Criminalizing Prostitution

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Prostitution is the one of the world’s oldest professions, and it is typically seen as a last resort or a tragic profession for someone to end up in. It’s common for people to question the circumstances these people must have endured to end up involved in prostitution. Opinions such as these allow society to look down on prostitutes and in turn allow for the mistreatment of sex workers. If prostitution were able to be regulated it would be less dangerous for those involved and would be able to lower many crimes associated with sex work. Prostitution should be decriminalized in the United States of America because it would help to better regulate the industry and in turn create a safer environment for all those who choose to be involved.
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Criminalizing sex work allows people to look down on those who are involved with prostitution. When people look down on prostitutes they see them as inferior and treat as though they are lesser beings. This inability to see prostitutes as equal creates the ideal conditions for rampant exploitation and abuse of sex workers. Prostitution needs to be recognized as a profession so that the legal and social rights of prostitutes are guaranteed. When the rights of these workers are guaranteed and these women aren’t treated like criminals it will allow the public to see them more as …show more content…

1996

Global Sex Workers Marjan Wijers Chair of the European Commission's Expert Group on Trafficking in Human Beings 1998

Washington Post's PostGlobal website Melissa Ditmore, PhD Coordinator of the Global Network of Sex Work ProjectsFeb. 28, 2007

"Contextual Risk Versus Risk Behaviour" in Research for Sex Priscilla Alexander Co-founder of the National Task Force on Prostitution Work 2001

"Prostitution and Sex Crimes" Kirby R. Cundiff, PhD Associate Professor of Finance at Northeastern State University Apr. 8, 2004

"Stigmatising Sex Workers" in the Chartist Ana Lopes, PhD President of Britain's General Union (GMB) Sex Workers Branch Mar. 2006

"'Solutions' to Prostitution" on Ifeminist.com Wendy McElroy Research Fellow at the Independent Institute Feb. 13, 2001

"Justice Talking" on National Public Radio (NPR) Carol Leigh Founder of Bay Area Sex Workers Advocacy Network (BAYSWAN) and former prostitute Mar. 4, 2002

“Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics | RAINN.” Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics | RAINN, www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence. Accessed 29 Mar.

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