Perhaps in a second life, instead of being a pioneer in drug policy reform and harm reduction, we would be in the ramparts of legalizing prostitution.
But an article in the New York Times reports cogent arguments on both sides of the issue:
“Amnesty International Considers Pushing for Decriminalization of Prostitution”
PRO: “That document contends that sexual desire is a fundamental need and that punishing buyers ‘may amount to a violation of the right to privacy and undermine the rights to free expression and health.’ The group also cites the benefits for buyers with physical and psychological disabilities who ‘feel safe to express their sexuality” and “develop a stronger sense of self with their relationships with sex workers.’ ”
“Amnesty also sides with the argument, made recently by prostitutes in France, that penalizing customers would drive prostitution further underground, making the workers more vulnerable to dangers…”
CON: “ ‘It’s wrong because decriminalizing pimps and johns has been shown to massively inflate the market,’ [Rachel Moran, the author of “Paid For,”] said. ‘With an inflated market you have more abusers and, as an obvious consequence, more abuse. This has played out in Nevada, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany and everywhere else the sex trade has been legalized.’ ”
Our sense is that males and females should have the right to enter into contractual relationships involving sex because of the benefits to them, their clients, and to society in general. However, there needs to be ways to avoid exploitation by third parties, a.k.a. “pimps.”
Affairs destroy marriages. Paid sex for the clients, if anything, helps to preserve and sometimes enhance them.
“Legalization” would then permit licensing and monthly medical exams. Areas and even facilities could be made available for men and women to ply their trade under police supervision.
‘Escort workers’ could also be licensed. Their patrons would welcome that assurance of a clean bill of health. The sex workers health would be protected.
This is not a simple matter nor do we claim all wisdom. But prostitution is a major industry and, because it has been criminalize, the workers in the ‘world’s oldest profession’ have been driven under cover… no pun intended… and subject to exploitation. This is not good.
As for the immorality of selling sex, talk to a good percent of the women in bad marriages about what it is like with their mates.
