what should be done about prostitution?

[jallman]

The law in the United States (most of it anyway) is very clear: prostitution, soliciting prostitution, and coercing sex for money are all illegal. As such, there is no question of criminalization or decriminalization: it is already illegal. The law should be enforced with no regard for the touchy feely life stories of the johns, the pimps, or the prostitutes. Get caught prostituting, go to jail. Get caught soliciting prostitution, go to jail and be listed as a sex offender. Get caught coercing prostitution (pimps), go to jail for life as a sex offender. End of discussion. Just because Europe does it is no reason to make it acceptable here in the U.S.

 

[Thelost1]

The law in the United States (most of it anyway) is very clear: prostitution, soliciting prostitution, and coercing sex for money are all illegal. As such, there is no question of criminalization or decriminalization: it is already illegal. The law should be enforced with no regard for the touchy feely life stories of the johns, the pimps, or the prostitutes. Get caught prostituting, go to jail. Get caught soliciting prostitution, go to jail and be listed as a sex offender. Get caught coercing prostitution (pimps), go to jail for life as a sex offender. End of discussion. Just because Europe does it is no reason to make it acceptable here in the U.S.

The question is not what we are doing about prostitution. It's what we should be doing about prostitution.

 

[jallman]

The question is not what we are doing about prostitution. It's what we should be doing about prostitution.

We are not doing the things I listed. Prostitution doesn't even carry a felony penalty many times. We SHOULD be doing everything I said...

 

[Jerry]

In most of Europe its legal and regulated, we have red light districts in most large cities across the continent, not only Amsterdam like Americans seem to think.
These women pay taxes like everyone else with a job.

Globalist?

 

[Kandahar]

The law in the United States (most of it anyway) is very clear: prostitution, soliciting prostitution, and coercing sex for money are all illegal. As such, there is no question of criminalization or decriminalization: it is already illegal. The law should be enforced with no regard for the touchy feely life stories of the johns, the pimps, or the prostitutes. Get caught prostituting, go to jail. Get caught soliciting prostitution, go to jail and be listed as a sex offender. Get caught coercing prostitution (pimps), go to jail for life as a sex offender. End of discussion. Just because Europe does it is no reason to make it acceptable here in the U.S.

And just because it's currently illegal here is no reason to keep it illegal.

 

[DeeJayH]

The law in the United States (most of it anyway) is very clear: prostitution, soliciting prostitution, and coercing sex for money are all illegal. As such, there is no question of criminalization or decriminalization: it is already illegal. The law should be enforced with no regard for the touchy feely life stories of the johns, the pimps, or the prostitutes. Get caught prostituting, go to jail. Get caught soliciting prostitution, go to jail and be listed as a sex offender. Get caught coercing prostitution (pimps), go to jail for life as a sex offender. End of discussion. Just because Europe does it is no reason to make it acceptable here in the U.S.

i just dont see why this should be illegal
they can do it for free

i would love to see a world where there is no need/demand for prostitution
and that no women would have to succomb to this lifestyle
but it is the worlds oldest profession for a reason

 

[Thelost1]

We are not doing the things I listed. Prostitution doesn't even carry a felony penalty many times. We SHOULD be doing everything I said...

Yeah, we should definately enforce prostitution laws. I knew that we should be doing something with all of hese extra cops we have lying around.

An while we're at it, we can enforce marijuana laws!

 

[Befuddled_Stoner]

1. Black markets take bad situations and hide them from sight, allowing them to fester and get worse.
2. Prostitution is inherently bad for the women involved.
3. Prostitution is an eyesore to Puritanical values, and those with that mindset want it to go away.
4. History tells us that many, many people have tried every way conceivable to eliminate prostitution, and all have failed.
5. Prostitution will not go away, and what this says about human nature is disquieting to puritanical mindsets.
6. Legislating morality and making prostitution illegal causes those involved in this unsavory practice flee public scrutiny.
7. Cognitive dissonance is alleviated; those not wanting to sully their minds with these unpleasant facts can safely ignore them.
8. The black market embraces prostitution and, as in its nature, allows conditions to fester.

Please, let us know which, if any, of these points you disagree with. (“you” being used in the plural sense here)

Neither the appearance of intolerance nor making the conditions as "acceptable and possible" is important. What is important is reducing the incidence of prostitution, and then secondarily reducing whatever damage is avoidable in prostitution.

No. The reason why we want to get rid of prostitution in the first place is because it causes harm. If it did not do harm, we would not care to get rid of it. Making it cause less harm is our goal, and any effort that does not reduce this harm at best is a waste of resources and at worst it causes the harm to grow.

 

[Maximus Zeebra]

The law in the United States (most of it anyway) is very clear: prostitution, soliciting prostitution, and coercing sex for money are all illegal. As such, there is no question of criminalization or decriminalization: it is already illegal. The law should be enforced with no regard for the touchy feely life stories of the johns, the pimps, or the prostitutes. Get caught prostituting, go to jail. Get caught soliciting prostitution, go to jail and be listed as a sex offender. Get caught coercing prostitution (pimps), go to jail for life as a sex offender. End of discussion. Just because Europe does it is no reason to make it acceptable here in the U.S.

Yep, but we don't have pimps, thats illegal. It seems in the type of work that its the pimps who create trouble, not the "workers" or "customers".

Its just like legalization of drugs, by legalizing it you remove the most dangerous parts of the chain(usually dealers who carry other drugs as well).

 

[DeeJayH]

Yep, but we don't have pimps, thats illegal. It seems in the type of work that its the pimps who create trouble, not the "workers" or "customers".

Its just like legalization of drugs, by legalizing it you remove the most dangerous parts of the chain(usually dealers who carry other drugs as well).

oh yeah
johns never beat rape or rob hookers :roll:

 

[Kandahar]

oh yeah
johns never beat rape or rob hookers :roll:

That's because they know they can get away with it. If it was legal, they would know that they couldn't get away with it. How often do, say, fast food customers beat the employees?

 

[DeeJayH]

That's because they know they can get away with it. If it was legal, they would know that they couldn't get away with it. How often do, say, fast food customers beat the employees?

nowheres near as often as they should be :lol:

when i say NO PICKLE, that does not mean pull the bun off and remove the pickle that has been soaking into the burger
it means make a fresh freaking one so there is no pickle taste whatsoever

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

when i say NO PICKLE, that does not mean pull the bun off and remove the pickle that has been soaking into the burger
it means make a fresh freaking one so there is no pickle taste whatsoever

And when I tell you there are three varieties of breakfast burrito, that doesn't mean that "yeah, give me a breakfast burrito" is going to get you anything other than my undying contempt.

Fast food employees are only as dumb as the people they're forced to deal with.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

1. Black markets take bad situations and hide them from sight, allowing them to fester and get worse.
2. Prostitution is inherently bad for the women involved.
3. Prostitution is an eyesore to Puritanical values, and those with that mindset want it to go away.
4. History tells us that many, many people have tried every way conceivable to eliminate prostitution, and all have failed.
5. Prostitution will not go away, and what this says about human nature is disquieting to puritanical mindsets.
6. Legislating morality and making prostitution illegal causes those involved in this unsavory practice flee public scrutiny.
7. Cognitive dissonance is alleviated; those not wanting to sully their minds with these unpleasant facts can safely ignore them.
8. The black market embraces prostitution and, as in its nature, allows conditions to fester.

Please, let us know which, if any, of these points you disagree with. (“you” being used in the plural sense here)

The only point I technically disagree with is #4, because as several posts in this thread have indicated, we have not tried every conceivable way to eliminate prostitution; I would argue that our efforts have been about as unsophisticated, half-hearted, and mediocre as is humanly possible.

I believe that in your points #3 and #5, you are implying that prostitution is not offensive to people of non-Puritanical mindset. This is utterly false, as several of the people in this thread, being of non-Puritanical mindset, are thoroughly offended by the practice of prostitution. Some of us are even offended by the very concept of it.

Regarding the rest of your points, while you do make a good point that prohibiting something causes people to attempt to hide it, you are overlooking that enforcing those laws requires law enforcement to expose it. Combined with proper social service efforts, and the black marketeer's need to market their services, it would make hiding prostitution exceptionally difficult.

Which would, among other things, dramatically reduce the incidence. The men and women still being exploited would not benefit, but far fewer would either stay involved or get involved.

This would reduce the overall harm done to society.

 

[Jerry]

Fast food employees are only as dumb as the people they're forced to deal with.

As a former co-manager of a Kentucky Fried Chicken I endorse this post.

 

[DeeJayH]

And when I tell you there are three varieties of breakfast burrito, that doesn't mean that "yeah, give me a breakfast burrito" is going to get you anything other than my undying contempt.

Fast food employees are only as dumb as the people they're forced to deal with.

:2rofll:
cant say i can argue with that

 

[jallman]

And just because it's currently illegal here is no reason to keep it illegal.

We are not keeping it illegal because it is illegal. We keep it illegal because, like gambling, the sex industry brings with it a host of problems that cannot be worked around. There is always going to be exploitation of sex workers whether the industry is legal or not. That does not mean we have to condone the exploitation by legalizing the industry. Legalization does not curtail the inherent problems with the industry. One only has to look at the porn industry, which is already legal, to see the proof of that.

 

[Kandahar]

We are not keeping it illegal because it is illegal. We keep it illegal because, like gambling, the sex industry brings with it a host of problems that cannot be worked around. There is always going to be exploitation of sex workers whether the industry is legal or not.

Some of the problems CAN be worked around, as has been proven in many places where it is legal and regulated. Legal prostitutes generally have a much lower incidence of HIV and other STDs, for example.

That does not mean we have to condone the exploitation by legalizing the industry.

Who cares if we say we "condone" it? The important thing is preventing some of the associated problems.

Legalization does not curtail the inherent problems with the industry. One only has to look at the porn industry, which is already legal, to see the proof of that.

What "inherent problems" in the porn industry are you referring to?

 

[jallman]

What "inherent problems" in the porn industry are you referring to?

Exploitation and drug abuse for one. Don't tell me you are being so dishonest as to pretend that there are no problems inherent to the porn industry. :roll:

 

[Kandahar]

Exploitation and drug abuse for one. Don't tell me you are being so dishonest as to pretend that there are no problems inherent to the porn industry. :roll:

Errr no...I was just asking...

How would banning the porn industry decrease the amount of exploitation and drug abuse in the industry? It seems to me that it would DECREASE it, as anyone participating would have to rely on criminals.

 

[1069]

Errr no...I was just asking...

How would banning the porn industry decrease the amount of exploitation and drug abuse in the industry? It seems to me that it would DECREASE it, as anyone participating would have to rely on criminals.

You mean "increase", right?

 

[Kandahar]

You mean "increase", right?

Ya my bad

 

[jallman]

Errr no...I was just asking...

How would banning the porn industry decrease the amount of exploitation and drug abuse in the industry? It seems to me that it would DECREASE it, as anyone participating would have to rely on criminals.

I never said we should ban the porn industry. All I said was that by looking at that industry and the problems it has, it is not a wide jump in logic to see the comparison with prostitution industry.

And before we go any further...I want to give you chance to re-read your post. I have a sneakin suspicion that you did word that as you intended. I just don't want to move forward on any assumptions.

 

[jallman]

Ya my bad

Guess I should have read further down. My thoughts are that, yes, in the criminalizing the porn industry there would be an increase in criminal activity so I don't disagree with you on that. However, by legalizing prostitution, you almost legitimize it and I think that many girls (and probably guys) who wouldn't have become involved in the industry will be drawn into it...because it has now been legitimized with legalization. Any industry that thrives on exploitation, especially sexual exploitation, brings with it social crises like increased illegal drug use. I think you will see an increase in social problems because you will see an increase in the industry.

I hope I worded that in an understandable way...it seems rather awkward to me. I am more than willing to help clarify if I was vague.

 

[Kelzie]

Guess I should have read further down. My thoughts are that, yes, in the criminalizing the porn industry there would be an increase in criminal activity so I don't disagree with you on that. However, by legalizing prostitution, you almost legitimize it and I think that many girls (and probably guys) who wouldn't have become involved in the industry will be drawn into it...because it has now been legitimized with legalization. Any industry that thrives on exploitation, especially sexual exploitation, brings with it social crises like increased illegal drug use. I think you will see an increase in social problems because you will see an increase in the industry.

I hope I worded that in an understandable way...it seems rather awkward to me. I am more than willing to help clarify if I was vague.

Hun, you know I tend to agree with you. But I think you're way off here. I have a very close friend who was an escort for...oh...I'd say nine months. She got into the industry cause a) she like sex and b) she had a lot of bills to pay off. Despite living rather extravegently (think Choo shoes and a closet filled with nothing less expensive than the French Connection), she paid off her bills within two months and is now finishing college with her savings (she had an associates at the time).

She never used drugs, and in fact has a rather annoying puritanical opinion of them which she shared with the other girls she worked with. They had a "pimp" in a sense, but it was an extremely kind lady who let her "girls" work out of one of her condos and provided them a secretary to handle appointments, for 10% of their earnings of course.

Now I know that not all women who participate in the sex industry have such a pleasant memory of it. But legalizing it goes a long way to ensuring that the women who do get into it have a clear head on their shoulders and know what they're in for.