Misc Poll: Should Prostitution be Legalized?

[SiorX]

I am not some Taliban wannabe trying to force my views of sex on everyone. I simply am not comfortable with the concept of prostitution (I equate legalization with advocacy, and I cannot advocate something like this), would never take part in it, and I favor maintaining the status quo. Prostitution is *already* illegal, and I figure there must be a reason for that. So unless there's a reason to CHANGE that status, I figure it's best to leave it alone.

Out of curiosity, if instead of talking about legalisation we talked about decriminalisation, would that make any difference to you at all?

Because that's one of the parts where I think there really is a good reason for change. Prostitutes who have already been victimised by pimps and johns run the risk of arrest and prosecution if they come forward to report crimes against them. The stigma of criminalisation leaves prostitutes open to violent attack. Those could be good reasons to decriminalise?

 

[Miss Chicken]

It's what marriage is. It's a hold over from the age when women were property. It started as a purchasing agreement between the woman's father and her husband, then became a contract between the man and woman, then became a romanticized concept in the time following the second world war.

Bullshit. My grandparents married (in 1921) because they loved each other as did the vast majority of people of their era.

My great-grandmother was the major breadwinner in her marriage and certainty "wore the trousers". She also loved the man she married (in the 1890s) dearly and married him for love.

Great, they had both Love and Marriage. And their Marriage was shaped by that love. That doesn't change what Marriage is, based on it's historical purpose, and the fact that you do not have to have both to have one or the other,

Prostitution is *already* illegal, and I figure there must be a reason for that. So unless there's a reason to CHANGE that status, I figure it's best to leave it alone.

It isn't illegal in the majority of Australian states and I figure there must be a reason for that.

Because you all don't have as many historical social hangups that we have to deal with, and tend to be much more libertarian in thinking.

My arugment is nor with the origins of marriage but with your notion that it only became a romanticised concept following WW11. I say that it became a romantised concept well before 1945

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Prostitutes who have already been victimised by pimps and johns run the risk of arrest and prosecution if they come forward to report crimes against them. The stigma of criminalisation leaves prostitutes open to violent attack, and perpetuates the notion that prostitutes aren't real people. They're, like, GTA target practice. Those could be good reasons to decriminalise?

Yes, I agree with your reasoning. If prostitutes could be offered amnesty in exchange for their reports and testimony, I would have no problem with that.

 

[Joshua Howard]

That would be totalitarians who want to legislate their vision of "morality" and control over others who have the gall to do something so unabashedly wrong as... Disagree with their willingness to control others.

Fair enough; I am a totalitarian. I'm not tied down to any single political or religious ideology, but I'm not a leftist "anything goes" kind of person, nor ever will be.

I set a high standard in terms of my policies, and I am not afraid to take hits for it from those who consider those policies offensive.

Overall, I am not extreme; I just happen to believe in professionalism and social order. My dream is a shiny worldwide corporate paradise. I am sorry, but there is no room in it for prostitution.

How about you worry about your own opinion instead of speculating on why everyone else has theirs? That's twice you've done it now, and neither time was it accurate regarding my own motives or those of several other people either.

Forum and debate are synonymous and appropriate, as long nobody makes it hostile.

 

[Data Holmes]

And you can speak out, try and convert, proselytize all you want to anyone you want to get the to choose the choice you think is right.

Hmph. Well, as long as you grant me that small favor, I guess we're OK.

That's your right to, why wouldn't I let you...

Bullshit. My grandparents married (in 1921) because they loved each other as did the vast majority of people of their era.

My great-grandmother was the major breadwinner in her marriage and certainty "wore the trousers". She also loved the man she married (in the 1890s) dearly and married him for love.

Great, they had both Love and Marriage. And their Marriage was shaped by that love. That doesn't change what Marriage is, based on it's historical purpose, and the fact that you do not have to have both to have one or the other,

It isn't illegal in the majority of Australian states and I figure there must be a reason for that.

Because you all don't have as many historical social hangups that we have to deal with, and tend to be much more libertarian in thinking.

My arugment is nor with the origins of marriage but with your notion that it only became a romanticised concept following WW11. I say that it became a romantised concept well before 1945

It's the Price Charming Syndrome, and has been around for a while. I just don't think it's always been tied into the institution of marriage beyond a hope that the guy they would marry would be the same guy as their prince charming... I just think that the current idea of marriage for love is a new one that really was not the majority practice (though it was probably most womens hope) until the modern era.

Prostitutes who have already been victimised by pimps and johns run the risk of arrest and prosecution if they come forward to report crimes against them. The stigma of criminalisation leaves prostitutes open to violent attack, and perpetuates the notion that prostitutes aren't real people. They're, like, GTA target practice. Those could be good reasons to decriminalise?

Yes, I agree with your reasoning. If prostitutes could be offered amnesty in exchange for their reports and testimony, I would have no problem with that.

Then why not legalize it, offering them all the protections and opportunities of any other job?

That would be totalitarians who want to legislate their vision of "morality" and control over others who have the gall to do something so unabashedly wrong as... Disagree with their willingness to control others.

Fair enough; I am a totalitarian. I'm not tied down to any single political or religious ideology, but I'm not a leftist "anything goes" kind of person, nor ever will be.

I set a high standard in terms of my policies, and I am not afraid to take hits for it from those who consider those policies offensive.

Overall, I am not extreme; I just happen to believe in professionalism and social order. My dream is a shiny worldwide corporate paradise. I am sorry, but there is no room in it for prostitution.

Ah, you're also a Corporate Fascist. ok.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Of course it should be legal. For something to be illegal, there has to be a reason; some harm must be done, somebody's Rights must be compromised, some property damage must occur, et cetera. There is no such justification for the government to interfere in what is nothing more than a basic business transaction.

Yes, it should be legal. If so, it should also be taxed, conducted in a legitimate place of business rather than on the street or with a pimp, and with heavy regulation and testing to make sure the prostitutes are healthy adults who are not being exploited or coerced.

And credentialing based on quality standards.

 

[StarTrek1701]

If prostitution is legalized a lot of nagging housewives are going to be really, really sad.

 

[Data Holmes]

If prostitution is legalized a lot of nagging housewives are going to be really, really sad.

That usually happens when a monopoly is challenged by competition.

 

[SeerSGB]

If prostitution is legalized a lot of nagging housewives are going to be really, really sad.

Meh. The sort of married men that would being willing to use a prostitute, are most likely the sort that would end up cheating on their wives with some girl from work or going to a hooker anyway.

It isn't like suddenly men around the country are going to cash in their 401Ks and kids' college funds and start banging hookers 24/7.

Same for married women that would seek out a male or lesbian prostitute.

 

[Miss Chicken]

It's the Price Charming Syndrome, and has been around for a while. I just don't think it's always been tied into the institution of marriage beyond a hope that the guy they would marry would be the same guy as their prince charming... I just think that the current idea of marriage for love is a new one that really was not the majority practice (though it was probably most womens hope) until the modern era.

I still think it was the norm in the 19th century.

It was love that drove my great-great-great grandmother to leave the bosum of her family and travel to Australia as a free settler following her boyfriend who had been convicted and transported to Van Diemen's Land. He was still a convict and therefore probably wasn't a very good marriage prospect but it is was he she married. At that stage there was a great shortage of women in the colony so she could have been much fussier (especially as she was a free woman).

 

[Locutus of Bored]

How about you worry about your own opinion instead of speculating on why everyone else has theirs? That's twice you've done it now, and neither time was it accurate regarding my own motives or those of several other people either.

Forum and debate are synonymous and appropriate, as long nobody makes it hostile.

I wasn't opposed to you debating or expressing your point of view for why you think prostitution should remain illegal, I was opposed to your making baseless assumptions about our reasons for saying it should be legalized. Calling us inexperienced internet nerds with dark fantasies about prostitution isn't debating the point.

 

[JuanBolio]

For something to be illegal, there has to be a reason; some harm must be done, somebody's Rights must be compromised, some property damage must occur, et cetera.

I wish it were like that, I really do.

 

[Data Holmes]

It's the Price Charming Syndrome, and has been around for a while. I just don't think it's always been tied into the institution of marriage beyond a hope that the guy they would marry would be the same guy as their prince charming... I just think that the current idea of marriage for love is a new one that really was not the majority practice (though it was probably most womens hope) until the modern era.

I still think it was the norm in the 19th century.

It was love that drove my great-great-great grandmother to leave the bosum of her family and travel to Australia as a free settler following her boyfriend who had been convicted and transported to Van Diemen's Land. He was still a convict and therefore probably wasn't a very good marriage prospect but it is was he she married. At that stage there was a great shortage of women in the colony so she could have been much fussier (especially as she was a free woman).

Your families history is the exception to the rule.

 

[Captain Ice]

I'll repeat my answer from the TNZ poll.

Yes, it should be legal. If so, it should also be taxed, conducted in a legitimate place of business rather than on the street or with a pimp, and with heavy regulation and testing to make sure the prostitutes are healthy adults who are not being exploited or coerced.

Most definitely agreed.

It's going to happen anyway, regardless of whether it's legal or not. Making it legal helps to reduce the amount of exploitation and coersion involved while reducing the health risks involved on both sides of the equation through mandatory health screenings.

I live in a state that has legalised brothels and I have no problem with that. Through legalisation some regulation and control can be exerted over the industry to make it safer for both the people who work in the industry and those who use the services.

Precisely. I've also lived in a state that had legalized brothels and feel the same way.

I've been all over Nevada, where prostitution is legalized (outside certain counties), and for the life of me I can't recall ever seeing a prostitute (legal or not) working a residential neighborhood or the front of a grocery store. Especially not in the middle of the day when *gasp* THE CHILDREN *gasp* might see them. Turns out, even when legal, people generally don't want to be seen soliciting a prostitute in broad daylight in their own neighborhood or the grocery store they frequent.

I lived in Nevada for 3 years. Even in both Las Vegas and Reno where prostitution is illegal, I cannot recall ever seeing a street walker. Why? Because a 20 - 30 minute drive takes you to a town or city where prostitution is legal and regulated. Given the choice, people who are looking for this service in these cities are choosing to go to the legal brothel one county over.

 

[StarryEyed]

Yes, absolutely. This is just common sense. It occurs anyway. Legalization means regulation, taxation and reduction of the negatives associated with illegal prostitution. It makes no logical sense at all to keep it illegal.

 

[nevermore]

Overall, I am not extreme; I just happen to believe in professionalism and social order. My dream is a shiny worldwide corporate paradise. I am sorry, but there is no room in it for prostitution.

Well you're just shit out of luck unless your little homogenized corporate paradise also does not have room for people.

 

[JonathonWally]

Overall, I am not extreme; I just happen to believe in professionalism and social order. My dream is a shiny worldwide corporate paradise. I am sorry, but there is no room in it for prostitution.

Well you're just shit out of luck unless your little homogenized corporate paradise also does not have room for people.

Anyone else just get a flash of American Psycho?

 

[sidious618]

It's contradictory. There can't be any corporations in paradise.

 

[paudemge]

Yes it should be legalized and regulated. For all the reasons already mentioned, plus it would free up law enforcement for other duties. But you can't just legalize it across the board, since it is state law, not federal law.

 

[QCzar]

To all the anti-decriminalization folks, answer me these simple questions:

1) Why should the sale and consumption of alcohol be legal?

2) Why do you think the Temperance Movement and prohibition failed in the United States?

3) Do you believe that criminalization of prostitution has helped to greatly reduce the act itself, the accompanying "side effects" and the desire of people to engage in it, either as providers or users? (if yes, please provide at least some evidence)

4) Do you believe that criminalization of prostitution has made the United States (or other country with prohibition) a better place? If so, how?

5) To what extent do you believe that the indoctrinated moral standards of some people should be determinative of the civil liberties of people who do not share their views?