There appear to be notable similarities between the dynamics of the ivory trade market and the ivory trade. [+] Prostitution. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) So what`s the difference? Why are these examples socially acceptable, even encouraged, when prostitution is considered so appalling? It is true that the current efforts of the various European countries to legalize prostitution are far from perfect. In the Netherlands, elements of the legislation, such as requiring sex workers to register and setting the minimum age of prostitution at 21, could push more sex workers into illegal markets. Not only that, but studies suggest that legalizing prostitution can increase human trafficking. But even those who criticize the legalization of prostitution can see the benefits the legislation can have on sex workers` working conditions. When countries with existing laws spend more time listening to current sex workers, the results of decriminalizing prostitution include safety and respect for a population that has traditionally been deprived of such things. Legalizing and regulating prostitution will make life safer for sex workers and help crush the pimps and trafficking gangs they exploit. Traffickers thrive because the sex trade is driven underground. Legalize it, and they will disappear. Prostitutes will feel safer when they no longer fear prosecution. Police will be able to focus their resources on fighting the real bad guys – the criminal gangs that exploit sex workers.
The experiences of countries such as Nevada, Switzerland and New Zealand show that legalized and regulated prostitution works. Opponents believe that legalizing prostitution would lead to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, global human trafficking and violent crimes such as rape and murder. They argue that prostitution is inherently immoral and commercially exploitative, reinforces the criminal underworld, and fosters the oppression of women by men. Instead of forcing sex workers to run their businesses in unregulated black markets where their lives are in danger, all with the mislabeled purpose of „saving” women, take concrete steps to save women. Legalize prostitution, impose strict regulations, and put in place comprehensive support systems that allow sex workers to do their jobs safely. Would you like to discuss this issue with others? Join our debate „Should prostitution be legalised across Europe?” and add your thoughts in the comments section! The oldest profession in the world is just that, a profession like any other. Authorities have been trying to ban sex trafficking for millennia, but prostitution thrives in the internet age. It`s time to face the reality that sex work isn`t going away. If we treat it like another service industry, sex workers – male or female, gay or straight – can come out of the shadows and start to shake off the stigma of crime. What consenting adults do behind closed doors, whether they pay for it or not, is none of the state`s business. As a possible alternative to sex trafficking, the legalization of prostitution has obvious appeal. It is believed that legalization is not only a desirable policy for many who engage in prostitution on a consensual basis, but also helps the market displace violent clients, abusive pimps and evil traffickers.
Proponents argue that legalizing the sale of sexual services increases the supply of consensual prostitution, while legalizing the purchase of sexual services attracts higher consumers, which should make the commercial sex market less exploitative. This reasoning makes sense and it is also what basic economic theory would predict. „The Netherlands has a long tradition of regulated tolerance of prostitution. In addition to the well-known window prostitution in red-light districts, the Dutch government also regulates other parts of the sex industry. „On the issue of decriminalizing the form of commercial sex known in the United States as prostitution, the potential harms to individuals and the public must be weighed as carefully as the benefits of expanding individual rights,” Rothman said. If prostitution is presented as work, it goes without saying that workers demand rights. The problem is that the term „sex worker,” coined in the 1980s and increasingly used by police, health care workers and the media, includes pornographers, strippers and pimps, as well as those who sell sex directly. The idea that legalizing or decriminalizing the sex trade would reduce its harms is a persistent myth. Many argue that if sex trafficking were legal, regulated, and treated like any other profession, it would be safer. But research suggests otherwise. Countries that have legalized or decriminalized the sex trade often experience an increase in human trafficking, pimping, and other related crimes. Boston University moderates feedback to facilitate an informed, substantive and civic conversation.
Comments that are offensive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, inconsistent or irrelevant will be rejected. Moderators are employed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments in English. Statistics or facts must include a quote or link to the quote. Of course, the evidence here is not conclusive at all. It is important to note that none of these three surveys establishes a strong causal link; They are all primarily interested in correlation. And other newspapers have found different results regarding the possible impact of legalizing prostitution. In addition, data on sex trafficking are generally poor and research on the subject is extraordinarily difficult. It is also true that prostitution laws have consequences that go beyond the realm of modern slavery. Policymakers need to address not only trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation, but also other factors, such as the well-being of those who voluntarily engage in prostitution.
Globally, the prostitution trade is worth $186 billion, according to the www.havocscope.com website, which analyzes the underground economy. Revenues of this magnitude could generate a lot of tax revenue.