Do you think prostitution should be legal?

[zarapipe]

For men and women over the age of 18?

[wambam]

Yes.

Consenting adults can have sex for whatever reason they like.

[Deleted]

No.

[ElizabethBennet]

No.

[spellingbea]

Yes.

[Deleted]

Yes. Regulate and tax the hell out of it.

[Deleted]

Nope

[rosiedozie]

I've been listening to Dan Savage's podcasts and he's very vocal about this issue, I find it interesting. His idea is that it should be legal and that there should be a two-way registry - 1) Sex workers could verify that their customers are not crazy murderers and 2) Customers could verify that the sex workers are of consenting age and aren't victims of sex trafficking.

In theory that idea sounds good, but like most things I am skeptical that it would work as well as he proposes.

[melindafelinda]

Yes.

[pantsparty]

Sure. If it were to be anything like Amsterdam, the prostitutes would at least have more protection.

[zarapipe]

For the record- I believe yes

[BlackCanary]

Yes. As long as it's regulated and people are people get checked by doctors on the regular. And it's the person's choice.

[sewf]

Yes. I like the Firefly version of prostitution: regulate it, ensure the health of all involved, and make it a profession.

[snickers]

No.

[circa1978]

Yes.

[SusanBAnthony]

I am torn. But I land on no mostly because I have little to no faith that anyone would do a proper job of regulating it and protecting the women.

[Deleted]

Because prostitution is going to go away, lol.

I'm in the yes group.

Would love to hear explanations from the no group if they'd like to share.

[alare]

Absolutely. There will always be prostitutes and johns. Take it out of the hands of criminals/pimps. Collect taxes and send social workers to check up on health issues. Set up certain areas, no streetwalking.

[Deleted]

Aug 19, 2013 19:44:17 GMT -5 alare said:

Absolutely. There will always be prostitutes and johns. Take it out of the hands of criminals/pimps. Collect taxes and send social workers to check up on health issues. Set up certain areas, no streetwalking.

With legalization those areas could be actual businesses that could be inspected.  Forms could be signed and driver's licenses copied.  

[Jalapeñomel]

Yes

[rex]

Yes. It could be regulated and taxed.

[copperboom]

Yes.

[mrsgoontz]

Yes

[iammalcolmx]

No because I have no faith in the government being able to regulate it in such a way the prostitutes would not be exploited and put in danger.

[Deleted]

I am absolutely for legalized prostitution - with some obvious regulations of course, but legalize it.

[W.T.Faulkner]

Yes, to offer more legal protections for sex workers, and to stop marginalizing them.

AND TAX THE SHIT OUT OF IT

[Deleted]

Aug 19, 2013 20:16:17 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Aug 19, 2013 20:07:49 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

No because I have no faith in the government being able to regulate it in such a way the prostitutes would not be exploited and put in danger.

But what's happening now?

Better to try and potentially fail than to never try at all. 

[Deleted]

In theory, sure.

In reality, nations that have legalized prostitution have the same human trafficking issues as those that do not.

www.spiegel.de/international/germany/human-trafficking-persists-despite-legality-of-prostitution-in-germany-a-902533.html

If we're doing this to protect women, we have to make sure that's what actually happens.

[vamoose]

Yes. I don't like that it happens, but it is going to happen no matter what and I would prefer that it happen in the best conditions possible, which means keeping it legal. I feel the same way about abortion.

[medicmommy]

+1 more for regulation and tax.