<p>i dont see why it is.</p>
<p>I can see why prostitution is illegal, but that doesn't mean I agree with it. Conservative America, which unfortunately makes up a large portion of the country, would never allow prostitutes to roam the streets consequence free, or be paraded around in store fronts where their children could potentially see. Their sense of "decency" and want of censorship overrides the needs of the prostitutes for a safe working environment. There will always be prostitutes and so it is society's duty to provide a safety net for them to operate under. The current state allows for rape, robbery, pimping, and abuse to occur.</p>
<p>Old conservative christian values still with the government for whatever reason. Nothing more.</p>
<p>it's not necessarily christian, it's really just a matter of keeping up appearances and at least trying to make it look like our society doesn't have morally degenerate activity laid out so plainly.</p>
<p>For some people like imran it's an issue of morality. For others like myself the concern is that it would lead to the exploitation of people as in some people would be forced to be sex workers against their will.</p>
<p>The simple answer is that of morality. But the actual situation does not play out that simply. The reason is that prostitution brings with it a lot of other dirty stuff that is difficult to curb without being able to charge for solicitation or prostitution. Having once lived in a part of a city where the drug dealers and hookers were hanging around, you can see what kind of atmosphere these activities promote. To legalize it would not get rid of the criminal element is the fear, and no one wants to regulate it which would be necessary if legalized.</p>
<p>There are countries where prostitution is legal, and it seems to work cleanly, but more times than not, it leads to exploitation and crime that becomes more difficult to control. There are controls inherently in place by making the activity itself illegal.</p>
<p>It's legal in Amsterdam ;).</p>
<p>And Sweden, I believe. In the US, Nevada permits prostitution under certain regs.</p>
<p>Government control. Same reason a lot of drugs are illegal. Unlicensed vehicles are illegal. Yadayadayada. Morality has nothing to do with it. The government dabbling in morality is a bit rich.</p>
<p>Morality does have a lot to do with it, but it is not the whole story. So does fears of out of control crime. Seriously, few people want a brothel or "adult" shop or a drug dealer near where they live or have kids playing, going to school, etc--other than a certain element. That "certain element" that these activities attract is where the problem lies. I would not want to live near an active bar, for instance, despite the fact that drinking is legal. There are just a lot of problems associated with drugs, drinking, sex, etc. Throw money in the mix and there can be some real sparks and explosions. Legalizing it could mitigate some of the problems, but then you gotta regulate and monitor it. You still get a large seedy element in there, and less control if it is legal.</p>
<p>For the reasons above, I can see why it is illegal (regardless of my opinion)</p>
<p>It's not such a simple issue.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It's legal in Amsterdam.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And the city govt. is pushing to close the no. of houses of "ill repute" in the red light district.</p>
<p>What they have found since they legalized prostitution is a rise in crime and bad behavior in the areas around the district.</p>
<p>W/ respect to crime - they have found that organized crime gangs have set up shop importing "sex slaves" from across the borders.</p>
<p>W/ respect to bad behavior - a lot of stupidity/petty crime by drunken tourists and doesn't exactly put the city in that great of a light.</p>
<p>legalize it would cause more prostitues on the street, more disease, more crimes and more malfunction families.... all the bad stuff. Why should it be legal?</p>
<p>Here's a question for you all...would you want your mother/daughter/sister/friend working as a prostitute? Why not? To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't want my worst enemy in that line of work. Most women don't become prostitutes because it's such a great job. It's degrading and humiliating in ways that - hopefully - most of us can't even begin to imagine. Not to mention that human trafficking is real and not limited to third world countries, it is a real problem here in the US.</p>
<p>If it were legal and highly regulated (examples of regulations I thought up just now: prostitutes have to have STD tests every 3 months, patrons have to present drivers' license and prostitutes or pimps have to record whom and when and how much, etc., solicitation is only legal in designated buildings), why would it be that much worse than the adult entertainment business currently?</p>
<p>I think the adult entertainment business is also a bad idea. It's still degrading to the women involved and also degrades the status of women in general. I think it's very sad that any woman would think her primary asset was her body and allow it to be used in such a diminishing way.</p>
<p>i think it might be hard for the gov't to regulate prices, tax booty calls, protect employees, etc. also this is america, it's pretty conservative and no politician wants to be the guy responsible for pushing the law that makes selling sex legal.</p>
<p>Well of course, you wouldn't want the government regulating pricing, right? Free market economy and all. But I think you're correct in assuming that regulating the industry would be very difficult.</p>
<p>jaf1991, "I think it's very sad that any woman would think her primary asset was her body"</p>
<p>What about models and cheerleaders?</p>
<p>The only fair argument against it I see is that the kind of prostitution that people who are in favor of it would be in favor of is impossible, so I agree with you there.</p>
<p>and just as an FYI, female adult entertainers get paid much, much more than their male counterparts. It's also much easier for a woman to get started in porn than for a man.</p>
<p>If it was legal a lot more STDs would pop up around the country.</p>