• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Why Prostitution Should be Legal

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
The legalization of prostitution would greatly benefit society, save many lives, and prevent many instances of abuse. Sadly, it seems to be a taboo conversation in the political world, compared with, say, the legalization of pot. However, it is much more important and beneficial for society for prostitution to be legalized than for drugs to be legalized. Here is my list of the most important reasons for why the legalization of prostitution would benefit society.

-Prevention of pimping and human trafficking: Women who are being abused by pimps would no longer be afraid of facing prosecution for prostitution, and thus would be more inclined to report pimps to law enforcement. This is because, consensual prostitution would be a legalized activity, but pimping would be strictly illegal. Thus, pimping would decrease.

-Reduction of rape: There is strong evidence to suggest a substantial reduction in rape and sexual abuse in areas where prostitution has been legalized. (see: Legal prostitution zones reduce incidents of rape and sexual abuse | HuffPost)

-Prevention of violent crime, shootings, and terrorist attacks: There have been many tragic and horrible terrorist attacks and shootings that have been committed by deranged, involuntarily celibate men. In fact, close to half of mass shootings are committed by men who are involuntarily celibate. Thus, if prostitution (always in a consensual context) were an option, it is very possible that many of these horrendous tragedies could be prevented.

As we can see, prevention of sexual abuse and violent crime are excellent reasons to legalize prostitution. I believe that the legalization of prostitution would save many lives and prevent many cases of abuse. It is an issue that needs to be raised in politics due to its immense potential for societal benefits. I believe that it is one of the most beneficial changes that could possibly be made in our society.
I am not yet on board with the legalization of prostitution. I am stuck between arguments from either side at this time. However, reading through this thread, I have seen some posts that seem to indicate that women are victims and in need of protection. I do not think this is true. They can be. So can men. But are they the eternal, perpetual victim in prostitution? Does seeing them that way do a disservice to them as independent, intelligent people capable of making up their own minds and carrying out their own wishes? Is the rush to protect a perceived vulnerable group, really just piling on more of a stereotype?
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
Because its a disgusting and degrading act to the prostitute, and is hardly consensual since it is only done when money is involved.
You think that prostitution is only prostitution when the exchange of money is involved? I think that definition is more expansive than that, but the point of the OP does focus on prostitution for profit.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
I have never done so, but one morning going to my favorite restaurant on my day off for breakfast I saw two guys that looked like they were verbally hassling a women that was with them. When they passed me one guy asked me if I "wanted a date". It took a second for the question to register. Just to put your mind at ease I said no.

Now I have a question for you. What makes such an action depraved?
That is a good question. I have not used the services of a prostitute either. I have thought about it, but not enough to act on it.

I do not see how it is depraved. We are talking about people of legal age interested in engaging in sex with the proviso that the woman receive payment for it. Well, somebody is selling and someone is buying. I am not sure of the depravity relevant to the described situation.
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
That is a good question. I have not used the services of a prostitute either. I have thought about it, but not enough to act on it.

I do not see how it is depraved. We are talking about people of legal age interested in engaging in sex with the proviso that the woman receive payment for it. Well, somebody is selling and someone is buying. I am not sure of the depravity relevant to the described situation.

It is not all that difficult. My housemates son had a problem with addiction. So did his girlfriend. She helped support them. I found out because they used my computer for their first backpages ad. I was not pleased. During at least one such event he burgled the John's house while his girlfriend was, ahem, working. He cut himself and left behind some DNA in the process. She was caught for some other activities. They both ended up taking a three year tax payer paid "vacation". The good news is that they are both out. Both are employed and doing well and they are engaged to each other.

But since I did try to check on them for his mother I would regularly check the backpages as a result. I would be careful. Wear protection. If they don't wear it for you they don't wear it for others. Watch out for bad situations.

Prostitutes in the U.S. tend to be either immigrants or drug addicts. I am sure that there are a few that are neither but they appear to be few and far between. "Trafficking" does not appear to be a significant portion of adult prostitutes.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
It is not all that difficult. My housemates son had a problem with addiction. So did his girlfriend. She helped support them. I found out because they used my computer for their first backpages ad. I was not pleased. During at least one such event he burgled the John's house while his girlfriend was, ahem, working. He cut himself and left behind some DNA in the process. She was caught for some other activities. They both ended up taking a three year tax payer paid "vacation". The good news is that they are both out. Both are employed and doing well and they are engaged to each other.

Prostitutes in the U.S. tend to be either immigrants or drug addicts. I am sure that there are a few that are neither but they appear to be few and far between. "Trafficking" does not appear to be a significant portion of adult prostitutes.
It is my understanding that the more expensive prostitutes are not as prone to tangential crimes or drug habits and that many have figured out that the more they charge, the less often they have to perform sex acts. It seems counter-intuitive on the latter, but that is what some of the data I have seen indicates. I know that examples were provided in the behavioral economics book Freakonomics.

I do not know all the statistics, but you do highlight some of the problems with unregulated prostitution.
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
It is my understanding that the more expensive prostitutes are not as prone to tangential crimes or drug habits and that many have figured out that the more they charge, the less often they have to perform sex acts. It seems counter-intuitive on the latter, but that is what some of the data I have seen indicates. I know that examples were provided in the behavioral economics book Freakonomics.

I do not know all the statistics, but you do highlight some of the problems with unregulated prostitution.
Economics is one of the reasons that we will always have unregulated prostitution. Regulated prostitution tends to be too expensive for Joe Sixpack. I have heard that deregulation will get rid of many of the woes.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
Economics is one of the reasons that we will always have unregulated prostitution. Regulated prostitution tends to be too expensive for Joe Sixpack. I have heard that deregulation will get rid of many of the woes.
I just do not know and that is why I am ambiguous about the whole issue at this time. I concede, I may always question the idea of legalization. There are some answers that I would have to feel more comfortable with before giving my personal consent to the issue.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
That isn't the only issue. That is something Pure-x is talking about, the consent idea. Another issue is that what we have now is easier to defend then some change that is imagined to be better. Its the classic conservative versus progressive. Its up to the progressive to make an overwhelming case.
The final line of your post is a confession of bias. If you were unbiased, open-minded on the topic, then we'd only need to make a persuasive case to get you to change your opinion.
 
Last edited:

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
The final line of your post is a confession of bias. If you were unbiased, open-minded on the topic, then we'd only need to make a persuasive case to get you to change your opinion.
The air rings with persuasive cases that contradict each other, and you'd pin it all on me and also label yourself unbiased. :)
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
In fact, making prostitution illegal is an infringement on women's rights. A woman should be able to set the terms and conditions for having sex with her. Some women may incorporate money into those terms and conditions. Thus, by making prostitution a crime, you are restricting women's rights, since a woman cannot fully consent to sex unless she sets all of the terms and conditions (which could theoretically involve money) for access to her body.

You... completely missed the point. Or do you seriously think that a woman not having the right to charge for sex is even remotely on par with forcing a woman to carry a child to term because she had sex?
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
You... completely missed the point. Or do you seriously think that a woman not having the right to charge for sex is even remotely on par with forcing a woman to carry a child to term because she had sex?
Whether they're on a par or not is not relevant. Individual rights should be denied a citizen only when they somehow conflict with the interests of the group. If a woman wants to charge for sex, it's none of the group's business. Members of the group who would criminalize her act, should mind their own business.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
If a woman is actually forced that's a crime because she's an innocent victim.
Poverty, addiction, and mental health problems also make her an "innocent victim", but they aren't considered "actual" force in your mind so they don't matter to you. This is the point I've been trying to make, and that you've been trying very hard to avoid recognizing. There are a lot of ways our we humans victimize each other, and especially women and girls, besides physical violence. And the whole reason we have laws in a civil society is to protect us from each other.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
The air rings with persuasive cases that contradict each other, and you'd pin it all on me and also label yourself unbiased. :)
Nah. You're biased in this debate and so am I but the burden of proof to persuade unbiased minds is not less for you because you're defending the status quo. You seemed to be claiming it was.
 
Last edited:

joe1776

Well-Known Member
Poverty, addiction, and mental health problems also make her an "innocent victim", but they aren't considered "actual" force in your mind so they don't matter to you. This is the point I've been trying to make, and that you've been trying very hard to avoid recognizing. There are a lot of ways our we humans victimize each other, and especially women and girls, besides physical violence. And the whole reason we have laws in a civil society is to protect us from each other.
Please explain how making her a criminal and punishing her if she charges for sex protects her as an innocent victim in the transaction. Society makes her a victim and then punishes her to make up for it?
 
Last edited:

Cooky

Veteran Member
I was watching SNL last night. Sex is like the only thing on leftist brain. If it's not this, it's abortion or gay rights or some other sexual inuendo. Sex, sex, sex...
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Moving the debate to pedophilia demonstrates that one has lost.
Your are refusing to recognize that using someone else's body for one's own sexual pleasure is the subject at hand. I believe the same reasoning that applies to making child sexual prostitution illegal should be applied to adult sexual prostitution. That is that the 'consent' is illegitimate in both instances. And so far, I 've seen no reasonable argument against this from you or others.
Pedophilia is wrong because it is thought that there can be no informed consent at that age.
"Informed consent" is a very vague and slippery criteria, though, isn't it. What exactly does one have to be informed about for their consent to be legitimate? In the case of children, it's generally considered that children cannot appreciate the psychologically damaging effects to themselves that would likely result from their engaging in sexual activity. And yet I think a very good argument could be made that the same is true of the vast majority of prostitutes, and their patrons. Because the truth is that using another human's body for one's own sexual pleasure is insulting and degrading to the person who's body is being used, and thereby harms them psychologically whether they have been successfully coerced into 'consenting' to it, or not. Just as the repetition of such an act by the perpetrators tends to 'dehumanize' them, psychologically.

Our modern human societies are already rife with subjugation, humiliation, and all manner of abuse in the name of selfishness and greed, and at the moment this seems to be getting worse, not better. So I do not believe that legalizing the buying and selling of human bodies for the purpose of sexual gratification is the way we should be going. Just the opposite, in fact. I think we need to be searching, as a people, for ways to increase mutual human appreciation and respect, and decrease our individual selfishness and greed.
If two adults agree to something it is assumed that there is informed consent.
By you. But I think you have a very narrow and naive view of it that you are struggling to maintain, here. And it's the wrong view.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Nah. You missed the point. You're biased in this debate and so am I but the burden of proof to persuade unbiased minds is not less for you because you're defending the status quo. You seemed to be claiming it was.
All I mean is that the political battle is always uphill for the progressives while the conservatives always have the advantage. They are in the fort, the way that things are being done now. They don't have to change anything to have their way.
 
Top