Jamie Travis

Professor Vyvial

Engl 1301

25 June 2017

The Price of Prostitution

The legalization of prostitution, which is the trade of sexual favors for payment, is one

of the most hotly disputed issues of this century. Given that prostitution and human trafficking

go hand in hand, most people have conflicting ideas on the issue. With Houston being the third

leading city in regards to human trafficking, Americans must decide whether the legalization of

prostitution will hurt women and children, or help them.

Prostitution is illegal in every state in the United States of America except Nevada. In

Nevada, there are currently 11 counties where prostitution is legal, and there are 18 brothels that

operate inside of these counties. Prostitution in Nevada is disputed constantly, which creates

never-ending lawsuits for the businesses. This has caused many strict laws to come into place in

Nevada regarding these so-called red light districts. In these areas, the use of latex condoms is

required, and there are many restrictions on where brothels may be located. Specifically, brothels

cannot be located near a school, playground, church, or area with a large population like the Las

Vegas strip. These limitations are designed to protect the community and the prostitutes. For

example, during World War Two, propaganda targeted prostitution in Nevada. The reason for

this is that, money that could have been used to buy war bonds was consumed in prostitution.

Propaganda targeted the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to
persuade the public to oppose legal prostitution. This pushed Nevada to place laws forcing

prostitutes to be regularly checked for STDs and to use latex condoms during all sexual activity.

This is to protect prostitutes and their customers from contracting STDs. The prostitution in

Nevada gives insight into what America could look like if prostitution were legalized.

There are many reasons for why people believe that prostitution should be legalized, but the

most important of those reasons include reduced crime, improved health, and allowing women to

do what they want with their bodies. Proponents of legal prostitution believe that it would reduce

crime against prostitutes in the street. According to Erin Fuchs, Eighty- two percent of prostitutes

working on the streets in Colorado Springs were assaulted, 68 percent were raped, and they

were 18 times more likely to be murdered. If prostitution were legal, prostitutes would be more

willing to reach out to the police if they were assaulted or raped. To protect their workers and

their reputation, brothels would report violence against prostitutes as well (Fuchs). At the

moment, violence against women of the night is almost never documented, but with more legal

freedoms, women would be more willing to step forward regarding violence. Another reason that

people advocate for the legalization of prostitution is that they believe that the spread of STDs

would be reduced. If prostitution were legalized, states would be able to better control the testing

of STDs and the use of condoms by prostitutes. The laws of Nevada are examples of this

regulation of disease. Finally, defenders of prostitution believe in giving women the right to

control their own bodies. They believe that women should have the right to use their bodies in

any way they see fit because prostitution is a victimless crime. Many escorts in Nevada and

countries in Europe believe that prostitution gives women the opportunity to become more
confident, be their own boss, and make enough money to release themselves and their families

from violence.

Opposition to the legalization of prostitution is immense. Business owners, the government,

religious organizations, and victims of human trafficking are just a few of those who are

opponents of prostitution. Those who are against the legalization of prostitution believe that it

will increase human trafficking and promote the oppression of females by males, which will in

turn cause more violence against women. Today, human trafficking is called Modern Day

Slavery. According to What Are the Statistics on Human Trafficking of Children? the average

victim of human trafficking is age 11 to 14 and the average life span of these victims is only 7

years. After which, many victims are reported to be found dead from attack, abuse, HIV and

other STDs, malnutrition, overdose, or suicide ( What Are the Statistics on Human Trafficking

of Children?). With the rate and devastation of human trafficking rising, opponents to

prostitution believe that legalizing the oldest profession will lead to exponential growth in the

sex slavery of men, women, and children. This is because if prostitution were legal, it would be

easier for underground crime organizations to transport, find, and exploit victims. Another belief

of opponents, is that human trafficking will cause men to believe that women are objects instead

of people. If males are able to buy females, women will be seen as items and treated as such.

They believe that all women will suffer abuse, harsher social oppression, and greater sexism than

is already present within society.

 Prostitution is becoming more contested in the United States which means that the

American people must consider if prostitution should become legal or remain underground in all

states except Nevada. The pro-legalization side believes that making prostitution legal in the

United States will allow for a decrease in the spread of STDs, reduced violence against

prostitutes, and more rights for women in their use of their body. However, the opposition

suggests that the legalization of prostitution will increase the rate of human trafficking and

promote abuse toward women. People on both sides look towards Nevada for an example of

what legalization of prostitution in America means.

 Works Cited

Fuchs, Erin. 7 Reasons Why America Should Legalize Prostitution. Business Insider, Business

Insider, 13 Nov. 2013,

www.businessinsider.com/why-america-should-legalize-prostitution-2013-11. Accessed

27 June 2017.

What Are the Statistics on Human Trafficking of Children? Ark of Hope for Children,

arkofhopeforchildren.org/child-trafficking/child-trafficking-statistics. Accessed 27 June

2017.