During a trip that my family and I took to Japan in 2016, my sister and I decided to take a
late night walk because we were interested in how the nightlife in Japan may differ from that of the United States. One characteristic of the late night Japanese streets was the fact that there were many girls who looked to be ages 14-16 standing and provocatively dressed, in what looked to be attempts at prostitution. This wasn't a familiar sight, I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness for the young girls because they believed that selling their bodies was a good way of income. Prostitution is very common but illegal in Japan. Prostitution is illegal in many countries but is still around. Several women and men use prostitution as a form of income and now it's easier due to social media. Prostitution is not as wrong as many make it seem to be if it is regulated and should be legal.
Prostitution is not a secure way of income and is famous for that reason. Prostitution may bring danger such as being captured, sold into sex trafficking, or even death. A study that was conducted in San Francisco saw that 82% of prostitutes had been assaulted 68% were raped when working as prostitutes(Farley; Fuchs). Another study conducted in Colorado Springs found that prostitutes were 18 times more likely to be killed than people who didn't work in the sex industry regardless of age and race (Brewer; Woodhouse). Addict conducted a study and interviewed women imprisoned for prostitution. Addict spoke to these women about their
experiences and asked them what it was like to be a prostitute and how it affected their health. One woman during an interview said that “Yeah, yeah it's [prostitution] very dangerous. Especially because there are girls out there that have HIV and still do it. Yeah, I've been like tied up and threatened to have some stuff shoved up me”(NCBI).
Since prostitution is legal in Switzerland, they ensure sex workers safety by creating “sex boxes”(Bachmann). “Sex boxes” are one car garages where sex workers can perform safely. In the boxes they do not have cameras because it is seen as an invasion of privacy, but there are alarm buttons that will call guards in case of an incident. So far there have been no serious issues. In the Review of Economic Studies, sexual violence decreased by 30% when prostitution was decriminalized in Rhode Island and the incidence of female gonorrhea decreased by more than 40%. If prostitution were legal and regulated it would certainly reduce violence against sex workers. Since prostitution is illegal sex workers have to work underground which puts them in immense danger no one knowing, if prostitution was expressed freely and not put shame on sex workers, they would have it a lot easier without having to fear the danger of being a prostitute. Legalizing prostitution would make sex workers a lot more healthier. Street prostitutes who work illegally might face pressure from pimps and clients to forgo condoms. But in states where prostitution is legal, state law can require sex workers to get tested for sexually transmitted infections and to use condoms. Allowing prostitution would be a lot safer than having (Sexually transmitted infections) STI’s being spread and having to affect customers and other sex workers. Having sex work a crime can provoke prostitutes to work secretly and have will most likely refrain them from getting tested and practicing safe sex. A study by the Urban Justice Center in April 2012 discovered that New York City cops were using condoms that were found on women
to use as evidence in to prosecute prostitutes in criminal cases against them (Worth; Amon). It's easy to imagine how this practice might refrain sex workers from carrying protection.
If prostitution were legal it would protect minors. Minors are always are at risk to be taken and enslaved. Child prostitution is a significant global problem, both in developed and undeveloped countries. The countries with the most child prostitution is in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, the United States, and Canada(Ibtimes). According to research, there may be at least 10 million children victimized through prostitution(Listland). In the United States, more than 100,000 children are enslaved as child prostitutes, and it’s continuously rising each year(Newsweek).
Sexual exploitation is profitable because it entails legal risks that encourage pimps to demand higher costs. In most developed countries, particularly in the United States, the average profit per forced sex worker is nearly $70,000 a year(Coursehero; Gaille). This is the very reason why sex exploitation is so rampant all over the world that despite the actions that the government do to stop it, children are still continually exploited. Mathieson explains that the sex industry is
run by men. She also explains that “Criminalization laws in the United States falls largely on the sellers (predominately women) instead of the buyers (predominately men)” (Seattle Journal for Social Justice)."Aside from the profit, another primary reason why the market for child sex slaves exists is due to the criminalization of adult prostitution". When a man cannot find an adult sex worker, he would turn to pimps, who mostly use underage sex workers, to satisfy his sexual urges.
People who are pro-decriminalization of prostitution believe that if people can legally buy sex from women 18 years or older, it will significantly reduce child exploitation. Since no one would want to be prosecuted and pay fines, those who are in the commercial sex market will
only legally employ willing adults, rather than struggle to operate in secrecy. After Germany decriminalized sex work in 2001. Germany then saw a decline in human trafficking that is sex-based, there was a 10% decrease(Haltiwanger;
Reisenwitz). By legalizing prostitution and implementing more strict laws regarding, we can abolish child sex slavery.
Prostitution is often treated as a crime without a victim, since it is difficult to see prostitutes as victims of the activity in which they have voluntarily participated. Prostitution is a victimless crime. Sometimes women in prostitution, notably those who have been abducted and held against their will, are victims, but again, for the most part, prostitution is a victimless crime. As other people say, some women working in the industry choose to offer their services voluntarily, and no one has
forced them to do so. Keep in mind that every woman is different. There are women who think that sex is an ordinary activity, whereas some women may find that sex is something that should only be shared through love and marriage. There are even women who find it more comforting to have sex with someone they dont know. Like drug use and playing to gamble, prostitution is an activity in which adults voluntarily participate. Sherry F. shares her opinions by stating, "What makes prostitution a 'victimless crime' in the sense that no
one is necessarily harmed by the fact that there are consenting adults involved,".
Prostitution is one of the earliest forms of income. Allowing prostitution to freely be renowned
will bring the nation and make it safer and help the economy.