View Poll Results: Should prostitution be legalized in the US?

Voters
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  • Yes

    9 37.50%
  • No

    15 62.50%

Thread: Should it be legalized - Part Deux

  1. #16
    Lurking whiteflags's Avatar
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    But why does the pimp/prostitute relationship exist? Because they need the pimps to enforce payment for them. They can't simply call the cops when a john walks out without paying. It's an underground business run by thugs. Eliminate the underground.
    The point I tried to illustrate was that some prostitutes never wanted to be prostitutes. The whole reason this is a slavery issue is because people are kidnapped or duped by a false promise, and suddenly find themselves part of a "business" they had no intention of being in. How will we honestly know the people who are happiest simply being prostitutes and not the ones being trafficked around against their will?

    There is evidence that the prostitution business isn't simply filled with young twenty-somethings who've made their own descisions. I highly recommend at least looking at the problem of human trafficking before you consider legalizing prostitution. I mean some of the facts (which I picked up here) are startling. The latest U.S. Government figures indicate that between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States for forced labor every year. The United Nations reports that United States is one of the top three countries to which people are trafficked into modern-day slavery. Look up any happy statistic to let you know that a good chunk of those people are going to work in the sex industry (I use the word loosely). You might argue that it's a business but it's impossible to tell apart willing participants, and what exactly brought them into the business.

    What would become of current victims? That might seem silly too, but we need the ways and the means to make sure that current victims had a recourse, and you would need one hell of an application process. I don't think legalization is practical and I think it undermines the minimum standard we have set with the current statutes for sex crimes.

  2. #17
    Devil's Advocate SlyMaelstrom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by QuantumPete View Post
    I'd vote yes, but only because I don't live in the US, so I don't care

    QuantumPete
    Great... it's nice to see the Brits planting the seeds of destruction in the modern empire.

    Don't worry... it won't be long before England's colonizing again.
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  3. #18
    Technical Lead QuantumPete's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom View Post
    Great... it's nice to see the Brits planting the seeds of destruction in the modern empire.

    Don't worry... it won't be long before England's colonizing again.
    What makes you think I'm British?

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  4. #19
    Devil's Advocate SlyMaelstrom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by QuantumPete View Post
    What makes you think I'm British?

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    Well, you claim to live there and that's good enough for me.
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  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom View Post
    Well, you claim to live there and that's good enough for me.
    lol, in that case my emigration to the US will be much simpler

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  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by citizen View Post
    The point I tried to illustrate was that some prostitutes never wanted to be prostitutes. The whole reason this is a slavery issue is because people are kidnapped or duped by a false promise, and suddenly find themselves part of a "business" they had no intention of being in. How will we honestly know the people who are happiest simply being prostitutes and not the ones being trafficked around against their will?

    There is evidence that the prostitution business isn't simply filled with young twenty-somethings who've made their own descisions. I highly recommend at least looking at the problem of human trafficking before you consider legalizing prostitution. I mean some of the facts (which I picked up here) are startling.
    You're missing the point. If it's legalized, there is no market for illegal trafficking.

  7. #22
    and the Hat of Clumsiness GanglyLamb's Avatar
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    Indeed the same story applies here, legalize , cut out underground and everything will be better. Again I refer to the Netherlands they have red districts where prostitution is legal, anyone "whoring" outside of these so called red districts is instantly arrested.

    Furthermore the one who owns the prostitution house (cant find the english word - anyhow) has to register all women/men that work there, so they can prove they are allowed to exercise whatever they do (probably get some id card as well...). Anyhow it worked out well over there so why not in the US. Thats why I voted yes (although I dont live there).

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by medievalelks View Post
    You're missing the point. If it's legalized, there is no market for illegal trafficking.
    Only because people who were victims at some point suddenly aren't, and their word wouldn't hold up in the court of law. I think I asked a valid question or two which you have conveniently avoided.

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by GanglyLamb View Post
    Furthermore the one who owns the prostitution house (cant find the english word - anyhow) has to register all women/men that work there, so they can prove they are allowed to exercise whatever they do (probably get some id card as well...). Anyhow it worked out well over there so why not in the US. Thats why I voted yes (although I dont live there).
    Although, if you don't mind me asking: who says they DO register everyone who's there and not hide some people?
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  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by GanglyLamb View Post
    Anyhow it worked out well over there so why not in the US. Thats why I voted yes (although I dont live there).
    Define worked out well. Those red-light districts certainly do have higher crime than the rest of Amsterdam and I think you'd have to be kidding yourself if you believe you couldn't find prostitution outside of the red-light district. Certainly not on the busy street corners, which is good... but like any other place where it's illegal... it's still there tucked in the dark. Some people can't afford to open up a legal prostitution business for one reason or another... but it doesn't mean they don't have the sound mind to realize that an illegal prostitution parlor near the red light district will get more through-traffic than one placed elsewhere. Especially if you're going to charge less than the legal alternative.

    However, I do believe that much of Amesterdam's appeal is a gimmick. There are not many places in the world that offer similar laws and because of that, they get a lot of tourism. In truth, I'm sure Amsterdam would hate it if the US legalized prostitution as they would probably take a major hit on their own tourism.
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  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elysia View Post
    Although, if you don't mind me asking: who says they DO register everyone who's there and not hide some people?
    Exactly... it's no different than hiring illegal immigrants in any other business. If they're will to work for cheaper, then there is an employer willing to hide them.

    *applauds Elysia for making a good point*
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  12. #27
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    Let's try this again since you didn't like my last answer.

    Quote Originally Posted by citizen View Post
    The point I tried to illustrate was that some prostitutes never wanted to be prostitutes. The whole reason this is a slavery issue is because people are kidnapped or duped by a false promise, and suddenly find themselves part of a "business" they had no intention of being in. How will we honestly know the people who are happiest simply being prostitutes and not the ones being trafficked around against their will?
    Sex slavery is bad, and it is a black market business driven by the demand for prostitutes and the illegality of prostitution.

    There is evidence that the prostitution business isn't simply filled with young twenty-somethings who've made their own descisions. I highly recommend at least looking at the problem of human trafficking before you consider legalizing prostitution. I mean some of the facts (which I picked up here) are startling.
    See above.

    The latest U.S. Government figures indicate that between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States for forced labor every year. The United Nations reports that United States is one of the top three countries to which people are trafficked into modern-day slavery. Look up any happy statistic to let you know that a good chunk of those people are going to work in the sex industry (I use the word loosely). You might argue that it's a business but it's impossible to tell apart willing participants, and what exactly brought them into the business.
    See above. Black markets go away when their product is removed from the illegal list.

    What would become of current victims? That might seem silly too, but we need the ways and the means to make sure that current victims had a recourse, and you would need one hell of an application process. I don't think legalization is practical and I think it undermines the minimum standard we have set with the current statutes for sex crimes.
    I don't know, but I have to ask if you had the same concern for young people forced into dealing drugs as a way of living in the other thread?

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by medievalelks View Post
    You're missing the point. If it's legalized, there is no market for illegal trafficking.
    That's a bit naive, no? Just because it's legal, doesn't mean there aren't still people forced to work against their will. And while working as a prostitute won't contravene the law, being a slave will...

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  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by QuantumPete View Post
    That's a bit naive, no? Just because it's legal, doesn't mean there aren't still people forced to work against their will. And while working as a prostitute won't contravene the law, being a slave will...
    Forcing someone to work against their will is illegal, and if reported to the authorities, it will be stopped. First, I believe the ability of those who control the supply and can force people to work as prostitutes will be greatly reduced. They'll have legal, lower priced competition.

    Second, I would think someone would be more likely to report being coerced to do something legal rather than something illegal.

  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom View Post
    Exactly... it's no different than hiring illegal immigrants in any other business. If they're will to work for cheaper, then there is an employer willing to hide them.

    *applauds Elysia for making a good point*
    Um, why do *illegal* immigrants work for far less money? And what motivation would a prostitute have to work for less when they can legitimately work for much more?

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