Disclaimer: I'm probably not going to be able to upkeep this level of response, as I'm slowly starting to get closer to 60 hours per week and beyond...
Surprised to see you supporting the legislation of morality.
I don't understand this "legislation of morality". Do we have laws against theft? Murder?
This law against prostitution would be a law against the exploitation of women. We have laws against rape, right? My reasons for prohibiting prostitution are not centred around the idea that "prostitution is morally wrong".
In countries like Holland and Germany, many women do it as an easy way to get money, not that they don't have other options.
No one forces them to do it (generally).
Again. "No one is forcing you" is insufficient. There can still be various points of pressure that may "force" a woman into it, of her own free will.
Are male prostitutes also exploited to the point?
Yes. I'm using "woman" and "her" as a blanket pronoun to make discussion easier.
Why is it inherently exploitation? When sex workers say they are freely choosing to do it, are they lying or stupid?
Both? Societal, financial, psychological pressures can lead someone to do something exploitative "freely".
Especially though, why is this exploitation different from that which drives people to work in any other job?
Any other job only requires your time. The issues of capitalism cannot be addressed directly, but they can be denied from affecting women in such a manner.
Selling your body in this regard is a psychological venture that no woman should be forced into, even of her own free will.
That's an issue, certainly. But I don't see what you think you are going to do about it.
Prohibit prostitution. If we can't build a society that provides properly for all of our citizens, we can at least forbid and prevent things that lead them down damaging paths as a result of society's inadequacy (whether physically, psychologically, or both).
Now if we had many more and better jobs for the young and unskilled and a better social safety net, then perhaps many fewer women would chose the sex industry. But the fact remains that for the amount of work, they can simply make far more money. You may be able to stop forcing women into it. But many will make the choice voluntarily. Is it right to stop them?
It is wrong to allow them to engage in such acts as a result of a failure in the social net.
Again, everyone keeps talking about "make far more money". The fact that they can make money speaks
nothing of the morality of allowing them to do this. It is exactly
because they can make money, that they are forced into it (since our safety net sucks in some areas), and so have to go through something that they shouldn't.
What? Why would something be wrong or illegal if it benefits everyone?
Out of principle?
What if murderers ended up killing more people (e.g. cops) if we tried to catch them than if we didn't? What if fewer people were to die if we would just surrender to our political enemies?
Doesn't that just describe work in general?
Even supposing that is true - which I, like many others here, do not buy - how is outlawing prostitution actually helping those who find themselves forced to become ones?
The point is that once we have determined that prostitution is wrong, our resources and focus should be on its prevention. We don't change laws just because they're hard to enforce (or rather
shouldn't).
So, rather than close this last resort option, we should strive to make sure there are other options.
As well as close it. It shouldn't be open in the first place. At least not unless those other options are
universally ubiquitous.
Defining a legal career as slavery is hilarious. Is it slavery to work for Wal-Mart? Is it slavery to dig ditches for the county? No, it is a job you choose to partake in.
Then you are a capitalist. I'm not going to go into the capitalism = slavery argument. But the problem is that you may be forced to partake in a job that you dislike, simply to ensure that you can make a living (for yourself and potential dependents). OK, fine, that's how capitalism works. However, that "job" that you're forced to take, should
never be something such as prostitution. Hence its prohibition.
If a woman wants to earn money via sex she should not be held back from that dream. Maybe she enjoys it? You don't know and never will. Plus, strippers get paid a ton of cash and they make far less than legal prostitutes would. I know a stripper, she loves her job.
I am all for prostitution for those who actually enjoy it, and are making a true and real choice to partake in it.
However, I believe that forbidding those women from partaking in it is an acceptable price in order to ensure that women who are pressured/forced into it (whether due to financial or other reasons) cannot engage in it.
