Prostitution should be legalized

[Delusion15]

in no way do I condone the work of prostitutes or anything affiliated with prostitution, but it should be legal, and there are countless reasons why. I hypothesize that several problems would subside if prostitution were legal: overpopulated jail systems, domestic violence, high rates of cocaine use, rape and rampant spreading of HIV/AIDS.

Currently, it is assumed that as much as one-half of a typical urban city's prison female population are prostitutes. In fact, Los Angeles alone spends close to $100 million annually dealing with illegal prostitution. The real cost, of course, is that these public resources could have been used to protect citizens from real criminals. Taxpayers are spending large amounts of money on non-violent prostitutes that cause little -- if any -- public unrest. There are hardly any distress calls to the police for someone having sex for money in a hotel or in a private residence. The only way these women are busted is if cops trick them.

According to the Future of Freedom Foundation, "In Newark, New Jersey, the estimate is that close to 60 percent of all prostitutes carry the AIDS virus. Yet, in the relatively 'free market' of Nevada, where prostitution is legal, not one [as of 2004] of the state-licensed prostitutes has ever tested positive for AIDS."

If prostitution were legal, it would be mandatory for prostitutes to be tested for STDs, and it would force them to have safe sex so they could keep their jobs. Measures would be drawn up to protect employees (prostitutes) from sick clients (johns).

Prostitutes obviously live an illegal life-style, so they have no legal protection. They are vulnerable to rape, domestic violence and high use of illegal narcotics. They are more vulnerable to these vices because they are not protected under laws. So pimps and johns openly beat and/or rape these women without sympathy. Many of these women feel as though they have nowhere to go, and this results in their turning to prostitution as employment and then using drugs to bury the pain of being a prostitute.

The United States remains one of the few countries with laws against prostitution. In other nations, criminal laws seek instead to deal with the social problems of prostitution through control of public solicitation and restriction of those who would exploit prostitutes. Decriminalization would free the courts and police from handling victimless crime, allowing these forces more time to deal with serious violent crime.

Prostitution is the oldest profession in history and no matter its legality, it will always be here. Since it will always be here, why not try and protect the citizens of the United States who will solicit contracted sex no matter its legal status? Why not protect innocent women whose men go out and contract sex, putting these innocent women at risk for disease? According to the U.S. Department of Health, prostitution accounts for about 3 to 5 percent of sexually transmitted diseases. That is not much.

I am sure that figure could be minimized, if not eliminated, with the legalization of contracted sex.

So what do you think should it be legalized?

[Sage]

The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in the United States is closely connected with this.

The quote is on prohibition, but the point made clear in the second sentence. We do not need laws that can't be enforced. Prostitution is one such case.

[drumir93]

I was watching an episode of "Penn and Teller" about this a while ago. One woman got raped and couldn't tell the police because if she did she would bearrested because of her job as a prostitute. In other words, because this one minor crime exists, somebody else got away with a major one. I'm sure the real criminal would have gotten away with it had he robbed her as well due to her fear of the authorities.
Apparently this happens quite often. For that reason plus all the ones you listed above I agree that in some capacity prostitution should be legalized.

[mrmcdonaldduck]

prostitution being legalized makes the most sense of any law that could be changed.

[Modus Operandi]

The quote is on prohibition, but the point made clear in the second sentence. We do not need laws that can't be enforced. Prostitution is one such case.


Qouted for truth.

I agree, if people want to do this to themselves, it's not government's role to stop them.

[INFERNO]

I think prostitution should be legalized as the only reason I can see for why it is illegal is that it's seen as a disgusting and degrading act, one which may be connected to other activities that are illegal. It's consensual sex between the two people and it doesn't really matter if it is done simply for money or for some other reason. Plenty of other individuals have sex for numerous reasons: to get a certain position, to express love to someone else, to possibly make someone else jealous and the list goes on. However, all of those activities are generally legal yet the moment that there is money being exchanged, it's somehow deemed illegal.

Perhaps it's illegal due to the other activities it's usually associated with, such as narcotics, rape, murder and so forth. However, those are all crimes where the laws are quite enforceable but how are the police going to enforce the law for prostitution? Naturally there are plenty of ways but to me, it's a waste of the police's time, money and effort to arrest the prostitutes for prostitution; if they're doing illegal drugs or such then that I can understand but it seems to be a crime that leads to clogging up the already jam-packed legal system.

What I'd want in my own little ideal world is to make prostitution legal for a few reasons. First, it may reduce the amount of pimps and violence towards the women. Second, it's a law that takes considerable effort to be enforced when the sentence is rather light. And the main reason, the third reason, is that the focus should be on those who need to pay for sex and those who need to give sex in order to get money. Those are the key elements that are completely ignored for the most part; if you arrest the prostitute, then chances are they don't have any other source of income so they'll return to what they were doing before and to the only thing that they know. Similarly, if you arrest the person who pays for the prostitute, then you're not addressing why they have to go out to such drastic measures in order to get something that's legal: sex is, when consensual, generally a legal activity, it's not the same as when someone goes out to buy heroin or some other illegal drug. It seems rather ridiculous that sex is generally allowed and quite accepted in society yet the moment two people exchange money, it's suddenly illegal.

The thing that's always boggled my mind is, if prostitution is illegal, then why is stripping legal? I know stripping doesn't involve sex but it's pretty damn close to it with getting lap dances and such. It may not be particularly well-accepted in society but nevertheless, it's legal and furthermore, it's actually encouraged to provide the stripper some money.

Perhaps if prostitution was legal then it may lead to fewer rapes and when the prostitutes are raped, they can go to the police without the fear of being arrested for some other illegal activity. If stripping is legal and if consensual sex for almost every reason under the Sun is legal, then why is it illegal to have consensual sex with the exchange of money?

[Jean Poutine]

Prostitution should be legalised.

Pimping, however, should not.

This would allow "street entrepreneurs" that are there on their own volition to continue earning money, while cracking down on girls that are forced in prostitution.

By aiming for a more restrained target, I believe it would be easier to keep men or women who do not want to be in the streets, out of them.

I am also in favour of making prostitutes more than human sex toys. I think prostitutes should be offered a formation to steer them closer to sexual surrogates. Many men seek prostitutes to fulfill a companionship need. Women working in escort agencies often get paid only to have conversations with their clients. I have heard from barmaids that sometimes, a man that pays for a private dance in a gentlemen's club wants nothing more than to speak to someone.

Educating prostitutes and turning them into something like sex therapists would only be beneficial to the woman and the general male clientele they serve. Not only by helping to make the trade a less taboo one, but also by equipping them with tools to make their and their clients' experience a more positive one.

[OhHeyItsTy]

I agree. I've thought about how it should be legalized for a while now. It makes perfect sense to make it legal.

[deadpie]

I totally agree prostitution should be legalised. The fact it's legal to record yourself having sex and make money off it, but you can't sell your body to people to make money is just kind of stupid.

[greg95]

this job has been existing since the begining of humanity, and the former governor of Minnesota himself said whatever the laws, it will exist anyway, so he wanted to legalize it ^^

[INFERNO]

I totally agree prostitution should be legalised. The fact it's legal to record yourself having sex and make money off it, but you can't sell your body to people to make money is just kind of stupid.

Actually, it's legal to exchange money for sex, it's illegal to communicate the exchange though. It sounds sort of silly because you're probably going to need some form of communication to exchange unless you have sex with someone and just toss them money on your way out. However, since I assume that people don't randomly toss money at their partner without the partner knowing why or expecting it, it's a loophole in the legal system that I don't think is often used.

I'd rather go with what some European countries are doing: they allow a certain area of the city to be used for prostitution, the prostitutes need a license of some sort and the prostitutes need regular monthly medical exams. I think that route would be wonderful because it allows prostitution to be legalized and tries to cut back on things like pimping.

[Lily of the Valley]

I know a girl from Holland, and I've discussed their prostitution system there. The girls get benefits, have income tax, etc. It sounds like a wonderful system, and I wish they did something of the sort here (US).

I think (legal) prostitution is a great profession. One, it provides a basic and important services to men and women. Two, it encourages society to be more comfortable with sex and sexuality. Imagine the social progress that could be made in a decade or so if prostitution were to be legalised!

~Maggot

[Whisper]

no it shouldn't
it causes to many problems
its to hard to regulate
its to difficult to ensure there's no abuse or extortion
etc....

[Sage]

no it shouldn't
it causes to many problems
its to hard to regulate
its to difficult to ensure there's no abuse or extortion
etc....

Why make a law that can't be enforced? Prostitution is going to happen whether people like it or not, so the girls doing it may as well be under the protection of the law as opposed to the iron hand of their pimps.

Two, it encourages society to be more comfortable with sex and sexuality. Imagine the social progress that could be made in a decade or so if prostitution were to be legalised!

Dear gods yes. That's something we could really use here in North America too.

[INFERNO]

After reading some of the posts, I thought of three other reasons for legalizing it. First, it probably could boost the economy. Second, it may lead to citizens having to pay less tax, although I'm not sure if the government would crank up the tax regardless. Third, it may be a decent way to crack down on various drug-dealers because to my knowledge, prostitution is usually heavily associated with various illegal drugs. I'm not sure how reliable it may be though because it's possible the prostitutes' pimps may provide the drugs and the actual drug-dealers may not be caught as easily.

[Lily of the Valley]

Dear gods yes. That's something we could really use here in North America too.Tell me about it. I fucking hate how conservative things here are.no it shouldn't
it causes to many problems
its to hard to regulate
its to difficult to ensure there's no abuse or extortion
etc....Wow, way to make completely ambiguous and unbacked arguments.

~Maggot

[Whisper]

Why make a law that can't be enforced? Prostitution is going to happen whether people like it or not, so the girls doing it may as well be under the protection of the law as opposed to the iron hand of their pimps.

"under the protection of the law" dude seriously? You think that with a piece of paper suddenly all the pimps will disappear all the drug trafficking all the sex trading will magically wither and die?

Legalizing prostitution has been tried many times all over the world throughout history, hell Ancient Venice did it solely to tax the living fuck out of it. The problem is no matter where its done as soon as its made legal crime rates jump, trafficking of both drugs and sex slaves jumps and pimps do NOT disappear they thrive. As far as this whole if it was made legal they could run to the cops who would make everything better bullshit just look at other areas or society; gay couples, if you're openly gay and you're drugged and raped, you can go to the cops all you want statistically they won't even look at you, they don't give a shit.
Not to mention health, the spread of STI's would jump because of this.

There are a TON of journals out there on subjects like this
but what it gets down to is there are allot of factors this affects, it snowballs
and it seems to usually end up rather badly
with a huge mess that you have to try and clean up



Tell me about it. I fucking hate how conservative things here are.Wow, way to make completely ambiguous and unbacked arguments.

~Maggot

Okay hunny, I have a few things I'd like to say about your fine contribution to this thread
First: you have a signature for a reason stop putting that maggot crap at the end of every post.
Second: If you aren't going to contribute anything towards the discussion other then slamming another members post then stfu because you're wasting time and precious server space.
Third: What exactly do you mean by you "hate how conservative things are" ?.....yaaa because trying to prevent prostitution is really just the establishment trying to put you down yet again, dam them.

[Lily of the Valley]

"under the protection of the law" dude seriously? You think that with a piece of paper suddenly all the pimps will disappear all the drug trafficking all the sex trading will magically wither and die?Translation: If it won't be perfect, don't bother!
The problem is no matter where its done as soon as its made legal crime rates jump, trafficking of both drugs and sex slaves jumps and pimps do NOT disappear they thrive.Source?
Okay hunny, I have a few things I'd like to say about your fine contribution to this thread
First: you have a signature for a reason stop putting that maggot crap at the end of every post.Does it really matter? I'm sorry, but you're not really worth me breaking a four-year-old habit.Second: If you aren't going to contribute anything towards the discussion other then slamming another members post then stfu because you're wasting time and precious server space.Is that all I've done? Truly?Third: What exactly do you mean by you "hate how conservative things are" ?.....yaaa because trying to prevent prostitution is really just the establishment trying to put you down yet again, dam them.No, I dislike the extreme conservative tendency of American government and society. I'm a libertarian socially and politically, and conservatism is my complete philosophical opposite. I believe that people should do whatever they want, provided they cause no harm to anyone else. If that means selling sex, then have at it.

~Maggot

[Whisper]

.....I
...........I..........
............FFFFFFFFFF
http://hangmen13.16ops.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/my_ultimate_rage_lar.jpg
UUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCK

I love how as an american you're bitching about it being so conservative and yet you have a democrat in the white house and the senate is in dem hands, your closing gitmo and are fleshing out a universal healthcare plan
and yet you bitch about it being conservative....


As for some sources that support that legalizing prostitution is a bad idea...



Aghatise, E. (In press). Trafficking for Prostitution in Italy: Possible Effects of Government Proposals for Legalization of Brothels in Italy. Violence Against Women.

Agence France Presse (2003). No More Prostitutes, Danish Union Says. June
30, 2003.

Altink, S. (1995). Stolen Lives: Trading Women into Sex and Slavery. London: Scarlet Press.

Bureau NRM (2002). Trafficking in Human Beings: First Report of the Dutch
National Rapporteur. The Hague. November 2002.

Daley, S. (2001). New Rights for Dutch Prostitutes, but No Gain. New York Times. August 12, 2002: A1 and 4.

Dutting, G. (2000). Legalized Prostitution in the Netherlands – Recent Debates. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, 3. November, 2002: 15-16.

ECPAT Australia. (1998). Youth for Sale: ECPAT Australia’s Inquiry into the
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Australia. Available from ECPAT, Australia.

Ekberg, G. (2001, March 15-16). Prostitution and Trafficking: the Legal Situation in Sweden. Paper presented at the day of reflection on La mondialisation de la prostitution et du trafic sexuel. Comité québécois Femme et Développement, Montréal, Québec.

Ekberg, G. (2003). Nordic Baltic Campaign Against Trafficking in Women 2002. Final Report. Nordic Council of Ministers. Stockholm, Sweden. Jacobson, M. (2002). ”Why do Men Buy Sex?” Interview with Sven-Axel Mansson. NIKK magasin, (Journal of the Nordic Institute for Women’s Studies and Gender Research), 1: 22-25.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). 2002. Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Crises. Plan of Action. New York. June 13, 2002.

International Organization for Migration (IOM). (1995). Trafficking and
Prostitution: the Growing Exploitation of Migrant Women from Central and
Eastern Europe. Budapest: IOM Migration Information Program. May, 1995.

International Organization of Migration (IOM). (1998a). Analysis of Data and
Statistical Resources Available in the EU Member States on Trafficking in Humans, Particularly in Women and Children for Purposes of Sexual Exploitation. Report for the STOP Program, Geneva, IOM.

International Organization of Migration (IOM). (1998b). Information Campaign Against Trafficking in Women from Ukraine. Research Report. July, 1998.

Leidholdt, D. (2000). Quoted in So Deep a Violence: Prostitution, Trafficking and the Global Sex Industry. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) Video. Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Lim, L.L. (1998). The Sex Sector. International Labour Office (ILO). Geneva,
Switzerland.

Martin, L. (2002). The Compassionate Detective. The Herald: [Glasgow] April 10, 2002: A5

National Criminal Investigation Department (NCID). 2003. Situation Report 5 on Trafficking in Women 2002. Sweden.

Raymond, J., Hughes, D. and Gomez, C. (2001). Sex Trafficking of Women in
the United States: Links Between International and Domestic Sex Industries. N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Raymond, J., d’Cunha, J., Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, S., Hynes, H.P., Ramirez
Rodriguez, Z., and Santos, A. (2002). A Comparative Study of Women
Trafficked in the Migration Process: Patterns, Profiles and Health Consequences of Sexual Exploitation in Five Countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Venezuela and the United States). N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Richard, A.O. (1999). International Trafficking in Women to the United States: A Contemporary Manifestation of Slavery and Organized Crime. DCI Exceptional Intelligence Analyst Program. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency.

Schelzig, E. (2002). German Prostitutes Ponder Salaried Work. International
Herald Tribune. May 13, 2002.

Sullivan, M. and Jeffreys, S. (2001). Legalising Prostitution is Not the Answer: the Example of Victoria, Australia. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Australia and USA. Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Swedish Government Offices. (1998). Fact Sheet on Government Bill 1997/98:55 on Violence Against Women. Available at www.kvinnofrid.gov.se (http://www.kvinnofrid.gov.se)

Tiggeloven, C. (2001,). Child Prostitution in the Netherlands. Available at
www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html (http://www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html).





I know you arent going to be happy with this so Monday or Tuesday if i have time i'll dive into my university's library hows that sound

[Lily of the Valley]

.....I
...........I..........
............FFFFFFFFFF
http://hangmen13.16ops.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/my_ultimate_rage_lar.jpg
UUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCKHahaha. That was great. Made my morning. <3
I love how as an american you're bitching about it being so conservative and yet you have a democrat in the white house and the senate is in dem hands, your closing gitmo and are fleshing out a universal healthcare plan
and yet you bitch about it being conservative....1) I said politically and socially. America is insanely conservative socially, and it's, well, fucking annoying.
2) I'm glad we have a Democrat in the White House, but as I said, I'm a libertarian. Obama - as much as I love socialised health care and am glad Gitmo is being closed - isn't nearly as liberal as I'd like to see running the country. He's still plenty conservative in his own right. ... Haha, right. Conservative. Har har. SEE WUT I DID THAR? As for some sources that support that legalizing prostitution is a bad idea...



Aghatise, E. (In press). Trafficking for Prostitution in Italy: Possible Effects of Government Proposals for Legalization of Brothels in Italy. Violence Against Women.

Agence France Presse (2003). No More Prostitutes, Danish Union Says. June
30, 2003.

Altink, S. (1995). Stolen Lives: Trading Women into Sex and Slavery. London: Scarlet Press.

Bureau NRM (2002). Trafficking in Human Beings: First Report of the Dutch
National Rapporteur. The Hague. November 2002.

Daley, S. (2001). New Rights for Dutch Prostitutes, but No Gain. New York Times. August 12, 2002: A1 and 4.

Dutting, G. (2000). Legalized Prostitution in the Netherlands – Recent Debates. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, 3. November, 2002: 15-16.

ECPAT Australia. (1998). Youth for Sale: ECPAT Australia’s Inquiry into the
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Australia. Available from ECPAT, Australia.

Ekberg, G. (2001, March 15-16). Prostitution and Trafficking: the Legal Situation in Sweden. Paper presented at the day of reflection on La mondialisation de la prostitution et du trafic sexuel. Comité québécois Femme et Développement, Montréal, Québec.

Ekberg, G. (2003). Nordic Baltic Campaign Against Trafficking in Women 2002. Final Report. Nordic Council of Ministers. Stockholm, Sweden. Jacobson, M. (2002). ”Why do Men Buy Sex?” Interview with Sven-Axel Mansson. NIKK magasin, (Journal of the Nordic Institute for Women’s Studies and Gender Research), 1: 22-25.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). 2002. Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Crises. Plan of Action. New York. June 13, 2002.

International Organization for Migration (IOM). (1995). Trafficking and
Prostitution: the Growing Exploitation of Migrant Women from Central and
Eastern Europe. Budapest: IOM Migration Information Program. May, 1995.

International Organization of Migration (IOM). (1998a). Analysis of Data and
Statistical Resources Available in the EU Member States on Trafficking in Humans, Particularly in Women and Children for Purposes of Sexual Exploitation. Report for the STOP Program, Geneva, IOM.

International Organization of Migration (IOM). (1998b). Information Campaign Against Trafficking in Women from Ukraine. Research Report. July, 1998.

Leidholdt, D. (2000). Quoted in So Deep a Violence: Prostitution, Trafficking and the Global Sex Industry. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) Video. Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Lim, L.L. (1998). The Sex Sector. International Labour Office (ILO). Geneva,
Switzerland.

Martin, L. (2002). The Compassionate Detective. The Herald: [Glasgow] April 10, 2002: A5

National Criminal Investigation Department (NCID). 2003. Situation Report 5 on Trafficking in Women 2002. Sweden.

Raymond, J., Hughes, D. and Gomez, C. (2001). Sex Trafficking of Women in
the United States: Links Between International and Domestic Sex Industries. N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Raymond, J., d’Cunha, J., Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, S., Hynes, H.P., Ramirez
Rodriguez, Z., and Santos, A. (2002). A Comparative Study of Women
Trafficked in the Migration Process: Patterns, Profiles and Health Consequences of Sexual Exploitation in Five Countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Venezuela and the United States). N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Richard, A.O. (1999). International Trafficking in Women to the United States: A Contemporary Manifestation of Slavery and Organized Crime. DCI Exceptional Intelligence Analyst Program. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency.

Schelzig, E. (2002). German Prostitutes Ponder Salaried Work. International
Herald Tribune. May 13, 2002.

Sullivan, M. and Jeffreys, S. (2001). Legalising Prostitution is Not the Answer: the Example of Victoria, Australia. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Australia and USA. Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Swedish Government Offices. (1998). Fact Sheet on Government Bill 1997/98:55 on Violence Against Women. Available at www.kvinnofrid.gov.se (http://www.kvinnofrid.gov.se)

Tiggeloven, C. (2001,). Child Prostitution in the Netherlands. Available at
www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html (http://www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html).





I know you arent going to be happy with this so Monday or Tuesday if i have time i'll dive into my university's library hows that soundI'll check those out later. I'm feeling particularly sucky right now and just called in sick to work, but I'm definitely curious to see.

~Maggot

[The Joker]

Because you can't ensure that the ladies (or men for that matter) are doing it willingly, it's a bad idea.

[Sage]

Because you can't ensure that the ladies (or men for that matter) are doing it willingly, it's a bad idea.

You seem to be assuming that legalizing prostitution would make it legal to just prance around in the middle of town on the street corner and put yourself out there. Like I said before, I like Amsterdam's system. There's a specific place in town for that sort of thing, and it can be regulated.

[Lily of the Valley]

As for some sources that support that legalizing prostitution is a bad idea...



Aghatise, E. (In press). Trafficking for Prostitution in Italy: Possible Effects of Government Proposals for Legalization of Brothels in Italy. Violence Against Women.

Agence France Presse (2003). No More Prostitutes, Danish Union Says. June
30, 2003.

Altink, S. (1995). Stolen Lives: Trading Women into Sex and Slavery. London: Scarlet Press.

Bureau NRM (2002). Trafficking in Human Beings: First Report of the Dutch
National Rapporteur. The Hague. November 2002.

Daley, S. (2001). New Rights for Dutch Prostitutes, but No Gain. New York Times. August 12, 2002: A1 and 4.

Dutting, G. (2000). Legalized Prostitution in the Netherlands – Recent Debates. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, 3. November, 2002: 15-16.

ECPAT Australia. (1998). Youth for Sale: ECPAT Australia’s Inquiry into the
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Australia. Available from ECPAT, Australia.

Ekberg, G. (2001, March 15-16). Prostitution and Trafficking: the Legal Situation in Sweden. Paper presented at the day of reflection on La mondialisation de la prostitution et du trafic sexuel. Comité québécois Femme et Développement, Montréal, Québec.

Ekberg, G. (2003). Nordic Baltic Campaign Against Trafficking in Women 2002. Final Report. Nordic Council of Ministers. Stockholm, Sweden. Jacobson, M. (2002). ”Why do Men Buy Sex?” Interview with Sven-Axel Mansson. NIKK magasin, (Journal of the Nordic Institute for Women’s Studies and Gender Research), 1: 22-25.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). 2002. Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Humanitarian Crises. Plan of Action. New York. June 13, 2002.

International Organization for Migration (IOM). (1995). Trafficking and
Prostitution: the Growing Exploitation of Migrant Women from Central and
Eastern Europe. Budapest: IOM Migration Information Program. May, 1995.

International Organization of Migration (IOM). (1998a). Analysis of Data and
Statistical Resources Available in the EU Member States on Trafficking in Humans, Particularly in Women and Children for Purposes of Sexual Exploitation. Report for the STOP Program, Geneva, IOM.

International Organization of Migration (IOM). (1998b). Information Campaign Against Trafficking in Women from Ukraine. Research Report. July, 1998.

Leidholdt, D. (2000). Quoted in So Deep a Violence: Prostitution, Trafficking and the Global Sex Industry. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) Video. Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Lim, L.L. (1998). The Sex Sector. International Labour Office (ILO). Geneva,
Switzerland.

Martin, L. (2002). The Compassionate Detective. The Herald: [Glasgow] April 10, 2002: A5

National Criminal Investigation Department (NCID). 2003. Situation Report 5 on Trafficking in Women 2002. Sweden.

Raymond, J., Hughes, D. and Gomez, C. (2001). Sex Trafficking of Women in
the United States: Links Between International and Domestic Sex Industries. N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Raymond, J., d’Cunha, J., Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, S., Hynes, H.P., Ramirez
Rodriguez, Z., and Santos, A. (2002). A Comparative Study of Women
Trafficked in the Migration Process: Patterns, Profiles and Health Consequences of Sexual Exploitation in Five Countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Venezuela and the United States). N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Richard, A.O. (1999). International Trafficking in Women to the United States: A Contemporary Manifestation of Slavery and Organized Crime. DCI Exceptional Intelligence Analyst Program. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency.

Schelzig, E. (2002). German Prostitutes Ponder Salaried Work. International
Herald Tribune. May 13, 2002.

Sullivan, M. and Jeffreys, S. (2001). Legalising Prostitution is Not the Answer: the Example of Victoria, Australia. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Australia and USA. Available at www.catwinternational.org (http://www.catwinternational.org)

Swedish Government Offices. (1998). Fact Sheet on Government Bill 1997/98:55 on Violence Against Women. Available at www.kvinnofrid.gov.se (http://www.kvinnofrid.gov.se)

Tiggeloven, C. (2001,). Child Prostitution in the Netherlands. Available at
www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html (http://www.nw.nl/hotspots/html/netherlands011218.html).Alrighty, so I see lots of groups that are going on about trafficking in women. But I haven't seen any studies that show that crime rates increase when prostitution is legalised, as you claimed. Of course, one must take into consideration that, even where it is legalised, many cultures still associate it with crime. So naturally, crime rates among prostitution rings will be a bit higher.

~Maggot

[Whisper]

Alrighty, so I see lots of groups that are going on about trafficking in women. But I haven't seen any studies that show that crime rates increase when prostitution is legalised, as you claimed. Of course, one must take into consideration that, even where it is legalised, many cultures still associate it with crime. So naturally, crime rates among prostitution rings will be a bit higher.

~Maggot

you just agreed with me 8-)

[Lily of the Valley]

you just agreed with me 8-)No, you said that legalising prostitution would result in crime rates increasing. I said that, in comparison to the general population, crime rates will most likely be a bit higher among the prostitution industry than the general public - unless/until prostitution is considered socially acceptable. Crime rates among the prostitution industry are already higher than the general population, though, and I'd be willing to bet my boobs that legalising it would decrease the overall amount of crime because it'd be a legitimate profession without the need for drug use and things.

~Maggot

[Mind forte]

Prostitution should not be legalized.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiO9XSGmnXc
I don't feel like posting any more on this at the moment.

[boy.on.laptop]

Of course prostitution is a terrible thing just saying it should be legalised doesn't mean you agree with it. I am no smoker but I am not going to ban cigaretts.

I know many people who have worked in church and community groups helping the homeless in the intercity as well as worked with prostitutes who say since legalisation in New Zealand they have been protected.

"I love how as an american you're bitching about it being so conservative and yet you have a democrat in the white house and the senate is in dem hands, your closing gitmo and are fleshing out a universal healthcare plan
and yet you bitch about it being conservative...."

1st of all Obama's plan is not a universal health care plan
2nd of all it is not 'liberal' it is left-wing, liberalism is different. It is only in the North American context that the word "liberal" is used in refernce to economic policy elsewhere "liberal", classic liberals or libretarian refers to right-wing policy or closer to the Republicans.
3rd America is conservative, the democrats are way further to the right than social demcoratic parties else where. I noticed you are from BC, I know the BC liberal party is heading towards neo-liberalism but on the whole the liberal party is more left-wing than the democrats and the 3rd largest party in Canada, the NDP far more so. Even the conservatives in Canada are way more left-wing than the republicans and are probably closer to the democrats in practice. The big problem in the United States is the two-party system which has created a poloriased undemocratic state. Around 70% of the population outside the United States opposed Bush and supported Obama, even the centre-right conservatives in Britain and France expressed their preference for Obama over McCain(a moderate!) showing how they view the GOP as way too right-wing even for their taste.