THE BIG QUESTION/ RESEARCH

One of the biggest questions that surrounds prostitution is whether it should be legalized or not. This topic has two sides to it the pros and the cons. Looking at both sides key points makes me feel like I'm stuck in the middle, and I don’t really know what side I mostly agree with. I have taken it upon myself to research this question to see what side I would agree with, and the reasons I why I might not agree with the other one.

    The “pro” side of this question basically sates that prostitution should be legalized. A website on controversial topics gives a pretty clear side  as to why prostitution should be legalized and why it shouldn’t. One of the reasons (ProCon.com) gives for the legalization of prostitution is because prostitution is a “victimless crime”. They describe victimless as a “crime' in the sense that no one is necessarily harmed by it is that there are consenting adults involved." The legalization of this occupation would also be victimless because it would reduce the need of women being pimped out by others, to make a quick buck. The International Labour Organization stats that most women choose prostitution for economic reasons, but they make that decision on their own. Women  would not be forced to do something they didn’t want to do so the legalization definitely helps them. Another reason they give for legalization is for taxation. If prostitution were a legal occupation the government could collect tax on it. Collecting taxes on this occupation help the government make a lot of money that is now going to illegal corporations. Health is also one of the other reasons why people would like to see prostitution legalized. The legalization would also come with regulations (health regulations). Prostitutes would have to comply with health regulations in-order to work. Having a healthier sex-industry would reduce the chances of people contracting an  STD, from prostitutes. so as it turns out there are various reasons why people would like to see prostitution legalized.
    The “con” side basically states that prostitution should not be legalized. Some of the reasons why this occupation should not be legalized are because it discourages women from getting a legal job. Another is because women are demeaned and exploited in this industry. The last reason is because crimes related to sex might be more likely to happen. The reason why this occupation discourages women from getting a legal job, is because they can make a lot of money and they get to be their own boss. The average street prostitute makes about twenty-five to thirty dollars per hour. Which is more than some people make in their legal jobs, they don’t have to work all day sure, but they have a lot more risks. They are more likely to catch diseases and are also more likely to go to jail, while working the streets that feed them. Another reason for why this should not be legalized was because it demeans ans exploits women. This is true because women are forced to work this occupation by pimps. Pimps exploit them by taking their money they have earned, and basically have them working for basic things like food and clothing. The last reason why this occupation should not be legalized is because sex related crimes might be more likely to happen. By sex related crimes they mean crimes like rape and prostitution arrest. In 2004 about 86,100 arrest were due to prostitution related offences. So I can see all the reasons why people think prostitution should not be legalized.
    After researching this topic I feel like I understand both sides of this topic, but it is a lot more clearer what side I'm on. I feel like I can related  more to why people would want to legalize prostitution. I think I agree just because the reasons given for the legalization are more convincing than the ones against legalizing it.

Sources:"Top 10 Pros and Cons - Prostitution - ProCon.org." Prostitution ProCon.org -- Should Prostitution Be Legal? Web. 08 Oct. 2011. http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000115.

Interpretation of Data

   Throughout my investigation I conducted a poll. My poll asked one question, and there were three posible results. The question was, "Should prostitution be legalized in all 50 states"? One of the possible answers was yes it should, only four people agreed that prostitution should be fully legalized in all 50 states. Another possible answer was no it shouldn't, this answer tide with limited legalization, each one recived six votes. National results beare some what similar to those that I recived, people think that prostitution should be ligalized, but there need to be sertain limits in place. The other large part of people believe that prostitution shouldn't be ligalized at all, and things are fine just as they are now.
   People who believe it should have limited legalization believe that the number of people who are criminalized for seeking prostituion and  the number of prostitutes that are incarserated would decrease. The legalization would also help our national debt crisis because this occupation could be taxed. The legalization would also decrease the chance of  catching an STD, because each person would have to comply with health checks.The people who believe that prostitution should not be ligalized at all believe that this occupation is demeaning to women. Making this illigal also creates and incentive to decrease prostitution. People can spend time in jail if they seek prostituion or take part in prostitution, so that is that incentive so that people stop taking part in these illigal action.

 Works Sited



"Top 10 Pros and Cons - Prostitution - ProCon.org." Prostitution ProCon.org -- Should Prostitution Be Legal? Web. 08 Oct. 2011. http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000115. This website talks about controversial issues one being prostitution. I chose to use it because it helps me develop the recent  key points behind this topic. It also, seems to be a non bias source so all negative and positive sides of this topic are represented.

"Agnosticism / Atheism Poll Results." Agnosticism / Atheism - Skepticism & Atheism for Atheists & Agnostics. About.com. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. http://atheism.about.com/gi/pages/poll.htm?poll_id=0607390613. This poll is an example of one of the national polls contucted on the legalization of prostitution. It's also one of the ones that shows a similarity from the resuls that I recived from the class room, just on a bigger scale.

Current State of Affairs

 Currently the only state in the U.S. where prostitution is legal is the state of Nevada and their eleven counties. The U.S. doesn't seam to want to change the legalization of this occupation any time soon to other parts of the nation. While prostitution continues to be illegal  3,500 street prostitutes are arrested each year in the U.S.While lots of street prostitutes are being arrested each year high-end prostitutes live a life full of luxury and security. Prostitution is prostitution but yet high-end prostitution is more accepted in society than street prostitution. High end or not the person is still selling sex for money. Even though prostitution is illegal high-end prostitutes have a rage of clients like governmental officials and athletes.
 Since prostitution is considered a taboo in our society. most people have many misconceptions about prostitutes. For example a lot of people believe that people get into prostitution because they like money or   simply because they like to have sex. This is not necessarily true in all cases, some women  like the pay but they do this  because this occupation adds adventure to their every day lives. Another misconception about prostitution is that prostitutes are junkies, or uneducated women trying to make a quick buck for their next fix. But some women are soccer moms, college graduates, women that you walk by everyday. They don't necessarily do this to make money fast or to make money to buy drugs. They simply see this as their occupation.
Various countries have stopped seeing prostitution as a taboo and consider it a normal occupation. Some of those countries are Germany, France, Austria, and many more. They have legalized prostitution but have regulations that make it safe to work in the sex industry. Women have to comply with the law and complete regular test to make sure that they aren't carrying disease over to their clients. These women also contribute to their countries economy by paying annual taxes for their services. 

Works Cited

"Dirty Money." CNBC. CNBC, 10 July 2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. <http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=925528991#eyJ2aWQiOiIxMTgzNzYxODg1IiwiZW5jVmlkIjoidmVTbU9EaEE3NmdpWnpKNFVMejJOdz09IiwidlRhYiI6ImluZm8iLCJ2UGFnZSI6IiIsImdOYXYiOlsiwqBMYXRlc3QgVmlkZW8iXSwiZ1NlY3QiOiJBTEwiLCJnUGFnZSI6IjEiLCJzeW0iOiIiLCJzZWFyY2giOiIifQ==>.

Levitt, Steven D. An Empirical Analysis of Street-Level Prostitution. 2007. Raw data. University of Chicago, Chicago.

"Top 10 Pros and Cons - Prostitution - ProCon.org." Prostitution ProCon.org -- Should Prostitution Be Legal? Web. 08 Oct. 2011. http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000115.

Background

Protitution has been defined by the Webster dictionary as: the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money. This is a simple definition sex for money. Prostitution has also been one of the one of the oldest ocupations that is still around till this day. Prostutution has been dated back to 2400 B.C. in "Sumerian Records". But legal brothels have beeen found in China and in Greece, these brothels date back to 594 B.C. and 600 B.C. Various countries have taken the iniciative to make prostitution legal, but in the U.S. only one state has done the same, Nevada. Some sates and countries that have legalized prostitution have said that the legalization of  this occupation could help reduce crimes related to prostitution, the risk of STDs could reduce, and the government could even make a few tax dollars by the legalization of this occupation.

Works Cited

"Top 10 Pros and Cons - Prostitution - ProCon.org." Prostitution ProCon.org -- Should Prostitution Be Legal? Web. 08 Oct. 2011. http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000115.

"Prostitution." Def. 1. Miriam Webster Dictionary. 2007. Print

Intro

I chose to take an overview on one of the oldest ocupations, that are still around today. Prostitution. This occupation has various pros and cons enough pros to beligalized in some parts of the US. This topic is kind of broad because there are many ways other ways it could be expanded to, but there are a few questions that I hope to get answered through this blog.
-Why people choose to prostitute?
-What legal and street risks can occur from prostitution?
-What are the pros and cons for legalization?
-What help is out for prostitutes that want to get away from their occupation?