Prostitution is a profession as any other.

I accept.With this acceptance, I would first like to point out the two most important definitions in this debate: Prostitution and profession.Prostitution: Is defined by dictionary.com as: "The act or practice of engaging in sexual intercourse for money." http://dictionary.reference.com...Profession: Is defined by dictionary.com as: "Avocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science," or more simply as "employment."http://dictionary.reference.com...Now, when we look at these two together, on the surface, it really does seem like prostitution could be considered a profession or occupation of some sort. But let's look further into what it means to be employed at a normal occupation, and what it means to be a prostitute.1. In a normal occupation, child labor laws are enforced.The International Labor Organization describes child labor as: "work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development" (http://www.ilo.org...), and the same website goes on to say that these laws are not just applicable to the United States, but to many other parts of the world as well (http://www.ilo.org...) Within the first link of the same website, we already see that prostitution is one of the worst forms of child labor. This should be proof enough, but, unfortunately, there is more to child labor within prostitution.We already see that child labor laws are definitely not enforced within prostitution. The article Prostitution Research & Education (http://www.prostitutionresearch.com...), shows this. On the very first page, we see that "Prostitution is: Childhood sexual abuse." On the third page, we see that the commercial sex industry includes many things and one of those is child pornography. We also see on page 4 that "Early adolescence is the most frequently reported age of entry into any type of prostitution." Considering that the International Labor Organization link above considers children those that are under the age of 18, we can safely assume that "early adolescence" is, indeed, child labor. I could carry on about child labor and prostitution, but I'd run out of characters for the rest of the argument. Moving on.2. In a normal occupation, the laws of Occupational Safety and Health are applied.Wikipedia describes Occupational Safety and Health laws as "an area concerned with protecting the safety, health, and welfare of people engaged in work or employment." This should be enough information to confirm that prostitution should not be considered a profession of any sort, for anyone who knows the basics of prostitution, however, I'll provide facts just to be thorough. In the article mentioned above, Prostitution Research & Education, on the very first page, it describes all the things prostitution is, such as, but certainly not limited to: Sexual harassment, rape, battering, verbal abuse, and much more. The quotes just below that show proof of just a few of these issues.Prostitution is unhealthy physically, psychologically, and emotionally. The physical issues with this "occupation" should be obvious. Multiple sex partners equals more STDs. Of course, that's not all. Prostitutes are beaten, raped, and drugged in order for them to keep doing their "job."Psychologically, prostitutes commonly experience dissociation, as stated by Ross, Farley, and Schwartz in the article, Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress. Dissociation disorder is a psychological disorder where the victim escapes reality involuntarily. Symptoms include but are not limited to multiple identities and amnesia (http://www.mayoclinic.org...). This is commonly seen in rape victims.On top of that, as stated in Prostitution Research and Education, prostitutes also typically develop Postraumatic Stress Disorder, in which, if they ever get out of their "occupation" they will have flashbacks and horrid memories of it for nearly the rest of their lives if they do not or cannot seek professional help. Stockholm Syndrome often develops as well (http://www.hawaii.edu...). This is a disorder in which the victim forms a bond to her captor in order for her to psychologically accept her enslavement. Depression is also very prominent in prostitutes.3. In a normal occupation, the workers are paid for working."Prostitution is not labor, it is paid sexual exploitation. It is often paid rape. It is intrinsically harmful and traumatic" (http://www.prostitutionresearch.com...).Prostitutes are not paid fairly in their "occupation" Most of the time, the money they receive from their johns goes toward their pimp to regulate any sort of violence or refusal to cooperate from the prostitute. Prostitutes must also pay for children that may come as a result of their "job." Women are often asked by pimps not to allow condoms so they will earn more money--for the pimp, not the prostitute, and even if the prostitute were make the decision to allow a condom, the prostitute is paid 66%-79% less by their johns. Prostitutes must pay for food, rent, and other necessities. Prostitutes typically must pay for drugs because of common drug addictions that form because of this "job."As an additional note, when we look back at the term profession, we see that a true profession requires the knowledge of some department of learning. What is it prostitutes would learn in their "profession"? I truly do not know, and that is just one of the many reason why I will not and cannot call prostitution an "occupation."In conclusion, prostitution is harmful and cannot count as an occupation in three main ways, child labor laws are ignored, Occupational Safety and Health laws are ignored, and prostitutes are rarely paid, and even if they are, the payment goes to something they wouldn't have had had they not entered such an "occupation." On top of that, prostitution really doesn't even fit the very definition of profession itself.With all this said, I hand it over to my opponent.