Prostitution: Should it be legal?

Disclaimer: This is just bits and pieces of a paper I wrote for University. I should point out that I am NOT a prostitute lol. I do not ever intend on being a prostitute or do any sexual acts for all the money in the world. I just have an open mind free of judgements. I have not in anyway intended to offend anyone who reads this. Consider it jibberish from a silly Canadian girl lol =)


One of the most controversial means of obtaining money is prostitution and solicitation. The sex industry is expanding and prostitution exists in almost all cultures and civilizations of the world today. It has long been a topic of debate concerning the legality of the profession and continues to cause great controversy over maintaining social control over the act of prostitution. I maintain that as long as the provider is of age and not causing any harm to the community around them, then by all means they should be able to do what they want with their own bodies. Regulating rules around prostitution can clean it up and provide safer means of obtaining money throughout the sex trade industry.
The definition of prostitution remains ambiguous due to how different societies and different cultures perceive sexual activities. Some might say that the initial sexual act, which later results in a reward, is prostitution while others may argue that it is the solicitation. A definition I came across in one of my sociology books from school gives it take on the definition of prostitution. I will sum it up a bit. The first aspect to prostitution is that it is a sexual act in nature. There are either material goods or money exchanged at or near the end of the sexual encounter. Secondly, the relationship between the provider and the recipient is strictly business; there are no emotional strings attached. Finally, prostitution is considered a full-time or part-time vocation because there is a material reward in exchange of a sexual service. For instance, if a starving college student offers sexual services to other members of her dorm in exchange for money or even for food, this would be considered prostitution. However, if the receiver is the student’s boyfriend and is merely offering a sexual favor in turn for another favor, this would not be considered an act of prostitution.
The backgrounds of most prostitutes range from low-class, middle-class to even a much higher class of families. A surprising finding is that in Vancouver alone, sixty seven percent of prostitutes were physically assaulted and sixty seven were sexually assaulted. (Don't quote me on this ..I forget where I read this at lol) Although experiences such as assault can be damaging, it strikes me as odd that someone who was sexually assaulted enters the sex trade industry to engage in the very activities that has initially scarred them. I realize that many adolescents and even adults rebel as they grow older as a mechanism of escaping their haunting past, but selling their bodies seems like just another means of feeling violated
There is much controversy regarding the legality of prostitution and how to control it. That I know of, there are three approaches to controlling prostitution which are: prohibition, regulation and abolition. The prohibition approach is prevalent in the U.S states and most European nations. I do not think that completely abolishing prostitution will accomplish anything because it is clearly going to continue whether or not it is illegal. Some other consequences of completely abolishing prostitution are the matter of assault and obtaining sexual diseases. Working under the radar of police would obviously put a "rush on things". With that in mind, women often have to work quickly and don’t have much time to "feel the customer out" and this can end up in disaster. This also puts the prostitute in the position of having to have sexual intercourse without a condom because there is often not enough time to even consider it.
The second approach, regulation, is that prostitution is legal but highly restricted. The gist of regulation is to ensure disease control, adequate hours of operation and to report income for taxation purposes. Personally, I think this is the smartest way to go about controlling prostitution because it provides an income to those in need. The way I see it, if you like it then may as well go for it. If there is a disease control and other important regulations in place I think that selling sex is no different than selling cars. A salesman approaches a potential buyer in a parking lot who is often just minding their own business looking around at the cars. The salesman does not know for a fact that the people out in the parking lot actually plan on buying a car but they basically prance on them and gives them their sales pitch until they have successfully made a sale. I personally find this no different than the solicitation of sexual activities. A fast car provides temporary feelings of endurance and excitement, just as 15 minutes of intercourse does. Regulating the sex trade industry ensures it is a safe and clean
occupation and ensuring that all income is reported makes it no worse than any other legitimate work place.
Providing safe hours of operation allows women and men to do what they have to do without the fear of authority and getting thrown in jail. Emphasis is put on getting caught rather than health and safety. Regulation provides diseased controlled facilities and condoms should be supplied and made mandatory. If prostitution does not affect anyone other than the provider and the receiver I do not think that it is really a problem, mostly just a nuisance. Considering that over half of the world’s prostitutes are not educated, if selling their body is the only way they feel they can obtain money, then by all means I say go for it. If they go about it in the safest way possible, of course.