Prostitution is highly debated on whether it should be legalized or not. This “profession” has existed since the beginning of time, and as of now there are currently forty-two million prostitutes in the world, with one million being in the United States. This debate became even more controversial after prostitution became legalized in Nevada. Prostitution should not be legalized because it increases sex trafficking and child prostitution, and legalization will not protect women from harm. Prostitution should remain illegal because of many reasons.
One of them being that the legalization of prostitution will only increase sex trafficking and child prostitution. Advocates for legal prostitution claim that legalization will result in the decrease of trafficking. However, in the article “The Real Harm of Prostitution” by Melissa Farley, their argument is proved to be invalid when it is stated that after the Dutch has legalized prostitution, “Mayor Job Cohen acknowledged that the Dutch has been wrong about legal prostitution. It did not make prostitution safer.
Instead, he said, legal prostitution increased organized crime. Trafficking increased after legal prostitution, 80% of women in Dutch prostitution have been trafficked” (“The Real Harm of Prostitution”). This shows that legalizing prostitution is a mistake that will result in more sex trafficking and organized crime. A real example of the dangers of legal prostitution proves to be more believable than a claim made with no evidence. The growth in sex trafficking will also result in more child prostitution.
In the article “Ten Reasons For Not Legalizing Prostitution And A Legal Response to the Demand for Prostitution” by Janice G. Raymond, it is stated that the “Amsterdam-based Child Right Organization estimates that the number of children in prostitution has increased by more than 300% between 1996-2001, going from 4,000 children in 1996 to 15,000 in 2001″(“Ten Reasons For Not Legalizing Prostitution And A Legal Response to the Demand for Prostitution”). This shows the baffling numbers of children located in a small area that are being forced into prostitution.
Prostitution is the source of child trafficking and prostitution, and will definitely expand if prostitution becomes legalized. Legal prostitution will not only affect sex trafficking and child prostitution, but will also expose more prostitutes to harm. Prostitution should remain illegal because of the many dangers that will increase if it becomes legalized, one being the increase of harm made on prostitutes. Advocates for legal prostitution claim that safety zones being put in place will help keep women safe.
However, in the article “Debating Legalized Prostitution” by Janice G. Raymond and Dr. Melissa Ditmune, it states that “Because they had become a haven for traffickers and unsafe for women, Amsterdam and Rotterdam have also closed down their tipple zones– what some called tolerance zones, but in truth are in and out sacrifice zones where women can be bought and sold”(“Debating Legalized Prostitution”). There is no evidence that proves these safety zones to be effective, but there is more evidence that proves the exact opposite. This shows that whatever is done to help protect women will do the complete opposite. These safety zones will put more prostitutes in danger, and increase sex trafficking as well.
All women in prostitution, regardless of whether they have been trafficked or not, will experience abuse. No laws or regulations made can, or will, protect them. In the article “Ten Reasons for Not Legalizing Prostitution And A Legal Response to the Demand for Prostitution” by Janice G. Raymond, it is stated that “eighty percent of women interviewed had suffered physical violence from pimps and buyers and endured similar and multiple health effects from the violence and sexual exploitation” (“Ten Reasons for Not Legalizing Prostitution And A Legal Response to the Demand for Prostitution”).
Unfortunately, the vast majority of prostitutes will experience at least one act of abuse. The belief that these safety measures will effectively protect them is extremely doubtful. Quite frankly, there is little that can be done to protect prostitutes from abuse, and the legalization of prostitution will only expand the probability of them being in danger. The legalization of prostitution will increase sex trafficking, child prostitution, and harm on prostitutes. Advocates for legal prostitution claim that sex trafficking and child prostitution will diminish with the legalization of prostitution.
This claim is illogical due to mounds of evidence that shows otherwise. Because there is so much evidence that shows the increase of trafficking in areas where prostitution is legal, it is doubtful to believe this claim is remotely true. Others also say that legalization of prostitution has the potential to protect prostitutes. However, no law or regulation had been proved to not be effective in protecting prostitutes. Once again, these safety measures put in place did the exact opposite of what it was supposed to do. All arguments made by supporters of legal prostitution are contradicted by actual evidence.
