Leagalizing prostitution; yes or no?

Legalized Prostitution

 

Prostitution should be legalized in all U.S. states. I believe that it would help financially, lower crime rates, and provide a safer health environment for those working the occupation . In Newark, New Jersey, the estimate is that close to 60% of all prostitutes carry the AIDS virus. Yet, in the relatively "free market" of Nevada where prostitution is legal, none (as of 1989) of the state-licensed prostitutes have ever tested positive for AIDS (The Case for Legalized Prostitution) .  Based on statistics from other countries or even some U.S. states with legalized and regulated prostitution (22 countries and certain counties of Nevada), it has been  proven that crime rates were lower, STDs weren’t spread nearly as much as with illegal prostitution, and the government brought in more money. I think prostitution should be legalized in the U.S. but kept under strict health requirements and health checks. It would help the country eliminate many of the problems with prostitution such as the  spread of STDs, lowering crime rates, and bringing in money.

If prostitution were to be made legal, it would help decrease crime rates in the U.S. Currently, it is assumed that as much as one-half of a typical urban city's prison female population are prostitutes. In America, an estimated 80,000 people are arrested each year for soliciting sex (A Look at Prostitution Statistics). In fact, the city of Los Angeles alone spends close to 100 million dollars annually dealing with illegal prostitution(The Case for Legalized Prostitution). These costs involve incarceration costs, the cost of meals each day, and basic living necessities like clothes, water and electricity. If prostitution is legal in all U.S states, there wouldn’t be as many males or females in prison for prostitution. That also means less people in jail or prison who have been involved with a prostitute. Therefore, with fewer crimes, there are not as many people in jail, and the government or the tax money does not have to go towards keeping criminals locked up. When people are no longer being put in jail for prostitution, the government and taxpayers actually save money.

Legalizing prostitution would actually help the U.S. economy financially. Legal prostitution could be classified as an occupation, thus, it would be taxable. The Dutch sex industry makes over $500 million a year (Hughes, Sporcic and Mendelsohn), and the Netherlands population is only around 16 million (Why Prostitution Should Be Legalized in the United States). If the sex industry in the United States fit proportionally with the Netherlands population and with the sex industry income, then the United States would have a sex industry that earned about $9.375 billion annually (Why Prostitution Should Be Legalized in the United States). Because the U.S. is in so much debt, the income of money from prostitution would put a pretty decent dent in the amount of debt the country is in.

Legalizing and regulating prostitution would also help the country prevent the spread of STDs and help keep the health rates at a higher level.  Today, new laws have been imposed to bring stiffer penalties to prostitutes who test positive for HIV/AIDS. In some other countries however, prostitution is legal, such as in Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland, and New Zealand. These countries have strictly regulated brothels which are a reason for their lower STD rates (Why Prostitution Should Be Legalized in the United States). The law is that they are to be tested every month with a blood test, and they should have a license from the government stating that that person is legally a prostitute and is checked monthly for diseases. Therefore, regulation of prostitution can only help prevent diseases from spreading and make the sex industry less of a health hazard. Prostitutes are sometimes victims of murder, rape, or some type of harassment. If prostitution were to be legalized, the women or men in the situation of being harassed could go to the police and report abuse without having to fear being taken to jail or prison for being involved in something illegal. This also goes with the lowering crimes rates as previously talked about.

Many may argue that prostitution is morally wrong based on religion or personal beliefs, but more good things come of it being legalized rather than it being illegal. A study proves that 76% of prostitutes came from a family that regularly attended church (Prostitution). Many people practice religion some way or another. Prostitution is looked down upon in many religions, but it is called “the world’s oldest profession” (A Look at Prostitution Statistics). It has been happening since the beginning of time; it started way before it ever became a big controversy. For those who believe it is morally wrong, they have the right to not include themselves in such activities. Meanwhile, it is someone else’s choice whether they want to participate or not. Participating in legal prostitution could be compared to going to church. It is one’s personal decision or personal choice to do as he or she pleases and take part in activities that others may not want to.

 Legalizing prostitution would help the U.S. with the tax incomes, crime rates would be lowered, and the health of the people in this kind of industry would be under regulation and kept in check instead of free roaming, unhealthy people. An estimated 1% of American women, or over one million people in the United States, have worked as prostitutes (Did You Know? Little Known Facts in the Prostitution Debate). Why not give these people a chance to try to make a living like everyone else in this country? Although it is not an ideal “career”, prostitution happens whether it is legal or not. Legalizing and regulating prostitution would only create a safer environment for those pursuing that career.  Prostitution should be as legal and regulated as any other jobs or occupations in this country.

http://www.fff.org/freedom/1293e.asp>.
http://voices.yahoo.com/why-prostitution-legalized-united-606721.html>.
http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/Prostitution%20Statistics%20IL.pdf>.

 

Works Cited

 

"A Look at Prostitution Statistics." Finding Justice. Eric Dye, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 06 Nov. 2013.

 

Armentano, Paul. "The Case for Legalized Prostitution." The Case for Legalized Prostitution.

Paul Armentano, Dec. 1993. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://www.fff.org/freedom/1293e.asp>.

 

Hoehn, Robert. "Why Prostitution Should Be Legalized in the United States." Yahoo!

Contributor Network. Robert Hoehn, 22 Oct. 2007. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://voices.yahoo.com/why-prostitution-legalized-united-606721.html>.

ProCon.org. "Did You Know?" Prostitution.ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 2 July 2009. Web. 23

May. 2012.

"Prostitution." Hawaii.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/Prostitution%20Statistics%20IL.pdf>.