Spitzer fall renews prostitution debate

[DeclinetoState]

By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer Sat Mar 15, 3:38 PM ET


<!-- end storyhdr -->NEW YORK - On the Web, on billboards, on television and in newspapers, men who solicit prostitutes are being shamed across the country.

The spectacular fall of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer may have been the ultimate form of public humiliation over a prostitute, but it also renewed the debate over how cities should deal with the world's oldest profession.

Many cities believe targeting johns to cut demand is the best way, among them Chicago, Raleigh and Durham, N.C., and Arlington, Texas, where pictures of those arrested for soliciting prostitutes have been posted on police Web sites. Other cities that have tried the shame approach include St. Paul, Minn., Chattanooga, Tenn.; Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Knoxville, Tenn., and Omaha, Neb.

Some cities have seized the cars of those who solicit sex.

...

But as the affluent and educated learned of the dangers, police found they were arresting more street people as customers in the city's prostitution-infested areas.

"The problem's always there," [Kansas City Police Capt. Rich Lockhart] said. "We didn't arrest any fewer people. We just arrested different people. It's one of those problems that's not going to go away."
More (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080315/ap_on_re_us/shaming_johns)

[DeclinetoState]

So . . . should it be legalized?

[LivingDeadGirl]

So . . . should it be legalized?

I say legalize it, regulate it, and tax it.

As I said in another post...if you're going to allow consenting adults to get paid for sex in the name of porn, then why not prostitution? The only difference is a film crew?

I find both morally bankrupt, but if one is going to be allowed as legal then I feel both should...and then regulate and tax...

[Beowulf]

I've never been one to support legalizing prostitution due to disease and stuff but LDG may be on to something. If people like Elliot Spitzer are willing to pay $5,500/hr for sex then I'd say the government could claim some income tax on it.

[ThomasMore]

I used to believe that prostitution should be legal, a "victimless" crime.

I think that my earlier view failed to take into account the realities of prostitution.

Prostitution is not victimless.

Women who enter prostitution do so for several reasons. In all but a few cases, those reasons are highly destructive to the women.

First, many prostitutes are there in a form of sexual slavery: whether kidnapped, intimidated, abused, or drug-addicted, they either are objectively captive, or subjectively believe that they have no recourse.

Second, many prostitutes who willingly engage in prostitution either are the products of earlier sexual abuse or are involved because of otherwise severely damaged psyches. Prostitution doesn't heal this; it perpetuates and deepens the damage to the prostitutes.

Third, those who sell their bodies for money provide the opposite of love and compassion.

Fourth, there is the ever-present risk of disease, and of pregnancy with an unknown father.

As for the clients of prostitutes, the casual and commercial nature of the sex weakens the connection between sex and love, replacing it with transitory gratification.

Prostitution might be "the oldest profession," but all in all, it is not a good thing.

[DesertFox]

Welp, seems to me the first real strike against prostitution is when it's forced, as in sex slavery. The second is when the larger culture adopts it as some kind of misunderstood ideal. More on that in a moment.

But when a woman voluntarily participates in it I don't see the big deal. The fact is that there are any number of dysfunctional men out there who need sex. They can't connect with a real woman (and it's prolly best that they can't), so they fall in with prosties. I see that as a net good, as bottled-up sex drive is what fuels the idiot Islamists. Men go berserk when they have no sexual outlet. Prostitution provides that for that part of the male population that is -- weird.

Yeah, there's disease. When I was in high school it was gonorrhea and syphilis you worried about, and sometimes crabs. We've added a few since then. But people who run with prosties know the risk.

Main thing about prostitution, in my mind, is to keep it out of sight of young folks so that they don't get to thinking it's chic. That part of the movie industry that has done just that should be jailed indefinitely. Prostitution is porn in the flesh, and porn has no place among kids.

[Kathy30]

I am of the opinon that people should be permitted to ruin their lives if that's what they want to do. Prostitution will never be "legal" though. No matter how legal prostitution is, the nature of the transactions are so personal, that there is no way to control prostitutes who want to operate illegally. There will always be illegal prostitution, and there will always be men who prefer to go to prostitutes who are operating illegally.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I believe prostitution should remain illegal. Legalizing something because people are going to do it anyway even if it's illegal, is not a good rationale for legalizing it.

Yes, people should be free to do as they please, but this is far from a victimless crime as ThomasMore pointed out. What of the wife whose husband unbeknownst to her patronizes prostitutes and is infected with a sexually transmitted disease, or worse HIV/AIDS? What if she's pregnant and it's passed to the child? Could a case be made against the husband for spousal abuse and child endangerment, or other criminal count(s)?

I'm probably in the minority with my opinion though -- I mean, I also believe porn of all sorts should be illegal, so I guess I'm probably wide-right of "mainstream."

[Air Force Guy]

I say legalize it, regulate it, and tax it.

As I said in another post...if you're going to allow consenting adults to get paid for sex in the name of porn, then why not prostitution? The only difference is a film crew?

I find both morally bankrupt, but if one is going to be allowed as legal then I feel both should...and then regulate and tax...Crikey!! The old hick argument "two wrongs can be done better (AND for profit)" argument. :rolleyes:

Wow. Pathetic. Because the government does so well at regulating teen pregnancy and STDs (and all things sexual) now. :rolleyes:

Holy shit. Don't people think deeply before they develop an opinion on such weighty subject matter any more? At least T-Mo and Homes did.

[DeclinetoState]

I say legalize it, regulate it, and tax it.How do we "regulate" and "tax" prostitution, given that it would require a level of government intrusion that many, but especially those among us who enjoy the services of hookers, would not want?

[LivingDeadGirl]

How do we "regulate" and "tax" prostitution, given that it would require a level of government intrusion that many, but especially those among us who enjoy the services of hookers, would not want?

The same way you regulate and tax any other business. There are parts of the country that already have legalized, regulate and tax prostitutes and brothels. You could legalize it only within brothels, which would make the regulation and taxation a lot easier. They wouldn't have to keep client records any more than a beauty salon does. But beauty salons are regulated and inspected and taxed. You can't be a beautician in Illinois w/o a license. Do the same for prostitutes.

[LivingDeadGirl]

Crikey!! The old hick argument "two wrongs can be done better (AND for profit)" argument. :rolleyes:

Wow. Pathetic. Because the government does so well at regulating teen pregnancy and STDs (and all things sexual) now. :rolleyes:

Holy shit. Don't people think deeply before they develop an opinion on such weighty subject matter any more? At least T-Mo and Homes did.

Actually I have thought about it quite a bit, thank you for judging though without asking first, I appreciate it. And the "hick" jab is so nice and mature.

Why are porn videos OK then? How is getting paid for sex any better if it is in front of a camera and the video put on sale? I think both are morally repugnant and should be illegal, but it seems to be a big contradiction that if you're getting paid for sex in front of a camera it's legal, but if it's in private where no one will see or know then it's illegal. The porn industry didn't use to have any safeguards...not that they're much good now either...and there have been several "stars" that have come down with STD's.

Personally I don't think it's the government's job to regulate teen pregnancy or STD's. That is where personal responsibility comes in, and parenting.

[DeclinetoState]

If I go to a beauty salon—ahem, a barber shop—I expect the barber to be competent, licensed, etc., so that I know he's not going to cut off my ear or mess up my hair. But if I go to a hooker (not that I do that kind of stuff, understand), the only thing I'm going to care about is whether she can, er, satisfy me. Legal or not, I'm not going to look for her "professional" credentials.

Here is a way we could "tax" prostitution, however: A legal prostitute could have a number tattooed in a discreet place, such as the sole of her foot. Any john who wanted to receive her services would be able to call a phone number, give his credit-card number or arrange a payment (of, say, $4.95), enter the tattoo number, and receive information about the chick: age, race, height, and the date and result of her last test for AIDS and other STDs.

[LivingDeadGirl]

If I go to a beauty salon—ahem, a barber shop—I expect the barber to be competent, licensed, etc., so that I know he's not going to cut off my ear or mess up my hair. But if I go to a hooker (not that I do that kind of stuff, understand), the only thing I'm going to care about is whether she can, er, satisfy me. Legal or not, I'm not going to look for her "professional" credentials.

Here is a way we could "tax" prostitution, however: A legal prostitute could have a number tattooed in a discreet place, such as the sole of her foot. Any john who wanted to receive her services would be able to call a phone number, give his credit-card number or arrange a payment (of, say, $4.95), enter the tattoo number, and receive information about the chick: age, race, height, and the date and result of her last test for AIDS and other STDs.

True...the licensing would not be exactly the same, but could be regulated in such a way that only those who past routine medical tests have a valid license/registration. You would still have illegal prostitutes, just as there are still people who run other estabilshments that are not properly licensed to do so. Which is why the suggestion of making it legal only in brothels. The brothels would then be responsible for making sure that their employees are licensed, have passed the required medical tests, the facilities are within prescibed guidelines, and certain safety precautions are followed.

[DesertFox]

Holy shit. Don't people think deeply before they develop an opinion on such weighty subject matter any more? At least T-Mo and Homes did.I see. If somebody disagrees with you, it's because they didn't think deeply. :rolleyes:

[Maggie_T]

I used to believe that prostitution should be legal, a "victimless" crime.

I think that my earlier view failed to take into account the realities of prostitution.

Prostitution is not victimless.

Women who enter prostitution do so for several reasons. In all but a few cases, those reasons are highly destructive to the women.

First, many prostitutes are there in a form of sexual slavery: whether kidnapped, intimidated, abused, or drug-addicted, they either are objectively captive, or subjectively believe that they have no recourse.

Second, many prostitutes who willingly engage in prostitution either are the products of earlier sexual abuse or are involved because of otherwise severely damaged psyches. Prostitution doesn't heal this; it perpetuates and deepens the damage to the prostitutes.

Third, those who sell their bodies for money provide the opposite of love and compassion.

Fourth, there is the ever-present risk of disease, and of pregnancy with an unknown father.

As for the clients of prostitutes, the casual and commercial nature of the sex weakens the connection between sex and love, replacing it with transitory gratification.

Prostitution might be "the oldest profession," but all in all, it is not a good thing.


I am of the opinon that people should be permitted to ruin their lives if that's what they want to do. Prostitution will never be "legal" though. No matter how legal prostitution is, the nature of the transactions are so personal, that there is no way to control prostitutes who want to operate illegally. There will always be illegal prostitution, and there will always be men who prefer to go to prostitutes who are operating illegally.--Kathy30


Agreed and amen to both of you.

[buzzthepug!]

:claps:I used to believe that prostitution should be legal, a "victimless" crime.

I think that my earlier view failed to take into account the realities of prostitution.

Prostitution is not victimless.

Women who enter prostitution do so for several reasons. In all but a few cases, those reasons are highly destructive to the women.

First, many prostitutes are there in a form of sexual slavery: whether kidnapped, intimidated, abused, or drug-addicted, they either are objectively captive, or subjectively believe that they have no recourse.

Second, many prostitutes who willingly engage in prostitution either are the products of earlier sexual abuse or are involved because of otherwise severely damaged psyches. Prostitution doesn't heal this; it perpetuates and deepens the damage to the prostitutes.

Third, those who sell their bodies for money provide the opposite of love and compassion.

Fourth, there is the ever-present risk of disease, and of pregnancy with an unknown father.

As for the clients of prostitutes, the casual and commercial nature of the sex weakens the connection between sex and love, replacing it with transitory gratification.

Prostitution might be "the oldest profession," but all in all, it is not a good thing.

Thank you for writing this, TM.

In addition, the wives and girlfriends of the johns are exposed to diseases. I feel really sorry for them.

Although there have been some European studies (from from Holland) that show legalizing prostitution to reduce the spread of diease, I don't believe it in my heart. Hepatitis C can go undetected for many years, from what I've read.

So, Thomas More is correct, prostitution is not a victimless crime.