Practice of Engaging in Sexual Intercourse for Money

1134 Words3 Pages

Out of 100 worldwide countries, fifty countries have completely legalized prostitution, eleven provide limited legalization, and thirty-nine hold prostitution to be illegal altogether (ProCon). Prostitution is often defined as the act or practice of engaging in sexual intercourse for money (Dictionary). Society’s acceptance of prostitution seems to change as time goes by. Many view prostitution as a degrading act, while to others it is thought be simply an everyday job. When deciding if we are for or against the legalization of prostitution, we must first understand the psychopathology of prostitutes, arguments of human rights and equality, public opinions regarding prostitution, endangerment of underground prostitution and countries’ prostitution status.
Prostitution has been around for thousands of years, but Dr. Eileen McLeod, a professor at the University of Warwick, decides to focus on the issues going on today. In her book, Women Working: Prostitution Now, she goes over the disadvantages women working as prostitutes face. In her second chapter, “Prostitutes’ working conditions”, she has a section titled “The Psychopathology of The Prostitute” (31). In this section McLeod develops her position against prostitution by answering the question “why some women and not all…become prostitutes” with two probable ideas (31). The first is the idea that these women becoming prostitutes have further qualities making them qualifying candidates (31). McLeod’s second idea is that these women have a “physical or psychological defect” pushing them towards becoming prostitutes (31). McLeod understands the disadvantages prostitutes face, but doesn’t fail to acknowledge the importance a women’s role holds when trying to explain how a women ch...

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...tions like: Is it time that we finally legalized prostitution?

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