After marijuana is legalized, will prostitution be next?

[davidn3600]

Prostitution is obviously illegal in Washington, as it is in all but a few counties of Nevada. Clearly, by promoting prostitution these shacks were breaking the law. But setting aside the law (which can be changed), what's the harm?

Two consenting adults decide to make a mutually beneficial trade, cash for sexual favors (and some coffee). Just as long as nobody has been forced into it against his or her will, should we really be locking up people for economic choices they enter into freely and consensually?

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But the federal government sees none of that money. Instead of taxing these activities and regulating them to make the business safer for sex workers and their clients — as it is in the counties of Nevada where prostitution is legal — we spend money on imprisoning people whose crime is to offend other people's moral sensibilities.

As Cornell law professor Sherry Colb argues:
Prostitution should not be a crime. Prostitutes are not committing an inherently harmful act. While the spread of disease and other detriments are possible in the practice of prostitution, criminalization is a sure way of exacerbating rather than addressing such effects.

Recent studies show that decriminalizing prostitution confers significant benefits. Rhode Island accidentally decriminalized indoor prostitution between 2003 and 2009, and incidences of forcible rape and cases of the sexually-transmitted disease gonhorroea both fell. Another study, as Slate's Reihan Salam points out, also found that decriminalizing prostitution could help reduce the spread of HIV.

http://theweek.com/article/index/267518/will-prostitution-go-the-way-of-marijuana-reform

The public seems to have actually gotten more liberal about it. In 1971, only 14% of Americans said prostitution should be legal. Today that number has nearly tripled to 38%, with a growing amount of people in the middle. Only 31% today say it should "definitely be illegal." It seems many Americans are at least willing to examine this issue in a more intelligent manner than simply going with the "lock everyone up" method which clearly hasn't worked.

And just to be clear, this is about consenting adults. We are not talking about children or sex trafficking...that stuff will still stay illegal, of course.

[yeoman6987]

1. I hope so

What a waste of resources that we need elsewhere. Yes I know some are pushed into it, but with it being legal and perhaps some regulations, it would mostly stop the force and make it safer. We will see.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. There is no apparent groundswell for it, like with pot or gay marriage.

[bigwillq]

3. I hope

It's not my business what consenting adults do. It certainly shouldn't be illegal.

[Xolodno]

4. I stated that I was going to refrain posting on DU untill the War Drums died down a bit...

...I may have been a bit reactionary. So I'll just avoid war-type threads.

With that said, my wife and I have visited three brothels (wife bought a tee shirt from one of them....the other two didn't sell tee shirts...they should). In all three instances, we have not purchased any sex services. Instead, we bought overpriced booze (and a tee shirt at one and food at another) and had a fantastic time chatting up with the "independent contractors" and Madame. Two of them gave us a very thorough tour of the brothel and its history...which was very interesting. They told us about the high and low days, what they do to occupy their time (contrary to popular belief, there isn't a steady stream of males to keep them "busy" every hour), which led to books we have read, where we grew up, the effectiveness of certain sexual "devices", etc. shoot one even conversed with us a civil discourse about religion.

Some of them were working this industry because finances forced them to and it paid better than government assistance. Some worked this industry because they get paid to have a fun time and weren't very judgmental of others physical appearance. Many stated they saw this as a great opportunity to earn a lot of money fast that would pay for their education, house, etc....and then...there were those who were silent. I have my suspicions...which leaves me to believe what goes on at home probably needs to be investigated.

So...yeah...I can see this legalized....under heavy regulations....and that's what scares me. Once legalized, how long before the GOP says it shouldn't be regulated? These women (and men....see Showtime's series Gigalo...and I doubt the show explains the pit falls) deserve to be protected, free health care, etc. That's what worries me...but then again...maybe that would still be better for women (or men) who are in this where it is illegal...and unregulated.

[leftstreet]

5. Why do people assume women are just WAITING for it to be legal?

These articles and threads crack me the fuck up

Always, always, always with the buzzword 'consenting'

As if thousands upon thousands of women out there just WAITING to chuck in their jobs and benefits and hang a shingle or a craigslist ad

[TygrBright]

6. Hey.... are you talking about the "Madame Trayner" sign in my garage? n/t

[JI7]

8. we will just import them from poor countries

maybe we can have h1b type visas for them also when there aren't enough americans who want to do it.

women, just a thing like marijuana

[customerserviceguy]

7. "...a growing amount of people in the middle..."

Oh, oh, that's going to cost extra!

[NaturalHigh]

9. I don't know. A lot of Americans are really uptight on this particular subject.

Personally, I think it should be legalized as a matter of private consent between individuals.