The Difference Between Legalizing and Decimalizing Prostitution

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Recommended: Prostitution in the 20th century in the United States

When looking at legalized prostitution you see safer and healthier women, and shouldn’t that always be the point of everything we do? To answer this question it is important that you understand what prostitution is. As defined by the Merriam –Webster dictionary prostitution is “the act of having sex in exchange for money”. In most of the United States prostitutes or sex workers work on the streets, shady alleys or what some would refer to as “crack houses”. Prostitution is sometimes referred to as the longest standing profession, and what is very clear is that it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Brothels and prostitution was frequent and rampant in the past. If you look into ancient Roman society you will find a great deal of art depicting sexual acts between, men and women along with sexual acts between homosexuals. It is also important to know the difference between legalizing prostitution and decimalizing prostitution. Legalizing prostitution means creating a system of regulation with government control. Decimalization means removing all laws against prostitution.
There are many different types of sex workers, for example there are brothel workers, street walkers, and call girls (Fuchs, Erin). Street workers are the ones that are the most exploited and exposed to rough and dangerous working conditions (Fuchs, Erin). They make next to nothing and the money that is made is often taken by pimps or traffickers (Sullivan, Barbara). This group of workers are also more likely to be drug addicted than the other form of sex workers. They also experience more physical violence and are more likely to be murdered. Brothel workers make more than street workers although they have to pay the brothel owners for things like rent and protect...

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...alize it’s time for a change.

Work Cited
Leigh, Carol. "Labor Laws, Not Criminal Laws, Are the Solution." The New York Times 19 April 2012: Print/Web.
Kelly, Patty. "Legalize prostitution." Los Angeles Times 13 March 2008: Print/Web.
Fuchs, Erin. "The 6 Types Of Prostitutes And Where They Work." Business Insider 6 November 2013: Web.
Fuchs, Erin. “7 Reasons Why America Should Legalize Prostitution,” Business Insider 13 November 2013: Web.
"Legalized Prostitution Debate." Debate.org. Web. 2013.
"Prostitution." ProCon.org. Web. 2 Feb. 2014.
Sullivan, Barbara. "When (Some) Prostitution is Legal: The Impact of Law Reform on Sex Work in Australia." Journal of Law and Society 37.1 (2010): 85-103. Print.
Raymond, Janice. "Ten Reasons for Not Legalizing Prostitution And a Legal Response to the Demand for Prostitution." Journal of Trauma Practice (2003): 315-332. Print.

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