Prostitution

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What do you think about it? Is it moral? Immoral? Right? Wrong? Opinions on the topic would be greatly appreciated.

 

Well, if drinking, smoking or smoking marihuana is allowed in this world, then prostitution should be too.. eh, your body, your choice. It´s a "free" world, right?

As long as it it ain´t forced, and with children, I don´t see a problem there.
Not that I ever see the red light district or something...

 

The oldest profession. I don't see anything wrong with it per se; there are scores of other services we pay for, why should this be any different?

It has to be cleaned up, though. Take the pimps out of the equation. Regulate it as has been done with the sale and consumption of liquor. So long as it is a conscious act on behalf of two consenting adults, it need not be an issue. There is no reason I can think of that prostitution cannot be as legitimate a profession as any other. With some government regulation, the profession can be cleaned up, the prostitutes need not worry about pimps and the subsequent abuses, the government can make some additional tax dollars from it and everyone walks away happy.

Looking at it from the basest of levels, sex is something everyone needs but, sadly, not always something everyone can get. Whether it be lousy looks, a lousy personality, or anything else, some people just can't "get any" in the conventional way. Rather than marginalising these people (or should I say marginalising them more as whatever it is that stops them from "getting some" has clearly already marginalised them in some way?) this can easily be viewed as a free exchange of services for money.

While it is a bit of a stretch - being since rapists generally act out of more than mere sexual desire - it may even help reduce the incidence of rape.

 

The problem isnt really if its right or wrong or about moral, I dont really see a problem in any of those departments and as Morgoth said: the body is the one thing that is completely one persons property for them to use.
The problem is really all the problems prostitution brings and the possibilities for abuse. For example so is drugs and prostitution closely related in an malevolent downward spiral either an addict prostitutes to get her dope and by be being a prostitute the need for drugs to numb the senses and get any similarity of happyness more drogs is need and to get more drugs you need to sell your body even more and so it continues. Even if the person that sells her body isnt an addict from the start there is a huge risk that she will be, selling your body is so degrading and 'filthy' to the person doing it that drugs comes easily as a way of fleeing from the horrible world.
There is also the problem of abuse, pimps invariable show up when prostitutes are considered and not only take away much of the monetary gains from the prostitute but take advantage of her in all other imaginable ways possible as well. They can even as can be seen all over Europe buy girls/women from poorer country to sell them to rich western europeans and luring them with promises of nice jobs in western countries while instead they lock them into some apartment and forces them to serve customer after customer, even children are abused in that way. It is very hard to distuinguish between 'willing whores' and not so willing ones.
First I think that the act of buying sex should be criminalised, this has some problem of its own but I wont go into them now. But as long as there is demand there will be supply and by making buying sex a felony you take away some of the demand atleast. Secondly I dont think it will do any good to punishment for the prostitutes as that isnt likely to get them to stop selling sex but they should be given the oppurtunity to first off get clean if they have drugproblems and secondly social help to come away from the world they live in and start anew.

 

I will concede that prostitution and drug use do tend to be linked. That is not necessarily a causal relationship, however. Perhaps the drugs are used to numb the senses more from the abuse of pimps than anything else. Perhaps it is from a sense of helplessness. Is a prostitute turning to drugs really so different from the middle-aged, minimum wage waitress trying to put food on the table finding solace in the bottom of a bottle?

 

Well, I think that like a lot of things, this has had to much fuss kicked up over it 'just because'. To me it's not hurting anyone, it provides a service which there's obviously a market for, and indeed should really be legalised. It's like drugs, if it's legalised, and regulated then all the bad around it will probably dissapear. And I'm shattered right now, so that doesn't really sound right, but I hope people understand what I mean.

 

Did you post this thread to try to get an incredibly emotional post from me?

Actually, believe it or not, I'm not really opposed to it. While I would not partake in it, nor would I ever be attracted to someone who did, I can see the benefits of having it legalized.

Drug use often leads to prostitution, as the women are attempting to get back their money to buy more drugs. It can also work the other way. Not sure which is more common.

 

This one tears me to two sides. On the one hand, the libertarian side of me notes that if one person wishes to agree to have sex with another in exchange for money then there has been an offer, consideration, and acceptance -- the major factors necessary for a legally binding contract.

However, I'd like to note that we wouldn't allow one person to choose to sell herself to another for life -- a contract where you agree to become the slave for another is not legally enforceable. So, not all contracts made by legal adults are binding.

We choose not to allow certain behavior sometimes even when it might occur between consenting adults because we have determined as a society that the harm done to society is grave enough to outweigh the individual rights being suppressed.

First, I'd point out that the primary force driving women to prostitution isn't merely a desire for money but rather severe poverty and a lack of other viable opportunities. Legalizing prostitution would in my opinion amount to admitting that nothing can be done to combat the poverty which typically drives women to prostitution -- it is in many ways admitting defeat.

Legalizing prostitution would of course also amount to the state sanctioning the view of women as sex objects. Oh, you might say that legalizing prostitution would also make male prostitutes legal but be realistic, we all know the relative numbers of male prostitutes to female prostitutes without needing to find documentation. The state sanctioning this view might lead to promoting an atmosphere in society leading to a greater marginalisation of women -- you'll never convince me it's the poor men who can't "get any" that deserve our pity with regards to this issue.

I am more than skeptical that legalizing prostitution would have any appreciable effect on the number of rapes which occur. In over 2/3 of all reported rapes the vitim and assaultant knew each other socially. The FBI has stated they believe only roughly 1 out of 10 rapes is reported. It seems to me that you would be less likely to report a rape when the victim knew the person socially so the former numbers may be higher. In short, since in most cases the two know each other it seems there is more going on than a slow building of an overwhelming desire to "get some" and more a case of someone wanting sex with a particular person. That won't change by having sex with a stranger.

Legalizing prostitution also doesn't get rid of illegal prostitution. In the U.S., Europe, and Asia where prostitution is legal the women commonly have to turn over up to 50% of their profits which means they'll need to engage in more sexual encounters. Often women have to register as prostitutes and that will follow them for the rest of your life -- imagine trying to apply for a school teacher job in the future with "prostitute" on your resume. Legalizing prostitution will not likely leave the women who register much in the way of future options. Also, since they're registered, whenever the woman goes to the doctor or to court or wherever she can likely expect to be treated as a second class citizen.

Since the taxes, brothel costs, medical costs etc add up so high illegal prostitution is prevalent even where prostitution has been legalized. In Germany there are 3 times the number of illegal prostitutes as legal ones and in Greece 10 times the number. The problems that persist with illegal prostitution now persist with the commonplace illegal prostitution even where it has been legalized. So, you aren't really getting rid of the problem by legalizing prostitution since the illegal industry will continue to flourish.

If you really want to combat the problems associated with prostitution then the best way to go about it is to work to provide women economic alternatives. Also, instead of arresting the women engaged in prostitution which doesn't decrease demand and which is common the state should aggressively pursue the men in hopes of decreasing the demand.

I guess I'm saying that legalizing prostitution won't get rid of the problems which we have now due to illegal prostitution since that will continue to flourish. At the same time legalizing prostitution gives state sanction to potentially damaging images of women while at the same time attaching a state made stigma to the women who do choose to legally register. The underlying root of the problem, poverty, meanwhile would continue untouched.

My 2 cents, or 4 or 5.

[ December 13, 2002, 06:44: Message edited by: Laches ]

 

Prostitution moral: Depends on your line of thinking
Prostitution right: sure

Prostitution for me?: never, IMHO paying to have sex is for the weak, even if I could never have sex I wouldn't pay for it.

 

I wouldn't say that it is wrong. I'm not saying that if i was really desperated i wouldn't purchase such services (but it wouldn't be the same as with someone you are truely passionate about).

However, I think the questions should be:

How many prostitutes are happy doing what they do?

How many of them, once into it can easily get out of it and into a "respected" job??"

For how many prostitutes is their work a means to an end, a way to get just enough money to live off or to feed any habits they have, which are probably brought about through prostitution?

 

Hmmm, you forgot to also ask how many women would give up recieving £100 upwards an hour according to the News of the World many many moons ago, for some crappy minimum wage job? Or even work for people who are stupid, lazy and worthy of less respect than a fly? Chances are thats where they'll end up.

 

Prostitution is unavoidable anyway, so any attempts for criminalising as well as demonising it are futile and foolish.

In germany prostitution, for a long time, was considered immoral. That meant that a prostitute who demanded her payment would have failed when claiming it in court. On the other hand, didn't hinder the governemt to make them pay income tax. They are also obliged to pay for their social insurance.

However, last year there was a case where a prostitute demanded payment from an unwilling customer. Usually this problem does not arise because of the mountains of muscles taking care of proper payment
A courageous judge in Berlin broke out: She, for the first time in a german court, sentenced a customer to pay - taking the consequences from the obligations to pay taxes and social insurance. Serves him right

[ December 13, 2002, 13:24: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

 

Good sex is payed with love, not money. My reason not to go to a prostitute.

Lust can be bought with money, though.

I prefer love over lust.

I won't start the religious aspect again (Too late)

 

You can't always love someone who makes great sex, but you can always pay for it! Prostitution rules.

 

Master of Nuhn: Religious aspect isn't needed, because it doesn't apply for everyone. There has to be a solid reason that defines the matter as such that everyone with any-, or no religion must accept it. Of course, religions offer good points on a lot of things, and on a personal level may decide everything. But a religion is comparable to an opinion in the sense that there are individuals who fully reject them, and have the right to do so as well.

Don't take my answer as a personal insult or anything such like as it wasn't intended to be one. I've had my own religious moments and am currently pondering through those things again, after being an atheist for several years. So I can respect religion, although too often I do find people blinded and unable to think on their own because of it.

Anyway, about prostitution.
If it could be assured that it is not done under forced conditions. That it did not involve and provoke the usage of drugs and criminal activity. If it would not further enhance the spread ratio of genital diseases. But was a free and safe choice that had none of the pre-mentioned side-effects. Then I could accept it. For it is true, many men do find these services needful. There's a huge amount of money involved in it, which tells pretty much of people's desires. And I imagine a great majority of the people who are not currently using sexual services would in fact do so if it were made easier and safer, and if the society wouldn't condemn it so. It's a fact (if a tad sad for some) that a human can easily have such a physical pleasure without much emotional involvement. And there's really no rational reason to prevent this.

My roommate (the religious one) says that people want to do many things, but it doesn't mean they should be allowed to. Meaning that the money that is involved in this business only tells of the corruption of the human soul and should not be fed any further, but cured instead. So she wants to remove prostitution alltogether. I on the otherhand once again think that even though she might have a point, this view of hers is a tad bit conservative. It is not her choice to decide what other people can and cannot do. For if prostitution does not harm her (and it wouldn't if it was indeed safe, and didn't involve criminal activity), then she has no grounds to claim that it affects her life. And as such, it simply isn't her business. If people want to do it, it is their right to do so. This applies to all matters known to man, as long as they are not done at another's expense.

[ December 13, 2002, 14:20: Message edited by: Forashi ]

 

hehehe. awww. Sometimes, when we are drunk shralp calls me 'his little prostitute'.

I think the whole idea of prostitution is wrong. But it won't be solved by arresting the men and women involved on the front line. They often do it as a way to live.

 

Hey, where are all the girls in this topic?

I am all for education initiatives to take women out of this line of work if they aren't there by choice, initiatives to end the "human smuggling" that so often leads to slavery-type brothels, and combating the addictions that render even the most intelligent and educated of women unable to pursue other careers. But these are all anti-poverty measures, they aren't directly related to prostitution. Yes, the desperate and impoverished often turn to prosititution because it is all they are qualified to do. That doesn't necessarily mean that prostitution causes desperation and impoverishment, or that it is something you wouldn't ever do if you had the choice. I have known a number of women in Canada and Monaco who chose it as a career or part-time job (it is legal in Canada so college students often work part-time for escort agencies to supplement student loans) and most of them talked about their work with cheerfulness or sometimes outright glee. Women have always done dirty jobs and I don't see why prostititution is any different. Frankly, if I had a choice between making $10/hr as a nurse emptying bedpans and $200/hr having sex with strangers, I wouldn't even hesitate.

 

Legitimizing prostitution as a career choice? Under the ideal conditions Forashi describes, I'd be all for it, too. However, what would happen if the same corporate greed that created the summer's scandals invaded this Eden? We'd be right where we are now, except that the pimps would be wearing Hugo Boss instead of Fubu.

Until prostitution is legal, I'm all for arresting the johns as well as the hookers. Around here, all the names of the men (and one woman, btw) arrested for soliciting in a recent sting were published in the paper. Talk about a scarlet letter!

 

I can’t believe that the majority of you think that prostitution is ok. In my book this is a moral issue and I am of the opinion that it is morally wrong. Notwithstanding the moral issues there are more cons than pros. Talk about a bad work environment. Very few jobs have more hazards involved. V D’s which are most times deadly. Physical abuse is very typical in that line of work. Yes, they do get paid well, but to legalize it would be a grave mistake.