is a system that does nothing to stop prostitution but encourages every abuse and danger people normally associate with the world's oldest profession.
**Edited to add that the number of brothel licenses in Nevada is fixed. The only way to obtain one is to buy it from an existing license holder (the vetting process mentioned above applies).**
