Your view on prostitution, please
 

Inspired by another thread on Muslim prostitution I thought I´d hear your view on the subject in a more general sense.

In Sweden all forms of P. is illegal. In for example Germany its a blooming, fully legal industry. Regarded, more or less, as any other employment. German Police are very critical to the Swedish system and here is why:

They argue, 1. Prostitution has been and will always be present. Men will be men and look for sex. There will be woman ready to perform for money. These are facts. 2. Legislation against P. will only draw the business into the dark corners, making it much more dangerous for the women. 3. Vice versa, legalizing P. draws it out in the open where the women can be offered a higher level of protection and even have a union taking care of salary interests and so forth.

Me, I tend to be pragmatic. If it were possible to prevent this extremely prevalent business, I would be all for it. I am however convinced its impossible not least for biological reasons (mens need for sex). Hence, perhaps better for the women going the German way.

What ya all think ?

Change "prostitution" to "drugs" and you have the exact same argument. Just because it is inevitable, doesn't mean that it is acceptable. You will find the majority of prostitutes are also drug addicts. Coincidence? I don't see too many women that have it together and shuck all their goals to sell themselves. Maybe in the movies. How many people know someone that was a former "prostitute" and now is a functioning part of society? Most are dead from drugs or have been killed. I think it is more of protecting the vunerable, then the consumers. But, hey, I'm an idealist.

It seems to be working in Las Vegas. But I don't know why a woman would choose prostitution except out of desperation. If it were a truly voluntary choice( not addicted, not starving) I'd be in favor of it, but if women are going into it out of desperation . . well then I could not take advantage of someone so vulnerable.

IMO, Cash is the main motivater, nobody wants to pay taxes if they don't have to, working on the street saves them 25% than working legally or regulated (at least where I live, not sure about Germany)
Additionally, they can work when they want, and take time off when they want, assuming they are not pimped, which is a different story that someone else will most likely chime in on.

Put it another way. Lets assume the following:

1. Prostitution will not vanish, no matter what legislation.
2. The women that willingly or by force engage in prostitution will fare better in a legal environment.

Question: Should state legislate against it on moral/ethical grounds ?

I think it's pretty much a victimless crime and it drives me nuts to see the "Cops"-like tv shows where the vice squads bait folks. When they get all the violent criminals off the street, maybe going after prostitution would be ok. But it should be lowest priority. And I don't think it's all like drug legalization. Prostitution does not make someone into an addict who gets violent and commits crimes to support their habit.

Re: Your view on prostitution, please
 

I think I agree with what you said. I worked as a bartender in Topless bars for almost 5 years. I'd love for there to be some way to eradicate that kind of business, but there's not.

legalize it and regulate it - require health tests on a bi weekly basis.

Think of that huge untapped tax base because it is illegal.

I find it stupid to flood the courts and use up so many tax dollars going after people that paid to dip their willy.

What he said.^

I think specific recreational drugs should be legalised as well. Put the same restrictions (ie can't do it in the workplace, can't drive under the influence, etc) and regulations as alcohol and tobacco, and bam!, not only have you created a source of tax revenue, but you've wiped out millions of dollars of useless police raids, incarceration, etc. For the record, I've never done any recreational drugs, and probably never will.

It is legal and regulated in Germany and Switzerland and seems to be moving back that way in Italy.
I would much rather my husband was unfaithful with a clean, paid professional in a meaningless physical act than had an affair with one of my friends. Perhaps I've lived too long in N. Italy but I'm very blasè about the matter as long as there are health checks and the people (male, female and those in between) are there by choice and subject to strict medical checks.
Prostitution is not going to go away because moralists legislate against it. I feel exactly the same way about abortion. I don't like it but the consequences of driving it underground are much worse.

Don't make it legal - if you did then the gov gets involved and big business gets involved and before you know it the quality of the product (we are not talking about the crack whores here - but rather the Vegas call girl type) loses her profit center and she leaves the business. This allows for the whore business to bring in the Asian or Mexican lower paid girl as a product to offer. Bad for the industry, bad for the john - less to choose from and our sweet American call girl now has to work at Walmart or worse yet, go to school and become an accountant or a school teacher! Oh the horror!

You do have a point, Mike..

We need to look at this from the customers point of view! :D

Somehow, advice on prostitution by someone with both 'lube' and 'master' in his handle seems to carry a lot of authority.

Pretty soon we'll have the whores unionized, like the NEA.

dude that's harsh!:D ;)

I think most of the law enforcement money spent is to steer the activity away from certain areas. No vice squads are going after the pretty girls working the high end hotels.

In NYC they are always busting up rings of illegals. You have got to think these young girls, who are not allowed to be here in the first place, are not in control of their own lives.

If you are an owner-operator, that is one thing. I bet most are not..:(

Legalize it.
Regulate it.
Party on...

Oh, I don't know. There will always be a market for the "Fast Food" love delicatessians. But don't think there won't be some nice "Tavern on the Green" places with reputations to uphold.

I can't believe I typed that with a straight face....

Brings a whole new meaning to "BJ's wholesale club"

Hmmmm

Mc Do-it's
(fur)Burger King
Wendys (As in Plural, not possesive)
TACO Belle

I can't do it - LOL!

for the gay/sailor crowd, there is always "Popeyes"

:eek:

What she and osidak before said!

Maybe prostitution is different than titty dancing, but I doubt it. It's probably as bad or worse. From the inside it's ugly.

and it can and does create addicts. They do something that makes them feel worse about themselves than they already feel. They hate what they do so they turn to alcohol, and then drugs and before you know it they are addicts. They start out hot, then they gain weight (all of that alcohol) then they loose weight (all of the coke).

They work and make money, when they leave work they feel bad about themselves so they go shopping to make themselves feel better, then they don't have any money so they have to go to work again, it's an ugly circle. I've seen girls crying.

Hmm, a hot 18 year old enjoys a sweaty fat 45-50 year old or a normal 30-35 year old pawing all over them, not really. Probably not any more than most of you would like to have to have sex with a fat, hairy, smelly old lady.

Nope, it's a **** thing. Maybe in a different culture where it's viewed differently it's a different thing, but not in the states.