Prostitution should be legal

The US federal government does not have jurisdiction over prostitution.[1] In most states it is a misdemeanor in the category of public order crime.[1] [2] I assume he is simply stating that the exchange of sex for money should not be prohibited, making US law like Canadian law.[3] Countries like Canada with this policy have added laws to reduce prostitution because of the problems it brings. In Round 1 Pro made the following 4 points: (Grammar mistakes not corrected) 1. “If both parties adults, government should not take away their freedom to engage in the exchange.” 2. “Of course, child prostitution and forced prostitution should remain illegal.” 3. "legalization makes prostitution safer" 4. “My main argument for legalization is that government should not interfere and should not unnecessarily restrict civil liberties.” Government uses legislation to reduce harm. Legislation on guns, explosives, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and also prostitution fit here. To say “I should be allowed to purchase a nuclear warhead as a free exchange between two consenting adults” is ridiculous. Prostitution causes harm. Legislation is in place to reduce its frequency and the harm done. Pros point 2 shows that he agrees that some aspects of prostitution need to be illegal. Pro claims that legalization makes prostitution safer. He gives no evidence for this claim. The German experience is that legalization of prostitution INCREASED the death toll and violent crime, in part because of the increased numbers of prostitute. Pro says “government should not interfere and should not unnecessarily restrict civil liberties.” Government should carefully consider which issues are so critical that they require legislation. There are such dangers involved in prostitution that it needs to be prohibited by law. Like impaired driving and public intoxication there is both public nuisance and potential for harm that seem to always accompany prostitution. Public nuisance and widespread harm are just two of the reasons that prostitution should NOT be legal. PRO contends that “Most prostitutes chose their profession.” Let me point out major faults with Pros interpretation of a study.[4] 1. There was a move from managed (brothel and escort) to private sector following decriminalization. Danger to sex workers from both violence and disease increase when the go from a “managed environment” to “private sector.” – “Street-based workers were more likely . . . to report refusal of a client to pay, having had money stolen by a client, having been physically assaulted by a client, having been threatened by a client with physical violence, having been held against their will and having been raped in the last 12 months.” 2. The sample was not a random. The majority of participants were white, “between the ages of 22 to 45 years, had entered the industry after age 18, and had education levels of at least three to five years at the secondary school level with many having tertiary levels of education” – the New Zealand study is irrelevant to our situation where our demographic is much different. 3. Even with these survey participants, the picture is horrifying. For example - “87% of all survey participants have a regular doctor but only half of these participants disclose their occupation to their doctor.” This means 13% have no doctor at all, and 51% have not told a doctor that they are in the sex trade. THIS IS AFTER LEGALIZATION! - “participants discussed not telling their doctor of their occupation because they thought that there was a stigma attached to sex work and also there was a fear that the knowledge of their occupation would affect their treatment for other health issues.” – Legalization will not change this, but will increase the number of sex trade workers. - “There was little difference in disclosure of occupation to health professionals in Christchurch participants pre- and post-decriminalisation.” - “over one tenth of participants reported not using protection at some time in the last 12 months” - “Clients frequently request sex without a condom.” . . . some “report doing the job without a condom but charging more.” - “Few participants reported adverse incidents that had happened in the last 12 months to the police.” – This dispels the myth (PROs claim) “If sex workers are not treated as criminals, they can seek the protection of law enforcement without fear of being arrested.” This study make me question the wisdom of those who say legalized prostitution will make it less of an issue for worker safety, client health, social health and the ability of workers to seek legal protection. Pro quoted the study about Germany’s failure: “Although prostitutes would like to work legally, they often decide not to do so, because local law officials stop them from doing so using local zoning laws.” This is a “red herring” argument. All legal businesses are required to obey local zoning laws. Street prostitutes don’t like being told by club owners that they can’t sell their products there. Brothel owners who want to put their businesses on Main Street. This is little different than someone setting up a hotdog stand (pun not intended) by city hall. Pro failed to counter the health risks of promiscuity. He claims “77.8% always use condoms.” This claim is likely high (error in self reporting is common). It assumes too high an effectiveness of condoms. It ignores the incubation period where diseased people show no symptoms. Look at the following statement by the Center for disease control (CDC).[5] - “condom use cannot provide absolute protection against any STD. The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STDs are to abstain from sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.” [6] Pro failed to counter the link between prostitution and human trafficking. His claim that “Illegal immigrants cannot practice prostitution legally” is absurd. The US has 11.5 million unauthorized immigrants,[7] many working. The political situation around Germany effected the problem of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking happens now. If prostitution is legalized it will increase. Pro claims no “evidence that the legalization of prostitution leads to more rapes, human trafficking, or child prostitution.” This is false. Prostitution is a most dangerous business. More workers in the sex trade places more people at risk. An American study[8] found that prostitutes are 200 times more likely to die (when adjusted for age and race). In Germany the numbers of prostitutes grew ten times since legalization, much of that growth linked to human trafficking and coercion. [1] In USA – http://en.wikipedia.org... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org... [3] In Canada - http://en.wikipedia.org... [4] http://www.otago.ac.nz... http://www.justice.govt.nz... [5] http://www.cdc.gov... [6] http://www.cdc.gov... [7] http://en.wikipedia.org... [8] http://aje.oxfordjournals.org...