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Pros and cons of criminalizing prostitution
Effects of prostitution on society
Effects of prostitution on society
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Prostitution Decriminalization: Empowering Women
My thesis is that prostitution should be legal because it empowers women. Its decriminalization will be the best way to protect the human rights of sex workers. It will aim to remove the stigma from prostituted women to ensure that sexual workers enjoy full and equal protection from discrimination, exploitation, and especially equal opportunities to possess the much needed proper health regulations in the system. If enacted, prostitution could move from being such a risky business to a more secure and accepted form of trade. In 2003 when the Rhode Island District Court Judge decided to decriminalize indoor prostitution the community experienced a decline for both forcible rape offenses and gonorrhea incidence in the overall population. Their synthetic
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They claim that the decriminalization of prostitution will interfere with the morality of our society. Women in the sex industry will keep being discriminated since its legalization won’t remove the implications of their job. If prostitution was to be legalized we will be portraying the idea that selling our bodies is morally correct, and therefore young generations could be inclined to entering the shadows of the sex industry instead of looking for a more educated lifestyle or career path. Even with its legalization, abolitionist believe that the stigma of prostitutes won’t go away keeping them for seeking law enforcement or medical aid in case of exploitation or violations. Further, those women that will not comply with the pre-requisites that the government may place, will be pushed underground to offer their services for a lower cost and once again live under the fear of facing death, rape or beating every day. At the same time, another of the points abolitionist hold is that prostitution is inherently linked to sex trafficking and by criminalizing the profession, the government would be able to better protect potential victims. (Deady,
Kelly’s article has raised valid points regarding safety to the prostitute within a brothel, but there is so much evidence that proves the ill effects of this experiment in other countries that the evidence cannot be ignored. Although, parts of the sex trade industry may initially see positive results for some of the workers, the majority would end up worse off than before. Due to the illegal nature of this industry and the control exuded by the pimp, the physical and psychological risk to the prostitute, the highly addictive nature of sex, and the organized crime behind the scenes orchestrating and controlling ever aspect of the industry, it is clear that decriminalizing prostitution would result in significant negative affects on society, prostitutes and those with sexual addictions.
Patty Kelly was an assistant professor of anthropology at Washington State University and she had just completed a study of the place of commercial sex in the modern world when she wrote the essay “Enough Already, It’s Time We Decriminalize Prostitution”. The title itself gives the reader a clear direction in which the author wants to sway the reader. While the essay was written as a response to a political scandal involving New York Senator Elliot Spitzer, Kelly sparks discussion on why prostitution should be legalized. The author backs her stance by providing the result of research that she herself has conducted, along with research conducted by the government of Sweden. Kelly spent a year working as an anthropologist at the Galactic Zone,
With prostitution still arising and thriving in present day America the Argument and war waged on it by media has changed from an advocated perspective, to being seen as present day slavery among women. Especially with modern practices of forced trafficking and drugged prostitution. the views have changed from one of a women's private and personal freedom of choice, to one of "the ones who weren't lucky enough to get away from being drugged, kidnapped and forced into slaved prostitution."
In the following assignment, it is my intention to produce a research report, examining women involved in street prostitution and how they end up entering the criminal justice system. Within the report I will look at three pieces of research, review their main findings, the type of research that was used, and look to identify where I believe further research is required. My reason for choosing women in the criminal justice system is that I have expressed an interest in the criminal justice setting and my elective module is in this area. Anything that I learn from undertaking this assignment will aid my understanding and increase my knowledge base when undertaking my second placement. Prostitution has been defined as: "Prostitution involves the exchange of sexual services, sometimes but by no means exclusively
For instance, while every industry that operates in the US has labor rights associated with it, prostitutes have no guarantees in their work. No one has to provide a prostitute with “rights like a minimum wage, freedom from discrimination, and a safe work environment” (Fuchs). With regulations in place after decriminalizing the profession, prostitutes can be better protected against STIs. This could be accomplished by requiring “sex workers to use condoms and get tested for sexually transmitted diseases” (Fuchs). They will have a greatly decreased chance of contracting disease if they turn down clearly infected clients, and make all clients, whether clean or not, wear condoms. If they were working outside of the law they would feel less incline to do this and would then be at great risk for contracting disease. Illegal prostitutes actually have motives for not using condoms since in cities like New York, “cops were actually using condoms found on women as evidence in criminal prostitution cases against them” (Fuchs). This practice provides the perfect stage for STIs to go wild and spread like fire, with HIV being in the forefront and becoming an even larger epidemic then it is. Giving them labor rights will give them the ability to unionize and fight for their rights together, transferring the power in the business to the workers instead of their bosses, like pimps and brothel owners. With regulations eliminating the pimps, one source of violence is removed from the business. Customers are the other major source of violence and, with legalization, prostitutes would be able to rely on law enforcement to protect them instead of detaining them. Studies have found that among prostitutes “82% had been assaulted and 68% had been raped while working” (Fuchs) and “they were 18 times more likely to be murdered than non-prostitutes their age and race” (Fuchs). This could be
In closing, the argument that the author presents falls weak in most aspects. Though he seems to have positive end results to the issue, the immoral act of prostitution still is part of the solution. As proven before, legal prostitution could lead to an excess of prostitutes that could ruin the appearance of our country, it does not control ones animal-like impulses, but merely lets them run wild, it uses sex as a drug that could lead to an increase of sex ?junkies?, the crime rate could possible increase, rather than decrease, and the spread of STD?s will not be effected positively. The best way to fix the issue of prostitution is to continue fighting it, till eventually the message gets across that prostitution is wrong, and does not lead to a profitable life financially, or morally.
When it comes to the topic of legalizing prostitution, most of us will readily, agree that prostitution is a human right. Where this agreement usually ends, however, in on the question of prostitution being legalized. Whereas some are convinced that it should be legalized, others maintain that it should remain illegal. I agree that prostitution should be legalized. A point that needs emphasizing since so many people still believe that the government should not interfere with their life choices. Considering that it goes against the 1st Amendment, why shall someone not do as they please. A portion of the United States believe that legalizing prostitution would bring down the percentage of people being raped. It can save kids’ lives that are being forced to be
Should we decriminalize prostitution? Decriminalize means the removal of criminal penalties or the restrictions against something. In the article “How we should handle prostitution” by Simon Hedlin, Birgitta Ohlsson states that we should decriminalize prostitution. Decriminalizing prostitution means to remove the criminal penalties and the restrictions against prostitution. The thesis of the article is to decriminalize prostitution. Critics think by decriminalizing prostitution there would be an increase in human trafficking. In order to not decriminalize prostitution, the author says to decriminalize the selling of sex, but not the buying of sex. David Grosso is Washington Councilman. He wants to enter a legislation that decriminalize prostitution in the nation 's capital. Grosso says that America needs new laws for prostitution. The new laws that have to be made for prostitution have to “respect the fact that sex workers are human beings too." Critics think that by decriminalizing prostitution is going to get worse and increase human trafficking.
Throughout Sex Work and the Law: A Critical Analysis of Four Policy Approaches to Adult Prostitution Frances Shaver discusses the need for change for women working as prostitutes. Shaver explains the ongoing problem surrounding prostitution in Canada and provides four possible ways to resolve the issue in her work. Three well thought out points Shaver writes about are the health benefits as well as personal safety for the women in the sex industry. She also touches base on the decriminalization of prostitution and the impacts it will have on nearby neighborhoods and the residents as well as a few other topics. Although Shaver discusses important areas, she does leave out some particular parts for concern such as the issues surrounding minors involved in the sex industry as well as the men and women who are involuntarily put into prostitution also known as human trafficking. While Shaver touches base on extremely well thought out points and provides a solution for dealing with Canada’s prostitution problem, she fails to elaborate on a few major issues that should be discussed as well when discussing the decriminalization of prostitution.
As prostitution is criminalized, this profession is driven underground which undermines the safety of prostitutes. Legalizing prostitution would provide sex workers with regulatory protection and allow this form of work to be recognized as legitimate. As the author of “Think Again: Prostitution” states, “evidence shows, that criminalization of sale or purchase (or both) makes sex workers-many of whom come from marginalized social groups like women, minorities, and the poor-more vulnerable to violence and discrimination committed by law enforcement. Also, criminalization can dissuade sex workers from seeking help from authorities if they are raped, trafficked, or otherwise abused.” Therefore, sex workers are subjected to unfair treatment that could be prevented if this work was legalized and safe conditions were enforced. The author of "Counterpoint: Prostitution Should Be Legalized” states, “prostitution is legalized and regulated in a variety of developed nations throughout ...
Opponents argue that, prostitution has health effects and that is the reason as to why it remains illegal in most parts of the United States. Prostitution has social economic, physical, and a number of mental implications. The prostitutes and their clients are subject to a nu...
Catherine Smith is a single 42 year old woman with two children. Her job as a secretary is no longer sufficient enough to cover her bills. She does not have a college degree and her job will not cover any part of tuition if she does decide to attend college. One night, while coming home late from work, she noticed women walking around on the street counting their earnings for the night. That is when she acquired the idea to become a prostitute. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines prostitution as the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations in exchange for money. These type of situations occur on a daily basis. Some women really enjoy having sex, so why wouldn’t they want payment for it as well. Prostitution should be legalized in the United States.
Sex is a topic that is rarely openly discussed in America. Some would say that is an example of moral decency, others might argue that this is just a prudish mindset we inherited from early puritan settlers. Sex for pay or prostitution, is one concept so at odds with this taboo that it has been declared immoral and illegal. Forty-eight out of fifty states have decided that prostitution should be illegal. On the surface, this widespread ban on prostitution may appear to combat the spread disease and sex slavery, but, upon further inspection, this assertion might not be supported by facts. The creation of a legal and highly-regulated form of prostitution in the United States could help slow the rate at which sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are spread, lower the demand for sex slaves, and improve the quality of life for the prostitutes that already operate in the United States, and should be implemented despite any moral or ethical objections some individuals may have.
The diverse opinions of the sex workers are needed when creating policies and laws. Sex workers have been through life-threatening experiences and their views matters. Sex Workers face various kinds of abuses such as rape, blackmail, random arrest and custody, imprisonment, persecution, bias, forced health examination etc. State policies have made efforts to protect sex workers from violence, exploitation, and oppression. Although, the government failed to provide easy access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities. Sex workers should be able to self-represent in the media. Supporting sex workers and promoting an accurate non-exploitative image is necessary. Anti-sex workers argue that abolitionism and whore-stigma is a result of patriarchy i.e. a method where male overpower female population. Men categorize women sex workers into the “good” or the “bad”. However, slut-bashing, criticizing victims, and culture of sexual aggression demonstrates whore-stigma is still attached to nonsex workers. Decriminalization of all sex work acts could possibly eliminate whore stigma and acknowledge sex work as
Little do most know, but on “[a]verage [prostitution] arrest[s], court and incarceration costs amount to nearly $2,000 per arrest. Cities spend an average of 7.5 million dollars on prostitution control every year, ranging from 1 million dollars to 23 million dollars.” Prostitution is the oldest known profession. Currently in 49 countries and counting prostitution is legal. Here in America there is a stigma following the label prostitute. We would rather resort to underground markets of sex labor. Endangering health, rights, and economics. Legalizing prostitution can reduce health hazards by giving heath care, also by giving rights to those that choose prostitution as their profession. In the long term this