Do you think that prostitution should be legalized?

[LoZoccolo]

[WatsonT]

1. As with any law I think the burden of proof should be on those who want it implemented

Meaning that if you want it banned you have to come up with a lot of good reasons.

And I haven't seen any.

[gateley]

2. There is no good reason, IMO. nt

[Nye Bevan]

3. It's going to happen anyway. So legalize and regulate it. (nt)

[Hugabear]

4. Yes, but it should be regulated

Legalize it, but regulate it. At the same time, we need to legalize, or at the very least decriminalize the use of drugs. Doing both of these would really go a long way towards reducing many of the problems we have.

[Luminous Animal]

5. I'll go a step farther. It should be decriminalized.

[timtom]

28. That would be my answer, as well.

[Riftaxe]

6. I hardly think Congress would

want the competition... :P

[flvegan]

7. In certain areas, it already is.

Kind of dumb that it's not universal. Legalize it, regulate it, and unionize it.

[mysuzuki2]

8. Would it be cheaper then?

[ZombieHorde]

9. Of course. When you're out of drug money, prostitution is a great way to get more drugs! nt

[buddysmellgood]

10. Yes, but only for men

[Exilednight]

13. This is the problem I have with Nevada law. It's legal for a woman to be a

prostitute, but not a guy. Equal rights goes both ways(no pun intended)
.

[Exilednight]

11. Legalize and tax. It's probably the only way we can get the money back from Wall Street. n/t

[Paradoxical]

12. I just can't support it. I'm not necessarily against it.

But the sexual exploitation of women is so powerful that I just cannot support any further support for such a cause.

We are just too fucked as a people.

[white_wolf]

14. Wouldn't legiazation decrease explotaion?

It seems to me that government oversight would limit exploitation because these woman can appeal to police or courts without fear of going to jail. As it is now, they are at the mercy of their exploiters.

[Paradoxical]

15. I don't think it would decrease exploitation. But that's more a philosophical question.

I mean, it's probably impossible to quantify.

After having a crash course on Women's studies this semester, I am horrified by just how sexist and disgusting the world is.

[white_wolf]

16. I can't argue there.

The world can suck at times.

[Hugabear]

22. Ask yourself a question...

If a guy wants to pay for sex, is he more likely to go to a place where it's regulated, he knows the women are tested for STD's, and he knows that he doesn't have to worry about getting robbed by a pimp?

As the great George Carlin once commented - fucking is legal, and selling is legal - so why isn't selling fucking legal? Why is sex the ONLY legal service that is illegal to exchange money for? I can go and get a massage just about anywhere, and that's perfectly legal. But if the masseuse touches my private areas, all of a sudden it crosses a line and becomes illegal?

[glinda]

24. If a guy wants to pay for sex and he is married, how does it work then for

the wife. Can she say, please honey, don't do that? He might say it is legal. Where will the courts stand in regards to this and divorce? Just wondering.

[Hugabear]

26. Couldn't the guy just go to a bar and have sex with a random stranger?

That would be just as devastating to a marriage, and yet completely legal.

There are plenty of legal activities that could ruin a marriage. Should we go through and outlaw anything that could cause a divorce? We could always bring back Prohibition, that worked out so well last time.

[glinda]

34. Sure he could do that and it is used in divorce proceedings. So how would it work if he pays

and it is legal? Can the wife say that that is the reason? Just wondering how it would work legally.
Drinking beer is not against the law. Is it a matter or one beer or six? So many questions on this really.

[Hugabear]

35. I really don't see how that question is relevant

If prostitution were legal, and a married guy decided he wanted to pay for sex, it would still be considered infidelity, and thus grounds for divorce. Whether he's paying for sex or just fucking some random stranger he met at a bar, the primary issue is that he's still having sex outside of his marriage, it would still be cheating.

The only difference is that he wouldn't be subject to prosecution for having sex with a prostitute if it were made legal. He'd still have to face social consequences, however.

[glinda]

45. Perhaps. Am just confused how any argument would work though because it would be legal. That in

itself would be used in defense. My concern is that it goes down the legal road and then trashes women in the end. I am not a feminist but am interested in arguments used in determining Laws. Isn't there a conflict in something that would be grounds for divorce on one hand and not being bound by law (although used in law) and another in saying that another form of infidelity is legal? Certainly one could still divorce over it but I see a very messy area here given the assholes at the SC.

[RegieRocker]

42. No bridge

[Hugabear]

17. Legalizing and regulating would greatly reduce exploitation

Prohibition creates many more problems than it solves. Just look at how organized crime exploded with the prohibition of alcohol and drugs.

[Paradoxical]

20. There is a difference between the physical exploitation of a human being and drugs.

[zane25]

19. Simple

I have never needed or wanted that sort of service, but to criminalize it makes no sense. Just because you find it less than appealing doesn't mean it should be illegal. Adding protection for those who chose to participate would clean up a lot of the issues you speak of. Not all of them, but it would be a step toward a kind of regulation that would do a world of good for a great many who could be exploited.

[donheld]

23. How about we ban Pimping?

[Paradoxical]

25. That would be good.

[Hugabear]

Except it's already illegal

You can get arrested under racketeering charges for running a prostitution ring.

[shcrane71]

33. It's a crime to be a John in Sweden. Punishing the exploiters rather than the exploited is a

more humane approach.

[donheld]

37. That's equally stupid IMHO

[WatsonT]

41. That makes little sense

It's legal to sell but not to buy.

And if it becomes a profession like any other how is it exploitation?

The fact that it is illegal leads to the abuses, the coerced drug addictions, disease, etc.

In many past cultures prostitutes were quite highly respected women. Not exploited in any way.

[HEyHEY]

18. Yes.

Where I am now it's not legal, but ignored. The result is brothels and parlours where it takes place. There's safety in numbers. If anyone tries to hurt one of them there's bouncers and such there.

[cliffordu]

21. Legalized and regulated, get the pimps out.

[Initech]

27. To quote the late great George Carlin:

"Sure why not? Selling is legal, fucking is legal. So why shouldn't selling fucking be legal?"

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

29. The problem is the powerful people who don't like the truth of the second legality. -nt

[Initech]

31. Can't argue there!

[inna]

30. i'm against EXPLOITATION. not sure about legalization. recommending your post just for the heck of

it.

[shcrane71]

32. Had a conversation in Amsterdam two years ago...

A very liberal Dutch lady was in favor of their liberal views towards narcotics. However, she said that many of the Dutch have found that legalized brothels lead to greater demand. And then they found that the demand of the unionized/protected prostitutes was actually decreasing because customers were demanding younger, child prostitutes.

I believe that we do need to legalize and regulate narcotics like many commodities in our economy. Since thirteen is the average starting age for prostitutes, it much more difficult for me to believe that the sale of a person's body for sex is a commodity rather than exploitation. I spoke with an environmental activist about this, and he said that he could understand that argument as he often argues that things such as clean air and water are more than just commodities to be exploited by our markets -- much like a child's body.

[Blue-Jay]

36. Depends... How much do you charge?

[kestrel91316]

38. That, and marijuana/hemp. No-brainers.

[Joe Bacon]

39. Works in Nevada.

And i'm sure there are lots of Republicans who keep those legal houses busy!

[Rex]

40. I don't care.

[dionysus]

43. i think Oasis should be declared illegal

[True Earthling]

44. Absolutely is should be legalized..some people would never get laid

There's a huge need for prostitution. It provides a way for some people who have little or no chance of having sex - an outlet to relieve their sexual urges at the same time providing much needed income to those providing the service.

[blondeatlast]

46. Yes. nt

[Redford]

47. Legalize it and tax it

Lord knows we need the money