Economic And Moral Case For Prostitution Legalization - Research Paper Example

Economic And Moral Case For Prostitution Legalization Introduction Prostitution refers to the practice or the act of involving in sexual acts for money. Very few countries like Germany, Greece, Holland and Belgium have legalized prostitution. Nevada is the only state in America that has legalized prostitution. Prostitution is the oldest profession in the entire world. Many countries have not legalized it because they argue that it is an immoral act. This is because it is a very simple issue involving a prostitute and her client conquering on the exchange of sex for money. This is a very simple business which does not violate any person’s rights and has no direct harm on any third party. Thus Prostitution should be legalized. However some people in the society do not support this because they don’t have clarity and enough information on this issue. They have come up with many hogwash and personal opinion about how it (prostitution) promotes Sexually transmitted diseases, Drug abuse and Violence. In fact it is the failure to legalize prostitution that has caused, encouraged and perpetuated all these. This paper is going to argue for the legalization of prostitution, the paper will conclude by stating that prostitution should be legalized so as to curb the rate of social immorality and injustices in the society. Why Prostitution should be legalized Legalizing Prostitution will reduce cases of drug abuse. Just like in Nevada, licenses will only be issued to those prostitutes who do not use drugs. Research that has recently been done (by the World Health Organization) indicates that over sixty percent of street prostitutes abuse drugs. This is because prostitutes are in frequent contact with notorious drug dealers and they also work with pimps who control them by giving them drugs. Fingers have been pointed to the anti prostitution laws for perpetuating and encouraging this act. These laws encourage them to roam in streets looking for clients and also discourage them from working in the house because police can easily raid them. By legalizing prostitution, this situation will be ameliorated and hence cases of drug abuse will reduce (Richard 2008 p 29). Prostitution should be legalized because illegal prostitutes are a burden to the Tax payers. This is because in some cases they become pregnant and they are left with a child to take care of on their own. For these prostitutes their futures are not certain therefore they have to apply for child care from the government. This will strain the tax payer’s money. By legalizing prostitution the prostitutes will have a constant source of earning hence they will be able to raise their children on their own. By Illegalizing Prostitution the federal and the state government are adding a burden to the tax payers because of the money they are spending in enforcing anti prostitution law. According to the figures released by the United State Justice department in 2008, it cost two thousand US dollars to arrest and prosecutes a prostitute. Cities spend between one and twenty four Million US dollars to control prostitution within their areas of jurisdiction. This is a waste of tax payer’s money because none has succeeded in preventing prostitution. Instead prostitutes are operating underground in places where their lives are endangered and their rights violated by police, clients and pimps. Instead of wasting money in arresting prostitutes and trying to prevent prostitution the U.S government should invest that money in preventing crimes or rights violations against commercial sex workers and prosecuting those who commit crimes against them (Williamson 1999) Legalizing prostitution will help in reducing HIV- Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases. Recent research shows that over two million women in the country earn their living by indulging in prostitution. The most alarming and interesting fact in the country is that having sex with prostitute has become the second most common way of contracting the Aids Virus. The rising threats of the HIV Aids and other sexually transmitted disease are currently the most compelling argument for prostitution legalization. According to the evidence from the United State’s health department, roughly three quarters of the street prostitutes in the country are HIV positive. While in Nevada State where Prostitution is legal, they have not registered any case of a HIV positive prostitute since 1989, Nevada also has the lowest number of cases of people infected with HIV aids in the whole country, a fact that scholars have attributed to the legalization of prostitution. From the case of the Nevada State, we can learn that legalizing prostitution will actually help in reducing cases of HIV –Aids and other sexually transmitted disease in the country (Williamson 1999 pp 41 -45). Many violent crimes that are committed against prostitutes go without being reported. They (Prostitutes) fear reporting the crime to police because they will be arrested and prosecuted for prostitution. Law Scholars have argued that enforcement of anti- prostitution laws, perpetuate, tolerate and endorse violence against the prostitutes. According to the figures released by the U.S department of home security in 2008, clients accounted for sixty percent of the abuse that were committed against the illegal prostitute, partners for twenty percent, and police for the remaining twenty percent. Another study done in 2008 by Farley, found out that eighty percent of prostitutes are usually raped, sexually assaulted or harassed more than ten times per year. Out of these, only four percent report to the sheriff. The country’s anti prostitution law which is perpetuated and perpetuates the social stigma is accountable for devaluation of prostitutes in the society and the acceptance of crimes committed against them. Because partners, police and clients are aware of this, they feel safe in assaulting, raping, killing and even stealing from prostitutes. Courtesy of anti- prostitution laws, there is no safer crime in the country than the one committed against commercial sex workers. This deprives prostitutes their rights and puts their lives at risk (Farley 2004 pp 114-115). Conclusion Prostitution should be legalized, because the current anti prostitution laws which are place only serve to victimize prostitutes, excusing, encouraging, and tolerating violence against them. By not legalizing prostitution, the government is violating the rights of prostitutes and also put their lives in danger. Illegalization of prostitution encourages a type (street prostitution) of prostitution which exposes prostitutes to drug dealers, crime, physical assault and pimp. The writer of this paper is of the opinion that the Economic and moral case for prostitution legalization is overwhelming. The Government’s regulation and prohibition blatantly violates people’s rights and are also economically expensive to enforce. Therefore, the country’s strategies and perception regarding prostitution needs to undergo a radical change. Now is the time for the nation to abandon its archaic attempt of legislating personal morality. As citizens of this country we have to face up to the facts and to enforce policies that are truly going to make positive changes. Let us legalize prostitution. Reference: Flower R (1998) the Prostitution of Girls & Women McFarland publisher pp 14 -34 Farley M (2004) prostitution Haworth publisher pp 114-116 McCary J (1978) Human sexuality Van Nostrand publisher pp 17 -25 Richard H (2008) Illegalized Prostitution Journal of the eclectic medical Wm Phillip & company publisher Williamson T (1999) reasons why prostitution should be legalized Alexander University Press pp 41-44 1 Read More