Should prostitution be legalized? (sex, service)

[Sunstone]

By "prostitution" I am not here referring to our elected representatives, nor even to Britney, but to the world's oldest profession: selling sex for money. Should it be legalized? Should it be both legalized and regulated?

Would legalization and regulation improve the working conditions, health, and welfare of prostitutes?

Would legalization and regulation eliminate pimps?

Does Nevada or Amsterdam provide good models for legalization and regulation?

Last, would legalizing prostitution mean we'd have to accept talk show hosts as a legitimate part of society?

[Mister Emu]

Don't legalize...

[Majikthise]

Legalize it.
I could have made a killing in my younger days,
all that wasted time.........

[sparc872]

I voted no because I am an idealist and would rather see no prostitution at all, but the other side of me accepts reality. There has and always will be people willing to pay for sex, and those willing to sell it. Legalizing sex for money would make it a safer profession by allowing the prostitutes to contact police about any abuses, keep prostitutes from pimps, and there would be more regulation over the sort of conditions prostitution would occur in.

But I stand by my vote for no.

[Draka]

Legalize it. No reason really to keep it illegal. All it does is make it more dangerous. Being illegal doesn't stop it from happening. It only stops the safety practices that should be in place.

[GeneCosta]

Legalize and regulate it.

As I stated in another topic, I don't see the big difference between consenting porn and consenting prostitution, besides a camera.

In reality, regulated prostitution could be SAFER than porn. I'd like to know how many porn stars have regular STD and pregnancy checks.

[CaptainXeroid]

/me pulls his hat down over his eyes, sneaks to the ballot box, and drops one in for 'legalize and regulate it'

I appreciate sparc's wish, but ultimately I agree with Draka & Gene's rationale for why it would make sense. I just don't think keeping it illegal has made a dent in the demand, and I also don't think making it legal would create more than a temporary 'curiosity' boom.

Legalizing prostitution would probably reduce the role of criminal elements like pimps and would definitely bring in more money in tax revenue than is currently collected in fines from people convicted of prostitution, solicitation, and pandering.

Now, I have never contracted such services, and it is unlikely I would if it were legal....honest.

[niceguy]

Legalize and regulate. Sweden criminilized the sex trade a few years ago and as a result we now got an illegal sex trade running unchecked, including trafficing of sex slave from abroad. Simply put, criminalization made it worse, far worse. I got to go to work now but I may elaborate on this later.

[kevmicsmi]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

By "prostitution" I am not here referring to our elected representatives, nor even to Britney, but to the world's oldest profession: selling sex for money. Should it be legalized? Should it be both legalized and regulated?

Would legalization and regulation improve the working conditions, health, and welfare of prostitutes?

Would legalization and regulation eliminate pimps?

Does Nevada or Amsterdam provide good models for legalization and regulation?

Last, would legalizing prostitution mean we'd have to accept talk show hosts as a legitimate part of society?

I actually think all of the questions you ask Sunstone are mute to the issue. Personally I like the fact that prostitution is left up to the states (although you would think the so called right to privacy would guarentee it as a right if certain justices in the past were consistent). I would absolutely have no problem with legalized prostitution in my state, and if it came for a vote, I would vote for the right simply because I think it is an issue government should stay out of.