Legal Transcriptionist At Home

Legal Transcriptionist At Home

Legal Transcriptionist At Home

Posted on: February 03, 2012 - 1:04 am
by Admin

Prostitution is known as the "world's oldest profession" for a reason. It has existed for at least 2,000 years, if not longer. According to Reay Tannahill, author of Sex in History, Greek women between 3000 BCE and 1100 CE who were not married or owned as a slave became dancers or musicians to support themselves. These careers normally included prostitution.

Arguments Against Prostitution

Many people believe that prostitution is unsafe and not worth the risks, or that it may endanger marriages by encouraging married men to become more promiscuous. The biggest objection to prostitution is probably the argument of morality. Some people believe that it is simply wrong, so there is nothing left to be said in its defense.

The Objection of Promiscuity

Promiscuity, like prostitution, has existed through known history. It will continue to exist with or without the legalization of prostitution. Prostitution is not a significant source of infidelity. If a spouse cannot be trusted to remain faithful to his or her partner, then the existence and legality of prostitution are irrelevant.

An unfaithful person will remain unfaithful regardless of those circumstances. While legalized prostitution would make it easier for some people to be unfaithful, it would not force their hand. Choosing to remain faithful to an intimate partner is a personal decision, outside of the hands of others.

An Alternative to Illegal Prostitution

Legalized prostitution could save states and taxpayers thousands of dollars per year. A 1980s report on prostitution in the United States showed that the typical cost required to arrest and incarcerate a prostitute was $2,000 per arrest (Prostitution). This cost has surely risen since then, due to inflation, and will continue to rise unless a change is made in the way the law handles prostitution.

Allowing prostitution to remain illegal permits pimps and human traffickers to remain largely in charge of prostitution and the individuals involved, namely prostitutes. If legalized, prostitution as a whole should be supervised for the safety of the prostitutes, their clients, and the general public.

According to Donna Hughes, the Director of Women's Studies at the University of Rhode Island and an activist against sexual violence and exploitation, "The enormity of the sex trade throughout the world is overwhelming, but the only way to proceed is to acknowledge the violence and exploitation for what it is and create remedies accordingly." While Hughes does not agree with legalizing prostitution, she makes a valid point. Without regulations criminalizing sex trafficking and violence against women, legalization only stands to exacerbate the problem.