Prostitution legalized?

[Guest antoanvegas]

Should prostitution be legalized?

Let's hear form you.

[orbital sander]

It should be, but most like will not be in most places in this country.

[MsGuy]

Nah, keep it illegal. The threat of being busted adds just the right frisson of excitement to the hiring process.

[whipped guy]

Nah, keep it illegal. The threat of being busted adds just the right frisson of excitement to the hiring process.

Yeah, keep it illegal!

 

It goes hand in hand with the gig… as there is always that indescribable aura of jeopardy and risk that’s a significant portion of the rush one gets from hiring.

[Mark Gordon]

Part-way there in Canada

 

Outcall prostitution is already completely legal in Canada. The aspects which are currently offences are soliciting in public, communicating for the purposes of prostitution in public (stopping people/cars, curb crawling, this includes clients), procuring and living off the avails of prostitution (pimping), and keeping a common bawdy house (incalls). In practice, the police focus almost entirely on street prostitution. There are some raids on massage parlours and complaints are investigated, but stings on independent escorts operating from their own residences are almost unknown. Of course, I support full legalization.

[orbital sander]

Outcall prostitution is already completely legal in Canada. The aspects which are currently offences are soliciting in public, communicating for the purposes of prostitution in public (stopping people/cars, curb crawling, this includes clients), procuring and living off the avails of prostitution (pimping), and keeping a common bawdy house (incalls). In practice, the police focus almost entirely on street prostitution. There are some raids on massage parlours and complaints are investigated, but stings on independent escorts operating from their own residences are almost unknown. Of course, I support full legalization.

 

I think it is very similar in Australia as well.

[mansniffing]

Should prostitution be legalized?

Let's hear form you.

 

It amazes me that the oldest profession isn't legal.

[whipped guy]

...the oldest profession isn't legal.

It will be legalized only when they figure out an effective way to tax all aspects and forms of it...

 

Still, perhaps some genius has come up with such a proposal and it is concealed somewhere in the recently submitted budget along with all the other hidden taxes?

[josephga]

I bet if it became legalized it would also be regulated. maybe a license that would required. I think most states would req mandatory std testing to keep the license too.

[+ Italiano]

Outcall prostitution is already completely legal in Canada. The aspects which are currently offences are soliciting in public, communicating for the purposes of prostitution in public (stopping people/cars, curb crawling, this includes clients), procuring and living off the avails of prostitution (pimping), and keeping a common bawdy house (incalls). In practice, the police focus almost entirely on street prostitution. There are some raids on massage parlours and complaints are investigated, but stings on independent escorts operating from their own residences are almost unknown. Of course, I support full legalization.

 

 

 

I am with you!

 

Canada is a fantastic Country! (apart from the long and cold winters...)

[Kevin Slater]

It will be legalized only when they figure out an effective way to tax all aspects and forms of it...

 

Oh, I don't know. I'm sure the IRS hasn't figured out how to effectively tax all aspects and forms of hair-cutting or any other profession where a large portion of compensation is tip-based and unreported, but that doesn't stop them from taking in what part they can. Why turn down a Volvo just because you can't get a Beemer?

 

BTW I cast my vote for stats quo, which works just fine for me.

 

Kevin Slater

[orbital sander]

Generally, I do not think it has much to do with getting taxes, it is just the inability for most people in this country to admit what really goes on, even if they participate in the behavior that they seem not to condone (publicly). We seem to have this need in this country to hold onto this level of "decency" or "appropriateness" that really does not exist.

[+ purplekow]

I wrote a paper for Sociology 101 calling for the legalization of prostitution and that was just after the Beatles broke up and just before disco. Arguments were good then and they are good now. One thing you can't overcome, this is one of the most Puritanical countries in the world and outside the Muslim world we are definitely in the top 5. Legal prostitution outside of local jurisdictions, not likely no matter how much money it generates.

[justaguy]

PK nails it again. I always have to wonder how the Puritans managed to have children--either the sex was incredibly bad or there's a reason why they spent so much time in church. Will prostitution be legalized? Not in a society that's okay with airing Viagra ads all the time but still can't seem to wrap it's head around a condom ad. (I'm thinking about the Duchess' post of the French condom ad--never it America.) Should it be legalized? Of course, as with any form of moral legislation involving the consent of adults.

[whipped guy]

Of course, as with any form of moral legislation involving the consent of adults.

Of course...

BTW I cast my vote for stats quo, which works just fine for me.

Well more power to you and all the others… would that we all practiced a profession that would be virtually free of being taxed… you lucky guys!!! …and especially guys who practice their profession in NYC. Yes, NYC where there is not only a State and Federal income tax, but also a City income tax… a triple play so to speak!

 

Now to continue the baseball analogy that’s why ball players who sign with the MET’s and Yankees out of necessity have to ask for higher salaries to play for those teams where they play 50 percent of their games in NYC… Shoot they can play for a number of other teams and not be taxed by the State, much less the City as well! Conversely that’s why many ball players choose to serve suspensions when playing in NYC… that’s right they won’t get taxed by the City with probably the highest tax rate in the country.

 

It is amazing how the powers that be in NYC and NY State are able to keep track of all the high powered salaried personalities who visit their jurisdiction… such as actors, TV personalities, individuals getting paid for giving speeches, etc. On the lower end of the spectrum, it is also amazing how they are able to figure out the amount of business a Pizza joint does based on the amount of flour and boxes that they purchase. There are even formulas for lowly paid waiters and waitresses… just talk to any one of them who has been audited.

 

When they figure out how larger than life escorts are (or would they be considered to be on the lowly end of the scale?) perhaps with a bit of persistence some mastermind will figure out a way for the government to make a profit from the profession. Of course that would drive the industry back underground and we would be back from whence we started.

Generally, I do not think it has much to do with getting taxes...

It really has nothing to do with getting taxes… BUT my point it that if some genius were to figure out how to regulate and tax all aspects of the industry effectively it would be legalized simply for the revenue generating possibilities that it would produce.

it is just the inability for most people in this country to admit what really goes on...

That is definitely a component as well… but if it could be taxed effectively I am sure even Elliot Spitzer during his brief tenure as governor would have supported such a tax!!!

 

Now actually the Canadian model as noted above seems quite reasonable…

[+ Axiom2001]

It amazes me that the oldest profession isn't legal.

 

Hell, yes, L E G A L I Z E prostitution and apply all energies of law enforcement to more serious "crimes!"

[+ honcho]

Questions!

 

I'm surprised by Kevin's willingness to maintain the status quo; I'm wondering why?

 

I'm also wondering why the question is even being asked?

 

In most states fornication is no longer illegal (sex outside of marriage) ... I see little reason

why the haivng a money exchange as part of it should make it illegal.

 

If we are concerned about the deliberate spread of sexually transmitted diseases,

there could be separate laws about that.

 

If we are concerned about economic slavery, that too could be the subject of separate laws.

[whipped guy]

Honcho... I didn't see your initial version... but there is usually a bit of bitting wit and irony in a lot of what I post...

[+ Charlie]

I used to give this question to students as a topic for a research paper. After weeks of poring over sources for and against, followed by in-class discussion of the results, the students almost always ended up splitting evenly on the answer.

[GoodFella69]

Legalize it. ASAP.

 

Criminalizing prostitution is a moralistic law that creates as many problems as it seeks to solve. Legalizing prostitution, providing social services to those in the industry who need them, and severely punishing sex traffickers will go much further toward improving the lives of prostitutes than "protecting" them with laws that actually victimize them ever will.

[justaguy]

WG--I think you overstate the question of taxes. The same argument can be made for legalizing marijuana and the tax laws are in place, but it's wrong and immoral and leading our youth into the ways of corruption etc.

[BSR]

the libertarian in me advocates the full legalization of prostitution between consenting adults. The philosopher in me sees hypocrisy in a working girl (or guy) getting busted for a specific act of exchanging money for sex whereas trophy wives (many armed with prenups guaranteeing exact amounts of cash for number of years married) get off scot free. If prostitution is illegal, then shouldn't Melania Trump be hauled off in handcuffs? Oh please, don't tell me that she's actually hot for the guy's hairweave.

 

But in the end, what overrides both arguments for legalization is my belief in democratic self-rule. There are plenty of arguments for and against legalization. Prostitution is legal in most counties in Nevada, except for the two areas where almost all Nevadans live, Las Vegas and Reno. The rural small towns love prostitution. The gents like it for obvious reasons. The girls like it because it allows them to work in a safe environment. The towns like it because it's a good little source of income. And the reason it all works is that in these very small towns, it's easy to keep an eye on things.

 

In Las Vegas, on the other hand, there are a lot more arguments against, which is why it remains illegal here. For one, because the police are strung out way too thin already (Las Vegas has the fewest police officers per thousand population of any major city in the country), it would be impossible to keep an eye on things. Right or wrong, authorities here have their reasons for keeping prostitution illegal. And if a community doesn't want legal prostitution, then no outsider has the right to force them into it.

 

Besides, as mentioned above, it's not like the status quo prevents a service-provider from plying her (or his) craft.

[JackTwist]

Keeping prostitution illegal actually increases crime because many criminals view prostitutes (and the people hiring them) as attractive prey for robbery, fraud, rape, etc. Criminals realize that sex workers (and their customers) are unlikely to report the crimes to police, because the victims would have to admit they were involved in the illegal activity of prostitution when the attacks took place. Legalize prostitution and escorts/prostitutes would no longer be viewed as easy targets of crime. Consider the European countries (and Australia) where prostitution is legal--they all have far lower crime rates (and crimes perpetrated against sex workers) than the U.S.

[BSR]

JT has a point. There is an enormous amount of crime due directly or indirectly from prostitution. When I first moved to Vegas, I assumed that the casinos tolerated working girls with a wink and a nod because a lot of their hotel guests want that "amenity." But then I found out that casino security is always running working girls out because of all the rip-offs, in both directions.

 

The problem with legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas is that the Vegas police have found there is an inextricable link between the level of prostitution and drug trafficking. Since Metro is so thin, they have to pick their priorities. Some months it's Squad taking a hard line on prostitution, but other months it's stolen-car stings or running red lights. Whenever the focus is off prostitution, there is inevitably a rise in drug trafficking, and we're not talking about a few more bags of pot. It's the Mexican drug gangs, and all the very ugly stuff that goes with that. Metro will never be able to staff up because we Las Vegans don't believe in paying taxes - casinos and tourists have always paid for everything. A significant broad-based tax increase is impossible here.

 

So if, say, the Federal government forced Las Vegas to legalize prostitution, would they then provide all the additional resources necessary to deal with the consequent rise in drug traffic? With a $14+ trillion deficit, I can't imagine. If the only barrier to legalizing prostitution in Clark County were attitudinal (Las Vegans are surprisingly conservative, what with the three largest demographic groups of Mormons, Mexicans, and Filipinos), then I'd say too bad - a (working) girl's gotta make a living. But since legal prostitution stirs up a hornet's nest that the community just isn't capable of dealing with it, then I have to say no.

[JackTwist]

BSR,

I see your viewpoint. What is considered to be the connection between drug trafficking and the Vegas prostitutes? Are the sex workers allegedly distributing drugs to their clients in hotels, etc.?