Do you think that prostitution should remain illegal forever and ever (well, if it isn't legal where you are already, that is)? Or do you think it's someone's own business if they want to sell their body?

Myself, I really don't see the big deal. I think if someone wants to do that (*shudder* I never could), then that's fine. But, it should be strictly regulated as well, to protect from disease (ie: only licensed brothels can operate, protection must be used, and the people working in the brothels must have monthly or even weekly exams to make sure they don't have anything, etc). Just because I am appalled at the thought of doing that, it doesn't mean that I can tell other people that it's wrong for them to do, I think. As long as no one gets physically hurt (uh, unless they paid for that ) then I don't see the harm.

If you are against prostitution, why? And also, are you against pornography (meaning videos, not pictures) as well? If you are against prostitution but not against pornography, then why? In both situations there is someone getting paid to have sex...what makes prostitution so much worse?

Candice, you've pretty much summed up my feelings on the subject. If it were legalised, licensed brothels would quickly make illegal brothels (where prostitutes are horribly treated) obsolete, via simple market forces.

Though I agree that prostitution should be made legal, I feel that there should be little to no government involvement or regulation. Street prostitutes, bordellos and brothels should operate as they see fit but the consumers should be the weary ones. That and, being the Darwinist that I am, I feel that there should be some dying via STDs. Prostitution is a sin in my book and should be open to natural consequenses.

i think as long as they're doing it of their own free will and they don't have a pimp watching their every move,and they use protection,then its fine by me-lol i aint ever gonna use one,so why should it bother me?!!!

I believe it should be legal. Look at the state of Nevada. They have legal prostitution and it works well, and is regulated. The girls that work in these places obviously have the mindset that is needed to do so. I personally would do it myself if I felt that people might actually want to pay to have sex with me, but I know that they don't and I wouldn't be a good commodity to one of these places.

Regulation is a key. It's just like pornography, you want to make sure people do not have diseases and don't get them. This is one of the ways Nevada handles it. There is a certain type of screening that prostitutes must undergo, and if on their exams they do not pass first they are redtagged to be watched, and then if on a follow up problems still exist they can no longer practice prostitution legally. Legalization makes it easier, and safer for those wishing to participate in these acts, plus I was listening to an interview with a woman who works at the "Bunny Ranch" in Reno, Nevada, and she says she brings in 6 figures a year. Her daughter followed in her footsteps, because she didn't see anything wrong with it either, and this way she could work for a year, save money, and be able to pay for college and be well off for the rest of her life. Sounds good to me.

Six figures? Hot damn. I'm moving to Nevada!

I think it should be legalised in certain zones, similar to Holland. I also think the earning should be taxed. Its an occupation which pays well (if your willing to do it). If they do this then the money can be put into the treatment of STDs, which prostitutes are more susceptiable too.

At the end of the day its their lives.Underage kids doing it is wrong, but other than that its 2 concenting adults who both know the risk so why not. I think there are worse people to put in our overcrowded prisons.

Sex. Men want it. Women are prepared to be paid fer it. Simple market forces of supply an demand at work here... so why not?

Yeah, I appreciate there's more to it than that. There's the moral aspect fer one - but then again, if both parties are consentin, then where's the harm? An what's the difference between this an sex out of wedlock? Or a one night stand? Okay, so cash changed hands, but so what? How many guys have wined an dined a chick in the hope of sex?? Where's the difference?? Well, apart from who gets the cash, granted...

Prostitution has been called both "The Oldest Profession" and "The Most Honest Profession", fer good reason. Men will always want sex, it's some drive or hormone or summat. So some women choose to make money off that. Why not? What's the difference between exploitin yer ability to have sex than to, say, exploitin an artistic or numerical talent??

I say it should be legalised. Or at least decriminalised an regulated properly. It seems to work okay in Holland, so why not take that lead an do it in other places? If it removes the scumbag pimp element (wi all the drugs an stuff they push on their ladies in order to keep 'em) an cuts the risk of transmittin diseases, then it's gonna be an acceptable an (relatively) safe employment opportunity!

As I've said countless times before: If people are happy an nobody gets hurt, then there's nowt wrong with it...

Legalize prostitution, and like Lolo said - regulation is key. If you don't regulate it what you have now is just a legal version of what's already out on the street. If you don't set regulations for prostitution then there's no safety in it, and what happens is people become ill, miserable, and perhaps even die - and that's just talking about the customers. What about the prostitutes themselves? They could suffer physical abuse, financial shortchanging, and of course disease and other traumas.

Take meat for example - before Teddy Rosevelt created the FDA the meat industry was filthy and horribly corrupt. Read Uptain Sinclairs "The Jungle" to get a fictional representation of the kind of dirt that happens when regulation is absent. ugh, I mean, the industry would serve cancerous meat to their buyers, health standards were zero to none, and the meat was actually detrimental to a person's health. I see no reason why not to regulate such important matters as meat (food) and sex - both are huge in our everyday life.

Not caring about regulation or about people dying from stds isn't darwinism - it's coldheartedness irresponsibility loosely masked under darwinism. People aren't animals and social darwinism has been tried but as an ethical theory it falls far short of reality (I won't go into it now).

It's as disturbing as if I said, 'I believe taking medicinal drugs is a sin, therefore there should be no regulation for the industry because I feel people should die as a natural consequence.'

You're making a moral claim that by its very definition is arbitrary, if you cannot stand prostitution and think it is a sin, then don't engage in it! If you're going to make policy in regards to prostitution, then you had better think about the people that *will* be involved and the consequences that will carry over to their families and their lives.

I think if a someone wants to do that with there life then it is there choice but no one and I mean no one should be forced into it or feel like thats the only way to make money. I saw this movie I think it was caleld kiss of the dragon,if you ever seen it you would know what i am talking about. Its about this girl who was forced into prostitution by this man who stole her daughter and threatened to kill her daughter if she didn't do what he said.

I myself would pay a girl who felt she had to sell herself just to make a living or was forced into it just so she could get in from the cold and relax for a while, hell I would even make her a meal if she wanted.

yeah, illegal bacause if it doesn't, more women would be tempted to get laid than sit for 8 hours in their office or serve as a waitress.

i'm not reallly against prostitution.
i think it is really noble.

I am not against , but I am not pro either, it's just is because there's a "need". It should be legal if a person wants to get paid for sexual "favors". I would keep the pimps illegal though, man they can be wicked at times...

Again not against it but won't promote it , although I admit a full fledged summer blockbuster movie with real "porno" sex scenes would rock...imagine hmmm...

no no no no...
sex is a form of pleasure, so why get serious when you can just enjoy it?

its your body, do what you want with it. but i dont like the creepy guys being pimps. there was a lady [ i dont remeber her name!! biiiiiiiig law suit with this one] who was a pimpette to a large company of prostitues, and i mean, if they do that by choice and they are treated well by their bosses, why not?

LoLo just said everything I was going to say.

tricky one this...

I think that legalising prostitution may have a much needed secondary effect - that the public and the authorities will be forced to treat working girls like human beings with rights and liberties that cannot be denied.

Too many police forces have allowed serial abusers, rapists and even murderers to get away with their crimes because the victims were nobodys... prostitutes - who had 'fallen through the cracks of society'

With legalisation comes officiality and legitimate personality (they might even get a Union).

It has a scummy reputation that I think its never going to be rid of no matter how legalised its ever going to be made.

I don't care as long as the mistreatment stops! I work in Sheffield and the top of our work car park happens to be the local 'place' for prostitutes to either pick up or take their clients to. I often find empty condoms lying around! I makes me so mad that something like that can go on unfettered in a work car park I don't have a problem with prostitutes it's just the 'undesirables' that hang around that make our car park unsafe for women who aren't prostitutes (and indeed some men, not wanting to be un-PC ).

We had a prostitute stabbed in our car park!!! She was only 25! If they legalised it, got it off the streets and used brothels you wouldn't get women being stabbed because they had chosen a profession either they enjoyed or were good at. She left behind a small child! It's such a waste. OK, she knew the risks but my point being that if you legalise it you minimise, if not eliminate, those risks!

Sam
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Shouldn't that be condom wrappers?

No, I mean empty condoms....hang on perhaps they aren't empty after all *faces screws up in realisation and then runs off to be sick*

Seriously though they don't actually look like they've been used, just maybe NOT used and thrown away in the haste to get the next one out!

Sam
x

I live in Las Vegas (prostitution is actually illegal here, it's legal in Nevada except Clark County which Las Vegas is in), and I don't really care either way about prostitution, but I know in Pahrump, 60 miles away where it is legal, there are many brothels and unfortunately many of the prostitutes have drug habits and have to pay for it the only way they can. I've talked to women who have daughters who have gotten caught up in this cycle. So I don't know if prostitution being legal really helps beyond cutting out some pimp being a jerk. Even every single stripper I've ever met has had a drug habit. Personally I'm so sick of all the sleaze that this town displays, I wish I could live in a place without prostitution and everything like it. Unfortunately sin is still selling even with the economy not doing well.