Should prostitution be legal?

[Napoléon]

Yeah, just imagine the monies the government could make.

[Cato]

No. 1. If the client is a Christian preacher, then the lady of the night must shove the largest object with points and sharp edges in the premise up his rectum.

Isn't 'lady' of the night a little presumptuous after Ted Haggard?

[downbeatplumb]

Yeah, just imagine the monies the government could make.

There should also be some sort of quality assurance, some sort of kite mark tattoo to say that they have a certain skill.
An NVQ2 in blow jobs.
An "on the job" qualification.

[kılıç_mehmet]

Well, besides making it safe, governments should actually focus on ending the huge amount of human trafficking that is involved in the prostitution business.
The greatest part that is "illegal" about the prostitution business is there. Not just that, but forced prostitution and etc. is part of it, although there are many who do it willingly, they still have to cope with low quality living conditions.

Yeah, all good ideas.

But making it legal in the first place would (in my opinion) at least increase the low quality of living you mention for the prostitutes. Ofcourse that will come by regulation.

And same goes for human trafficking. By regulating and ensuring that clients expect a certain 'standard' when using prostitutes' services, human trafficking will become a much less fancied alternative (excuse the pun), and these prostitutes may (I would presume they will) become less wanted for the customer (why risk doing something illegal when what you want is perfectly legal), thus meaning that human trafficking should be reduced for the simple fact that they won't be getting as much business. (sorry for all the brackets)

Well, I'm fairly certain that it will make prostitution 100% safer, but the living conditions of the prostitutes won't change I'm afraid. Besides, having sex with illegal prostitutes is already illegal where prostitution is legal and regulated, but illegal prostitution occurs to a certain degree nevertheless.
The only thing which keeps most customers in my country away from illegal prostitutes is that they are unregulated, and may contain STD's such as AIDS, and well, to be brutally honest, unregulated prostitution is the only significant source of terminal STD's like AIDS.
Like, whenever the police raid an illegal brothel, they request that the women go to a hospital to get tested. When a problem arises, like if some of the women have HIV, it makes it on nationalwide TV channels so that everyone sees the hazards associated with illegal prostitution. But still a large number of women from ex-soviet countries pour to Turkey to work as prostitutes, willingly or otherwise.
There is always demand, may they be legal or not.

---

Yeah, just imagine the monies the government could make.

Well, money can never be more important than the lives of women, but yes, regulated brothels present a huge income of taxes, which should be, in my opinion, used to help the women who are prostitutes, by providing them with honest labour, and the skills needed for employment.

[Napoléon]

Well, I'm fairly certain that it will make prostitution 100% safer, but the living conditions of the prostitutes won't change I'm afraid.

I beg to differ. But I can't be entirely sure whether it would or wouldn't make a difference to living conditions.

Besides, having sex with illegal prostitutes is already illegal where prostitution is legal and regulated, but illegal prostitution occurs to a certain degree nevertheless.

I'm not saying it would stop people from using illegal prostitutes altogether, I'm saying that there would no doubt be less people who choose to, considering they have a choice between a safe legal option, and an unsafe illegal option. They don't even have that choice at the moment in my country.

The only thing which keeps most customers in my country away from illegal prostitutes is that they are unregulated, and may contain STD's such as AIDS

Agreed, which really comes back to my second point mentioned before.

and well, to be brutally honest, unregulated prostitution is the only significant source of terminal STD's like AIDS.

I wouldn't really pass comment on that as I don't know the fact of STD's such as AIDS.

Like, whenever the police raid an illegal brothel, they request that the women go to a hospital to get tested. When a problem arises, like if some of the women have HIV, it makes it on nationalwide TV channels so that everyone sees the hazards associated with illegal prostitution. But still a large number of women from ex-soviet countries pour to Turkey to work as prostitutes, willingly or otherwise.
There is always demand, may they be legal or not.

But if prostitution was legal in the first place, the demand for these illegal prostitutes who have not been checked out for safety would surely be reduced? I would think this makes sense.

Well, money can never be more important than the lives of women, but yes, regulated brothels present a huge income of taxes, which should be, in my opinion, used to help the women who are prostitutes, by providing them with honest labour, and the skills needed for employment.

Yeah that's actually what I was getting at, that taxing it is actually a way to increase the safety and standard of living for people who choose to go into prostitution, to actually help stop people being forced into it in the first place.

[kılıç_mehmet]

I beg to differ. But I can't be entirely sure whether it would or wouldn't make a difference to living conditions.

Well, the reason I'm stating that it will make prostitution 100% safer is because I have yet not heard of a single AIDS case that stemmed from a gov regulated government in years.
The living conditions of the prostitutes, however, are still not the best. As prostitutes are socially segragated from the rest of society, it's really rare that they manage to get married to someone, and enjoy a better life.
For imported prostitutes it's somewhat different. They already have a shitty life back in their home countries, and they don't fare any better where they've come to, even for like three months or at most, a year.

I'm not saying it would stop people from using illegal prostitutes altogether, I'm saying that there would no doubt be less people who choose to, considering they have a choice between a safe legal option, and an unsafe illegal option. They don't even have that choice at the moment in my country.

The customer makes the choice, but the government needs to take every possible step to consider the health of it's citizens.
Regulating prostitution is therefore very important.

I wouldn't really pass comment on that as I don't know the fact of STD's such as AIDS.

Well, in my country, it is. People rarely contract AIDS from normal relationships in my country.

But if prostitution was legal in the first place, the demand for these illegal prostitutes who have not been checked out for safety would surely be reduced? I would think this makes sense.

Well, it could also force the illegal brothels to take similar steps.
As I said, illegal prostitution is often unchecked, but there are some illegal but high esteemed brothels in my country, who do the same routine as the gov regulated brothels. The only difference is that the girls who work in these brothels are changed every 4-5 months, with fresh ones, so that customers who visit the brothel regularly can enjoy new women. These also cost a lot more than gov regulated brothels, but are of....better quality, in terms of looks, at least.

Yeah that's actually what I was getting at, that taxing it is actually a way to increase the safety and standard of living for people who choose to go into prostitution, to actually help stop people being forced into it in the first place.

Well, I belive that at least in countries like America, prostitution should see a huge drop. It's a first world country, but still has local prostitution, strip clubs and etc. Really dazzling, if you ask me.

[Napoléon]

Well, the reason I'm stating that it will make prostitution 100% safer is because I have yet not heard of a single AIDS case that stemmed from a gov regulated government in years.

Ah, I should of specified I guess, I was agreeing with that bit, not the bit about living conditions

The living conditions of the prostitutes, however, are still not the best. As prostitutes are socially segragated from the rest of society, it's really rare that they manage to get married to someone, and enjoy a better life.

I don't see how you can say this with a degree of certainty. Unless there's actual evidence to support such claims, I'm just going to say I don't know either way. But I do have an inkling that by legalising prostitution it would increase to some extent 'living conditions' that they have. But it really depends, and I can't say that for sure.

The customer makes the choice, but the government needs to take every possible step to consider the health of it's citizens.
Regulating prostitution is therefore very important.

Not disagreeing with you.

People rarely contract AIDS from normal relationships in my country.

I'll just have to take your word for that

Well, it could also force the illegal brothels to take similar steps.

Which, even though they're still illegal, can only be a good thing.

As I said, illegal prostitution is often unchecked, but there are some illegal but high esteemed brothels in my country, who do the same routine as the gov regulated brothels. The only difference is that the girls who work in these brothels are changed every 4-5 months, with fresh ones, so that customers who visit the brothel regularly can enjoy new women. These also cost a lot more than gov regulated brothels, but are of....better quality, in terms of looks, at least.

You seem to know a lot about this

Really dazzling, if you ask me.

I bet.

[TaraJo]

Anyone else find it bizarre that if you film the sex act, it becomes pornography and is therefore legal?

For most areas, video cam or not, paying for sex is illegal. Why do you think most porn is filmed out in California?

Anyway, I think it should be legal. Get rid of pimps, regulate it to keep everyone safer and healthier, yeah, those are good things. I just don't like the general social attitude of disgust towards sex work our society has in general.

[NoraBrimstone]

As I said, illegal prostitution is often unchecked, but there are some illegal but high esteemed brothels in my country, who do the same routine as the gov regulated brothels. The only difference is that the girls who work in these brothels are changed every 4-5 months, with fresh ones, so that customers who visit the brothel regularly can enjoy new women. These also cost a lot more than gov regulated brothels, but are of....better quality, in terms of looks, at least.

You seem to know a lot about this

My mum was a maid at a brothel my great aunt used to own. She worked at a few others over the years, too; and so do/did a few of her cousins. It's something of a family business (which I have no desire to join right now lol)
Even my great great grandmother was a prostitute back in the day.

[Napoléon]

I'm honestly quite surprised at the results of the poll. I mean, I figured it would probably be quite one sided, but no one at all thinks prostitution should be illegal? Damn.