Badtorff 1

Dawn Badtorff

Aughenbaugh

English 12

30 January 2017

Legalizing Prostitution

Every womans choices should be legally and socially respected whether a woman

chooses to be a wife, a CEO, or a prostitute. According to Aochamub, a member of Rights Not

Rescue, Time has come for sex work to be regarded like any other employment, as its income

generating; children are sent to school and we put bread on the table, (Sex Workers Differ with

KK on Legalizing Prostitution). Rights not Rescue is the largest sex worker organization in

Africa. There are more than 1,000 prostitutes who are members of Right not Rescue (Sex

Workers Differ). Prostitution is known as the worlds oldest profession. Many people still

agree with this. Actually, 45% of Americans agree with the legalization of prostitution in 1996

(Legalizing Prostitution). Prostitution should be legalized in the United States for the purpose

of taxation, healthcare for sex workers to reduce the spread of STDs, and to stop the violence

against sex workers.

In 2006 alone, Americans spent $13.3 billion dollars on X-rates magazines, pornagrahic

videos/DVDs, and strip clubs (Legalizing Prositution). Human trafficking alone generates

around 150 billion dollars per year (Why Legalizing Prostitution). The general social survey

report figure 15-18% of Americans have said they have paid for sex (Legalizing Prostitution).

Legalized prostitution would be a substantial source of tax revenue (Why Legalizing

Prostitution Would Make America Healthier, Wealthier, and Safer). The tax would make enough
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money to keep it increasing if the industry were legalized throughout the states and legalized by

strict government regulations and zoning (Legalizing Prostitution Squares with Conservatism).

Which means as long as prostitution remains illegal those within the industry will pay no taxes

(Why Legalizing Prostitution). In 2009, a proposal to levy a $5 tax on acts of prostitution in

Nevada was estimated to be worth about 2 million dollars a year. That was in one state imagine

how much the United States could make in all 50 states (Legalizing Prostitution Squares).

Atlantas sex trade was worth $290 million in 2007 alone (Why Legalizing Prostitution).

The criminalization of clients has not reduced trafficking or sex work, but has

increased sex workers vulnerability to violence, harmed HIV responses, and infringed on

sex workers rights, states the United Nations Human Rights Council (Why Legalizing

Prostitution). As prostitution remains illegal sex workers will be less likely to use

condoms and seek STD tests. Which means there is an increase in the spread of HIV

(Why Legalizing Prostitution). The gonorrhea infection amongst women in Rhode

Island dropped 39% after it became decriminalized in their state. Legalizing and

regulating prostitution would make sex workers safer from STDs and fewer assaults

(Why Legalizing Prostitution). PONY is a prostitute group that shares medical

referrals and safety tips to other prostitutes. PONY members work all in the same

community so they can get help at any time. If the United States regulates prostitution

we can give prostitutes a safe community for them to work in. Which means designated

prostitution zoning wont just protect adolescents, it will be established to give sex

workers a safe community to work and talk to health care professionals(Women have the

right to be prostitutes). If the Government had control of prostitution they could

regulate health requirements, such as mandatory condom use, periodic HIV and STD
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testing (Legalizing Prostitution). The government regulates that porn stars get tested

monthly for STDs and have to be cleared before working (Legalizing prostitution

squares with conservatism).

Many prostitutes are reluctant to report rape, robbery, and assault because they

want to conceal their illegal activities (Legalizing Prostitution). Rights Not Rescue

states that legalizing prostitution gives prostitutes the opportunity to report cases of rape

and abuse (Sex workers differ with KK on legalizing prostitution). Fifty five percent

of rape victims are underage girls (Why legalizing prostitution would make America

healthier). 30 million people are victims of human trafficking around the world due to

the demand for sex workers (Why legalizing prostitution). It is shown that a majority

of the human traffickers are sex workers. Actually, between 14,500 and 17,500 sex

workers are trafficked into the U.S. every year (Why legalizing prostitution). Sex

trafficking is outlawed by in 2000 by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which is

decide by each state (Legalizing Prostitution). Legalizing prostitution would greatly

reduce sex trafficking because it would give the clients the chance to buy the love and

compassion they are looking for and reduce violence. It was proven in Germany that

legalized sex work decreased human trafficking by 10% In Germany and New Zealand

sex work violence has decreased because of regulation like screening clients and use of

credit cards (Why legalizing prostitution). Its easier and safer to legalizes it and

regulated it then just let the crimes happen behind our backs. In 2009, Rhode island and

Nevada have no prostitutions laws (Legalizing Prostitution). When Rhode Island had

legal prostitution their numbers of rapes decreased by 31% (Why Legalizing

Prostitution...). Streetwalkers live in fear of criminal assault or arrest (Women have the
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right to be prostitutes). It is shown that 45 to 75% of sex workers will experience

workplace violence (Why legalizing prostitution). Since streetwalkers live in

constant fear the United States could easily regulate this problem. They could have

geographic restrictions such as zoning designated Red-Light Districts or prohibitions near

schools and churches (Legalizing prostitution). An example of this would be the Red

Light District in Amsterdam is the main place for prostitution. It gives a safe place for

prostitutes to work and is a safe distance from schools and churches (Legalizing

prostitution). Governor Brian Sandoval states Its up to the counties to decide of they

want prostitution or not, (Legalizing prostitution squares). If liberalization at the

local level rules that prostitution is allowed than other U.S. states and counties may

follow (Legalizing prostitution). If United States regulates prostitution they could have

records of each individual in the profession, because they would need to register to be

working in this field (Women have the right). The National Organization for

Women passed a decriminalization resolution to take away all prostitution laws, because

they believe it is the woman's personal choice (Legalizing prostitution). Legislature

voted to criminalize those who buy and sell sex as well as landlords who allow

prostitution on their premises. Yet it is okay if someone gets payed to have sex on camera

but not behind closed doors (Why legalizing prostitution).

There are many false claims about the prostitution business. Such as prostitutes enter the trade at

age 13-14. All prostitutes are involved with drugs and that all prostitutes have pimps

(Legalizing prostitution). Many streetwalkers are involved with drugs and are underage. If

prostitution was legalized that could be regulated because those problems arent happening in the

high class escort services (Legalizing prostitution). About 100,000 children are forced into
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prostitution every year in America; forced into trade by pimps (Why legalizing prostitution).

The women that are forced into prostitution are forced there because they have no other options

(Women have the right). Since it is illegal most sex workers have to work for pimps, never

seeing much money and being forced to do what the pimp says (Women have the right). By

making it legal we could regulate it and make sex workers be registered and keep record of their

age and drug activity. Senate Majority leader Steven Horsfords opinion is I personally do not

support prostitution; however, it has been handled by local governments in the past, and it has

been a history and tradition, (Legalizing prostitution squares). Hausbeck is a journalist that

states his discovery as All the women we interviews stressed that they made their own choices

to enter brothel work In all brothels we found that women were strong, open, and often had

close bonds with others in the house. They are in the business to make money, and some do quite

well But many workers say they do it not just for the money but also because they like the

work and the people they work for,(Legalizing prostitution).

Dolores French is a former prostitute that states They are tougher, smarter, quicker, and

more resilient than other women...I tried to explain to her [Frenchs mother] that I wasnt doing it

for the money . I was doing it because I believed in it, because I didnt think it was dirty or

shameful but instead something noble and helpful. I was improving the quality of my clients

lives. I had the opportunity to renew people's self-esteem,(Legalizing prostitution). The best

choice for women is to give them the option to choose on their own. If a woman or man chooses

to exchange sex for money and does it in a way that causes no harm to either party, then they

should be able to do so (Women have the right...). Dolores writes that Part of the art of

prostitution is using sex to create a feeling of trust and intimacy, to bring people in touch with

their own self worth, (Legalizing Prostitution). Prostitution will benefit women and society as
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a whole by regulating industry practices and keeping the choice to sell sex available to all

women (Women have the right).

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Works Cited

Haltiwanger, John. Why Legalizing Prostitution Would Make America Healthier, Wealthier and

Safer. Elite Daily. Elite Daily, Inc., 19 Nov. 2014. Web. 17 Jan. 2017.

Klinger, Kimberly. Women Have the Right to be Prostitutes. Feminism. Ed. Christina Fisanick.

Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from Prostitution, Humanism,

and a Woman's Choice: Perspectives on Prostitution. Humanist (Jan.-Feb. 2003). Opposing

Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Jan. 2017.

Legalizing Prostitution Squares with Conservatism. Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA] 2

Mar. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.

Sex Workers Differ With KK On Legalising Prostitution. Africa News Service 16 May 2012.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 10 Jan. 2017.

Weitzer, Ronald. Legalizing Prostitution. New York: New York University Press, 2012. Print.