Prostitution (Commercial Sex Work Among Consenting Adults) Should Be Legalised
Sanjana Rajasekar
BAE15023
Prostitution is the exchange of sexual services for renumeration in the form of money or goods. For the rest of this paper, prostitution will be replaced with the term 'sex work' in order to remove the seemingly moral bias that the term prostitution connotates. Sex work, for the purpose of this paper, refers only to the commercial sex activities that take place in brothels, massage parlours, or by prostitutes that are street-based, or self-employed. It is commonly believed to be the world's oldest profession. Though sex work (in some form or the other) is outlawed in most countries, it still takes place under various guises, and there
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If sex work is legalized, it is easier for the government to prescribe policies to regulate the sector. It can be made mandatory for the sex work sector to operate by certain safety guidelines, that protect the sex worker and the client. Besides, mandatory use of condoms will prevent the risk of HIV. One of the main arguments against the legalization of sex work is that is that sex workers are one of the primary sources and greatest sufferers from sexually transmitted diseases. By legalizing sex work, this issue can be effectively dealt with through policy intervention. Sex workers will also have easier access to contraception and mandatory health check ups. Legalizing sex work will also protect the sex workers from sexual assault. Presently, if sex workers are assaulted or abused, they do not seek redressal because of the fear of legal repercussions. When legalized, laws can be formulated to protect the sex worker from physical danger and mechanisms can be put in place to screen the client. On the off chance that a sex worker gets assaulted despite the law protecting them, it will be easier for her to report the incident and seek redressal without the fear of legal ramifications, because sex work has been decriminalised. The current system, where sex work is illegal, has a higher risk of pushing sex workers …show more content…
Sex workers have to have mandatory health check ups every three months in order to screen them for HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. They have control over the prices, the choice of clients and for how much time they work. Sex work gives them enough money not just to survive on the bare necessities, but to be able to afford luxurious consumer goods too. Finally, the legalization of sex work has given them more control over their own bodies and lives and given a boost to their self-esteem. It is highly possible that if India legalizes and regulates the sex work industry, these benefits will be seen here as
Kelly’s article has raised valid points regarding safety to the prostitute within a brothel, but there is so much evidence that proves the ill effects of this experiment in other countries that the evidence cannot be ignored. Although, parts of the sex trade industry may initially see positive results for some of the workers, the majority would end up worse off than before. Due to the illegal nature of this industry and the control exuded by the pimp, the physical and psychological risk to the prostitute, the highly addictive nature of sex, and the organized crime behind the scenes orchestrating and controlling ever aspect of the industry, it is clear that decriminalizing prostitution would result in significant negative affects on society, prostitutes and those with sexual addictions.
For instance, while every industry that operates in the US has labor rights associated with it, prostitutes have no guarantees in their work. No one has to provide a prostitute with “rights like a minimum wage, freedom from discrimination, and a safe work environment” (Fuchs). With regulations in place after decriminalizing the profession, prostitutes can be better protected against STIs. This could be accomplished by requiring “sex workers to use condoms and get tested for sexually transmitted diseases” (Fuchs). They will have a greatly decreased chance of contracting disease if they turn down clearly infected clients, and make all clients, whether clean or not, wear condoms. If they were working outside of the law they would feel less incline to do this and would then be at great risk for contracting disease. Illegal prostitutes actually have motives for not using condoms since in cities like New York, “cops were actually using condoms found on women as evidence in criminal prostitution cases against them” (Fuchs). This practice provides the perfect stage for STIs to go wild and spread like fire, with HIV being in the forefront and becoming an even larger epidemic then it is. Giving them labor rights will give them the ability to unionize and fight for their rights together, transferring the power in the business to the workers instead of their bosses, like pimps and brothel owners. With regulations eliminating the pimps, one source of violence is removed from the business. Customers are the other major source of violence and, with legalization, prostitutes would be able to rely on law enforcement to protect them instead of detaining them. Studies have found that among prostitutes “82% had been assaulted and 68% had been raped while working” (Fuchs) and “they were 18 times more likely to be murdered than non-prostitutes their age and race” (Fuchs). This could be
First of all, with legality, prostitution would become safer for both the client and the prostitute. There could very easily be a government registration system through which prostitutes could get a license, the monthly or weekly renewal of which would require health check-ups. S...
Moreover, Prostitution is just another job. According to the declaration of human rights, everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment (Article 23). Prostitutes could get labor rights, and work facilities that are suitable to their needs. The government could create more brothels to help make prostitution stable. According to studies done in Germany, researchers discovered that the legalization of prostitution improved the public health (Reisenwitz, C). The conclusion of these studies is pertaining to the creation
Those against sex work say the rate of HIV and STIs will increase; that is not true. Prostitutes will avoid being checked for STIs or reporting abuse for fear of being arrested this leave. It just so happened that in one court case, police officers were using condoms found on women as evidence of prostitution (Fuchs 4). This not only persuades female sex workers to not be safe but also encourages average women who are not sex workers to be unsafe as well. With STIs endanger the entire population, this is not a risk we should take. With the legalization of prostitution, law enforcement will be able to devote more time to pressing issues (Harvard Law 27). We have more pressing issues such that the law enforcement could effect such as rape and sex
Many people are so quick to judge a person by their actions and life style, but don't know the history. It is one of the worlds oldest professions and still stands strong in our country today. Prostitution has been around since the Sumerian times dating all the way back to 2400 B.C. Prostitution was first introduced to America in the 16th century during the Colonial times when the British invaded America. During the 1700s, prostitutes started to invade the cities of Boston and New York. On July 5, 1870, The Board of Health gained power through an act called The Social Evil Ordinance that allows and "requires registration" for prostitutes to be ...
As prostitution is criminalized, this profession is driven underground which undermines the safety of prostitutes. Legalizing prostitution would provide sex workers with regulatory protection and allow this form of work to be recognized as legitimate. As the author of “Think Again: Prostitution” states, “evidence shows, that criminalization of sale or purchase (or both) makes sex workers-many of whom come from marginalized social groups like women, minorities, and the poor-more vulnerable to violence and discrimination committed by law enforcement. Also, criminalization can dissuade sex workers from seeking help from authorities if they are raped, trafficked, or otherwise abused.” Therefore, sex workers are subjected to unfair treatment that could be prevented if this work was legalized and safe conditions were enforced. The author of "Counterpoint: Prostitution Should Be Legalized” states, “prostitution is legalized and regulated in a variety of developed nations throughout ...
I chose this research project because it appealed to me. I wanted to know how criminalization’s of sex work or prostitutions were causing structural violence in society. This presentation itself proved to be interesting in the sense that it goes against what my friends and I were thinking. I always thought that criminalizing sex work was a beneficiary for the society because that would stop the flow of HIV as well as other STI’s between sex worker populations. I never realized that it had the opposite the effect, and instead of being a beneficiary, it caused high-risk environments as well as even more ease to find a sex worker. At first, I thought that this research project was going to be about how the “Criminalization of Sex Work” was going to be about how Sex workers stopped working due to the criminalization, however as I came across it, it was the complete opposite and that grabbed my attention and made me curious, and now I completely understand why it was viewed as structural violence. The focus of this research project was to demonstrate to us that the policing of sex work do...
Prostitution is an internationally known trade. Internationally this trade can be found anywhere from Bangladesh to China. It is known to go back as far as 2400 BC. Within this historically and largely practiced trade comes several types of prostitution; Child prostitution, street, brothels, private, door knock, Citizens Band (CB) radio, individual, survival, and sex for drugs. Child prostitution is...
Little do most know, but on “[a]verage [prostitution] arrest[s], court and incarceration costs amount to nearly $2,000 per arrest. Cities spend an average of 7.5 million dollars on prostitution control every year, ranging from 1 million dollars to 23 million dollars.” Prostitution is the oldest known profession. Currently in 49 countries and counting prostitution is legal. Here in America there is a stigma following the label prostitute. We would rather resort to underground markets of sex labor. Endangering health, rights, and economics. Legalizing prostitution can reduce health hazards by giving heath care, also by giving rights to those that choose prostitution as their profession. In the long term this
Rights and protections for sex workers includes a variety of goals being pursued by individuals and organizations surrounding the human and labor rights of sex workers. The goals of these policies generally aim to allow sex work and ensure decent treatment from legal and cultural forces on a local and international level for everyone involved in sex work. Sex workers refers to prostitutes, adult video performers, dancers in strip clubs, and others who provide sexually-related services. The back and forth argument over sex work is characterized as an women’s rights issue, especially by those who argue that prostitution is naturally unjust, but there are also males and gender non-binary individuals involved in offering sexual services. The
Apparently, there are some ways within which sex work is helpful to girls. there's no logical basis for the argument against sex work or the criminalization of the sector. I actually have evidenced that sex work isn't essentially consumptive of girls. Sex employees face a danger of exploitation these days solely attributable to the criminalization and branding of sex add our society. Laws that criminalize harlotry and alternative types of sex work are superannuated, impractical, and harmful.
Prostitution is one of the most controversial subjects in the United States. There are many pros and cons to this subject. Should prostitution be legalized? Or should it stay illegal with no chance of becoming decriminalized? Some researchers confirm that prostitution is indeed the most ancient profession, while others argue with it; however, everybody agrees that trading sex for money has existed for quite a while. Prostitution is still a part of modern society. The fact speaks for itself, as there will always be a demand for the services that it provides, prostitution will exist in some form no matter what.
Prostitution is known as the oldest profession in the world, however, many states in the U.S. outlaw it. The textbook definition of prostitution is the "act or practice of engaging in sexual acts for money" ("Prostitution," Macmillan 805). Nevada is the first in the United States to legalize prostitution. Although the long term effects of legalized prostitution is uncertain, the short term effects have been economically beneficial. Prostitution should be legalized because not only could it financially benefit the country, but it could also reduce crime.
According to ProCon.org, prostitution was a profession that dated back to 2400 B.C. Though many things since then have changed, the practice of selling sex has been more or less the same. What has changed is the way that people now view the practice. Throughout the years the debate has been whether prostitution should become legal or illegal. Organizations like Amnesty International want to push forward the idea of legalizing consensual “sex work” between two adults who are willingly participating because it would help keep those in that line of work safer than they are now. While on the other side of the issue there are