The Regulation of Prostitution Essay Example for Free

The Regulation of Prostitution Essay Prostitution is defined, as a person who engages in sexual acts for money. Although the extreme long-term effects of decriminalized prostitution are not certain, the short-term effects have been economically beneficial. This is a controversial issue because many people feel that prostitution is immoral. Religions, such as Christianity, look down on this issue claiming it sinful. According to religious beliefs, sex should be performed only between a husband and wife. The idea of prostitution becoming legal intimidates some people because they feel it will have a negative impact on the United States. The divorce rate, the spread of HIV/STDs, and the American perception of moral values will supposedly be affected according to these people. Prostitution should be legal because it would help America with its economic disaster, it would also provide jobs, support families, and reduce crime. To truly explain the reason for prostitutions illegalities one has to touch upon the history of the American society itself. Most of the early English settlers were Anabaptists, who made up the largest number of religionists among the colonists. They brought with them a dynamic form of pietistic (having reverence and love for God) perfectionism that was a cornerstone of American civilization (Pivar 18). The concept of prostitution was foreign to the new American culture. England, on the other hand, has a history of experimenting with prostitution. During the twelfth century Henry II gained the credit for legalizing prostitution into England on a grand scale (15). Regardless of his effort, his opinions did not agree with yeoman farmers (A farmer who cultivates his own land) and London merchants. They resisted this policy. 1381 is quoted as â€Å"Perhaps one of the most influential moments in English history† (Anonymous). In the early summer of 1381, a group of people from the lower class came together to take part in the first and only true agrarian revolt, or a rebellion that involved the people of the land, against the government. During the passion of their rebellion, the rebellious destroyed the brothels (licensed sex houses) on the outskirts of London, resisting the Council’s attempts to introduce licensed brothels into the city (Pivar 15). The legalization of prostitution was constantly under attack by the Puritans, and after an epidemic spread of a treacherous disease, syphilis, Henry VIII withdrew state authorization for legalized vice, or prostitution. During the early nineteenth century, an amazing wave of social improvement crashed upon the shores of the American society. Morality was not to be regulated by outside sources of authorities enforcing the law, but rather from an internalized morality that gave strength to the individual in his fight with temptation (Pivar 25). Most English- speaking countries viewed prostitution as evil and it should be suppressed. Middle–class women played a significant role in the anti-prostitution movement, arguing that prostitution is sexual slavery, it threatens family life, and prostitutes are principal carriers of venereal disease. Before 1900 most legislation dealing with prostitution sought merely to control it. After World War 1, usually considered the end of the Progressive era (the era of America’s reform), the goal was to stamp it out completely (Adams). Between 1900 and 1918, more than forty vice (refers to crimes or offenses of an allegedly moral nature) commissions recommended eliminating urban sex districts. In 1909, Iowa was the first of some thirty states that passed red-light abatement laws permit citizens to obtain injunction and close buildings promoting commercial sex (Gilfoyle). By the 1920’s the era of the brothel and open prostitution had ended, and considerable Municipal officials grow less tolerant of prostitution as a whole. Changes emerged over the next four decades that sent prostitution plummeting, from brothels (prostitution establishments), to having them conduct their business in tenement (apartments), dance halls, massage parlors, â€Å"call houses,† and even taxi caps (Gilfoyle). During Prohibition, prostitution developed closer ties with the alcohol trade and organized crime, giving it an even worse reputation. During 1950 and 1951 many prostitutes were forced to work alone. Considering the conditions, the â€Å"Street Walker† prostitute became pray for many of societies psychos. The Customers (also known as a johns or tricks), the pimps, and any other neighborhood scum became a daily obstacle. Even the police were considered a hazard since prostitution was illegal. With no one to protect them, prostitutes had to avoid being robbed, stabbed, shot, raped, harassed, and jailed by police officers if they did not get a â€Å"freebie†. But in all actuality, no one can expect prostitution to vanish completely. It is considered â€Å"The oldest profession in the book†. No benefits, no sick days, and the work sucks, but what job is a great job? Flipping burgers for five dollars an hour compared to five hundred dollars a night. Prostitution is considered a high-risk profession, but what profession isn’t at high risk. If someone wants to run into a burning building for a living, it’s his or her right. From time to time a few people made noise about changing U.S. prostitution laws. The best known is Margo St. James, a college educated prostitute, whose hooker – rights organization COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) surfaced in 1973 (Adams 3). She argued that prostitution laws gave the cops an excuse to harass women; prosecution of their male customers was far less frequent. Margo St. James and her supporters attracted their share of feminist allies, who felt that a woman’s right to control her body included the right to rent it out. Prostitutes themselves grew more assertive, similar organizations followed in other states. St. James and her supporters defended prostitution as a privacy issue, demanding that it be accepted as legitimate women’s work (Gilfoyle). Today, in 49 of America’s 50, states prostitution is an illegal misdemeanor crime punishable by a fine and a short stretch in jail. Only in parts of Nevada is it legal, organized, and regulated. All Nevada counties except the biggest one, Clark County that contains Las Vegas, are allowed to legalize and regulate brothels, houses of prostitution. According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, incorporated towns and cities in counties that allow prostitution may regulate the trade further or prohibit it altogether. Most sex-workers who work in states where prostitution is illegal, work for different reasons but they are the most common amongst prostitutes. Some sex-workers work because they are poor, hungry, uneducated, and too under skilled to get a job in a society that requires a minimum high school education. Some sex-workers work because their addition to drugs prevent them from getting a legal job. The money that they do earn is quick cash, and is normally used to support their habit. Some prostitutes are forced into the role by a dept, pimp, or abusive spouse. Other sex-workers realize they can make more money in one night compared to putting in forty hours a week at most places they could get employment. The legalization and regulation of prostitution would be highly profitable and economically beneficial to the United States. Without the twenty-first century anti- prostitution laws, the oldest profession in the book could become a taxable, clean, and safe occupation. If legalized the enormous amount of money spent each year on prostitution prevention could be spent on more urgent issues such as programs to help women who are beaten by their spouses, rehab for female drug abusers, or women shelters. Instead of oppressing prostitution and spending millions of dollars a year on prevention, the American government should support it and use the profits in a wise and useful manner. If brothels and prostitutes were to be taxed like any other place of business, millions of extra revenue dollars would become available. Another benefit to legalizing prostitution, is that the profession could become a healthy, publicly sanctioned place of business. Since American laws can never permanently prevent prostitution, it would make sense to make it as safe and healthy as possible. During a 20/20 interview with Joe McNamara, a former police chief of Kansas and San Jose, stated that â€Å"The law makes [prostitution] a lot worse [than it is]. It drives up the potential for corruption and it invites violence† (20/20). If sex work were to be legalized it would then become monitored and protected by law, preventing violence amongst sex workers. With prostitutes and police officers on the same side of the law, the communication could be helpful in the prevention of a crime or arrest of a crime offender. As far as health issues are concerned, legalizing sex work would be the most logical idea in the prevention of the spread of HIV/STDs. Nevada, the only American state that allows brothel prostitution, has state mandatory policies preventing the spread of diseases that would work nationally. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia, state law requires that registered brothel prostitutes be checked weekly for several sexually transmitted diseases and monthly for HIV; furthermore, condoms are mandatory for all oral sex and sexual intercourse. Brothel owners may be held liable if customers become infected with HIV after a prostitute has tested positive for the virus. Legalizing prostitution is economically profitable for governments in need of financial resources. The anti-prostitution laws, which are intended to help the prostitutes and society, instead force prostitution underground where women are in the most danger. Without these anti- prostitution laws, prostitution could become a healthy and safe occupation for the willing; due to the fact that prostitution and the law would be on the same side. Present day prostitution laws are unconstitutional and should be abolished because of their unconstitutional nature. Works Cited Adams, Cecil. â€Å"Why is Prostitution illegal?† Straight Dope. Jan 14, 2000. 2 Dec. 2004. Anonymous Author. â€Å"The English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381†. http://www.wiu.edu/users/isb100/revolt1381.pdf Gilfoyle, Timothy J. â€Å"Prostitution† Reader’s Companion to American History 3 Dec. 2004. Jenness, Valerie. â€Å"The Prostitutes’ Right Movement in Perspective.† Making It Work. New York, New York: Walter de Gruyter, Inc. 1993. Pivar, David J. â€Å"The Genesis of Purity Reform.† Purity Crusade. Westport, Conn./ London, England: Greenwood Press, Inc, 1973, 13-49. 20/20. â€Å"Sex for Sale.† Should Prostitution be legal in America? ABC. 1997 http://www.20/20.com