Arguments Against Legalizing Prostitution

When it comes to the topic on whether prostitution should be legalized, some of us will readily agree that prostitution should be legalized. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of what benefits does legalizing prostitution have to the people working as prostitutes and to the country. Whereas some are convinced that prostitution is morally wrong and would only exploit prostitutes, others maintain that prostitution has many health, safety and economic benefits. I agree that prostitution should be legalized because legalized prostitution can protect women as well as men from abuse and violence, it can decrease the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and it can be added as revenue for the government.

One main reason

why prostitution should be legalized is because it would have many health benefits for the prostitutes and even the clients. The prostitutes would have a more sanitary work environment. They would be able to have health rights just like in any other profession. They would also be able to get medical examines and medical treatment for any health issue they may have. Another thing is that they would be required to be tested frequently for any sexually transmitted disease. If prostitution was legalized the spread of sexually transmitted diseases would decrease like “In countries and states where prostitution is legal, the risk of sexual transmitted diseases is slower than where prostitution is illegal.” Males and females would have to wear protection whenever having sex with prostitutes. One case is like the state of Nevada where “There are strict State Board Health and law regulations. For instance, brothel owners are held responsible for sexually transmitted diseases and its part of their liability to test workers for HIV/AIDS. This makes for a safe and regulated environment for customers and employees.” Males or females seeking to satisfy their sexual need would know that where they are going would be a safe environment for both the worker and the client reducing the risk of practicing unsafe sex. With the prostitutes working in the streets, they might be pressured by their pimps to not use protection and end up with an unwanted pregnancy or with a sexual transmitted disease.
Another reason why legalizing prostitution would be beneficial would be because it would create a safer environment for the prostitutes.

If prostitution were to be legalized the prostitutes would not be controlled by their pimps any more. Prostitutes would not have to go out and work in the streets which is very dangerous for them, “Criminalizing sex work worldwide doesn't stop it or even reduce it. It just drives it underground and makes it more dangerous for the workers”. While working in the street prostitutes run the risk of being raped, of not receiving payment, of having unprotected sex, being physically injured, and maybe even death. Some examples are “A study of San Francisco found that 82 percent of prostitutes have been assaulted and 68 percent raped. Another study in Colorado Spring found that prostitutes were 18 times more likely to be murdered than people who do not prostitute “, this lets us know that if there is something that can be done to keep the prostitutes safe than it should be done since they are at a higher risk of being in danger. Making a safe environment is a positive change that would only benefit the prostitutes, “However, I think the evidence that women working on their own are putting themselves in danger is powerful, and recognize that this is not something that is going to be solved

instantly”.
With the legalization of prostitution the prostitutes would have the confidence to report any abuse going on. The prostitutes would have rights just like in any other job. Prostitutes would be more confident, “Once legalized, sex workers would be empowered to approach a police officer if they are in danger or having a problem with their clients and pimps.” They would be able to file reports to police for physical abuse or even sexual abuse without having the fear that they too can be accused of doing something wrong. This would be beneficial to many women because it can decrease the number of abuses that go unreported due to fear “Many of these crimes remain unreported because the prostitutes themselves are afraid of coming forward due to their profession's illegality”. Legalized prostitution would give prostitutes many rights and the confidence that they would not have working illegally in the streets.
If prostitution were to be legalized, it would help protect minors and help fight against human trafficking. With the legalization of prostitution, people would only want to employ voluntary people over the age of 18 because the employer would not want to be fined or prosecuted for having any children working for them. If prostitution was legalized it would help make sure minors are not being lured into that “profession”. Employers want consenting adults to be a part of their work environments to avoid any problems. It would help fight against human trafficking because pimps could not threaten the women with the law anymore. If prostitution is legalized women and children forced into working would be able to go to the police without the fear of being accused themselves.
Prostitution should be legalized because it is something that cannot be prevented and because people are free to do with their body what they please of. Prostitution has been around for hundreds of years and is something that is going to be around forever. With the legalization of prostitution all that would be done is allowing two consenting adults to pay for a service they feel they need or want for themselves. There is always going to be a man or a woman who just want to satisfy their sexual needs and what better way than to do so in a safe and regulated environment. If people are willing to pay for sex, then people should have the freedom to sell their bodies if that is what they want. If a person wants to get paid for having sex they should be able to do so because “sex work is an occupation that many woman voluntarily choose.” One main point of legalizing prostitution is for whoever wants to work in that profession that they do so voluntarily. For example “Argentina is one of the many countries where prostitution is legal and sex workers view it as a profession and demand the same rights as others. Article 19 of the Argentinean Constitution states, "The private actions of people do not offend in anyway the public order, morality, nor damage a third person." Prostitution should be legalized because it would give the workers the protection and security they do not have now, but deserve just like most occupations have.
With the legalization of prostitution it could be added as revenue for the government and at the same time be saving the government money. The government would be able to regulate prostitution. “Making prostitution legal will allow the act to be managed instead of ignored”, using the money that was used against prostitution to make sure the environment is safe. Police would not have to be looking for sex workers and the government will no longer have the cost of enforcing laws against prostitution. Prostitution is something that is never ending because all they do is put someone in prison a couple of days and when they are released they just go back to their same job. The men and women who work as prostitutes go back to their old life after being release from prison because they have financial needs. So rather than trying to get rid of prostitution all together the government can legalize it making it a safe job environment for the prostitutes and at the same time making the government money. Since the brothels and workers will be earning legal income the government can tax it. There would be a fee that would need to be paid in order for a brothel to open up.
There are many women that would also want to just satisfy their sexual needs. In a brothel women know that the men will have to use condoms and that they get tested regularly for any disease. The legalization of prostitution could possibly increase the demand for male prostitutes making the government more money. Another thing is that if working conditions make employees and clients feel safe the demand might rise also making the brothels, workers, and the government more money.
Although people are so diverse in opinions, some are likely to object on the grounds that legalizing prostitution only increases illegal street prostitution and dignifies pimps. Another thing might be that they argue that prostitution only exploits the prostitutes. Many people argue that prostitutes are victims of their pimps. The policy prompted an angry reaction from former prostitutes, who warned that legalization would create a dangerous "free-for-all" environment that let pimps and punters off the hook.” They also view prostitution as a crime because of the spread of transmitted diseases. Many prostitutes are victims of their pimps and do not make their client use protection which leads to them having unsafe sex. Their pimps do not care for them, so the prostitutes do not get tested for sexually transmitted diseases or for any medical issue they may have. Many of the times the prostitute is not at fault when not using protection, but the other way around. “No woman should be punished for her own exploitation. But States should never decriminalize pimps, buyers, procurers, brothels or other sex establishments,” because they are not the ones who actually do the work, all they do is receive income or pay for the service. Another thing is that it expands the sex industry for example “over the last decade, as pimping was legalized, and brothels decriminalized in the year 2000, the sex industry increased by 25% in the Netherlands”. With the legalization of prostitution it “sends the message to new generations of men and boys that women are sexual commodities and that prostitution is harmless fun.” and this is not what we want. We should want prostitution to decrease over time even though we know it is something that is never going to end. If prostitution was legalized "There is no evidence that decriminalization or licensing prostitution would achieve our objectives of reducing exploitation, improving the safety of those involved and making local communities safer.” Even if prostitution was legalized there are no guarantees that all the objectives would be fulfilled.
In conclusion, the legalization of prostitution is important because with the correct regulation from the government it could be a good profession for the people who are in it or may end up being in it. There could be many benefits for the employer, employee, the client, and the government. Along with the benefits comes a safer, healthier work environment for the worker and client and an economic benefit for the government. All that is needed is the correct steps to getting a regulated work environment for anyone needing or wanting to get involved in that profession.