A Case for Legalizing Prostitution
The oldest profession is constantly under attack from various political party’s and NGO’s. Numerous laws and models were formed, and yet somehow – it doesn’t go away. Maybe it’s time to view the problem in different lens.
On December 2018 Israel officially, temporarily, embraced the Nordic Model for combating prostitution. Just recently, the rule was about to pass as a permanent law, yet a study that was presented showed increase in consumption. Therefore, the head of the “Committee of Constitution, rule and Law”, MK Simcha Rottman, decided to extend the rule as temporary for another five years.
The definition for prostitution is engaging, agreeing or offering to engage in sexual conduct with another person in return for a fee. The fee, or payment, can be in cash, digital transaction, a service, crypto or even certain favors and promotions.
The Nordic Model started in Sweden in 99′, the Nordic Model punishes the client and not the prostitute. The idea of it is to hurt the chain of demand, yet, understanding that the prostitute herself isn’t at fault because the assumed reason she’s in that profession is related to certain life circumstances that have put her in that position.
One of the basic components in economics is the principal of Supply and Demand. The basis of it is simple and natural: If the people want certain services or certain goods – Someone will find a way to provide it in order to make a profit. Prostitution, apparently, is a service that many people want. Even if its illegal (examples: Prohibition in America).
Some people want it in order the do certain things that the ordinary woman from ‘Tinder’ wouldn’t want to and some just want an instant sexual enjoyment. Some do it as a one Time experience or YOLO (You Only Live Once) and some do it, unfortunately, because their marriage isn’t great or bad experiences in the dating world. And yet, some do it because of the reason listed below.
Christina Perreira, PhD in Sociology, had a common assumption – which is that the clients “…only want sex”. But she was surprised as well when she founded that many of them “…want conversation and companionship” and “texting in between their appointments. They want The Girlfriend Experience (GFE) without the hassle”. Christina knows it from her own experience. In order to write her PhD in the University of Nevada, she went to work in the Moonlite Bunny Ranch outside of Carson, Nevada. The board of Nevada approved it since sex work is legal in some of Nevada’s Districts. So we understand that there is a natural demand for prostitution – the exchange of certain goods for sexual services. However, morally and culturally, is it a phenomenon that we can legalize as a society with a clear conscience? Here are a few reasons why we should:
*DISCLAIMER – I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT GROOMED MINORS. ALSO, SINCE MOST OF PROSTITUTES ARE WOMEN, I REFER TO THEM PRIMARLY.
1. Who owns your body? – Most people (if not most, all of them) who support abortion, will make the claim that women own their body (“My Body, My Choice”). Yet, will claim that it is not their right to choose to sell sex for a living. The claim is cognitively challenging at best, but at worst – Hypocritical. Any woman that went into prostitution had a variable of options to make money that doesn’t include selling sex such as finding another job or working more hours. And yet, they chose prostitution. Not because they are stupid or promiscuous, but because they understand their financial and working hours better than anyone else.
2. Prostitution isn’t Human Trafficking – Many say that those two are the same. Yet, fundamentally they are very different. Human Trafficking is taking the liberty from a fellow human and submitting him to the trafficker’s desire. The person being trafficked doesn’t have free choice, while a prostitute, under a legalized model, will be a able to choose the brothel to work in or even as an independent; her working hours; her clients; her working environment and if to quit the business one day. Also, the common ‘John’ doesn’t want to have sex with a minor (those who do, should be punished severely). Under a legalized model, the sex workers should be at least above 21.
3. The War on STD’s – Under the Nevada Model, for example, each worker has the undergo weekly checks for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia and monthly checks for HIV and Syphilis. Condom for all activities is mandatory. It seems like the Model of Nevada is a lot cleaner then the spontaneous sex cultures in nightclubs and often between couples.
4. Law enforcement – With prostitution being legalized, Police forces will be allowed to take care of crimes that actually hurt people like violent offences, while directing the “Good Johns” to establishments where the prostitutes are checked.
5. Financial Gains – Countries Such as Nevada, New Zealand, Australia, Germany and The Netherlands see high financial gains from legalized prostitution and the can be used, in the Hopefully one day Israeli Model to good uses such as replacing Bituach Leumi (Social Security) or the IDF soldiers with disabilities especially after “Swords of Iron” War.
6. The “What If” Argument – Many who do not support legalizing prostitution have a key argument – “What if your daughter would be a prostitute”. I am still debating with myself and other friends if that argument is a strawman argument, the sole purpose of which is to make me think irrationally about a policy issue. That’s a little hypocritical as well because there are many professions (violent sports like Boxing or American Football, a Cashier) and certain activities (smoking, excessive parting) that I would not want my children to participate in. Yes, that includes prostitution. However, I do not have the ability to control them after they reach the age 18 and onwards. I would certainly prefer that if they will choose to work in that field, they will do it in a safe environment. By the way, if they would choose that profession, I have failed as a father.
In Summary
Many of the arguments that people make are coming from a place of genuine concern for the industry workers. But making prostitution illegal isn’t going to solve the issue. It’s a utopia. Prostitution has, is and always will be a part of society. The real question is the framework in which we decide to combat it. I agree that usually the people, primarly women and trans women, who participate in that profession are not doing it because it’s the job of their life. But they still do it, and we should respect their decision as long as it’s between consensual adults and they operate within the framework that the legal system will create.
