Kelly Hoggarth
Comp. 1
Persuasive Essay
The legalization of prostitution has been a question that has
existed for many years; a question that I feel the answer to is “Yes,
legalize it.” I figure why not make it a national law that all prostitution
be legalized. Nevada for example has many counties that allow the
selling of sex. It is a multimillion-dollar industry, one that has existed
for many years.
Voluntary acts by consenting adults are of no concern of the
state. Criminalizing sexual activity is an unnecessary, oppressive
restriction of individual liberty. It is a denial of freedom especially to
women to pursue sex work if they want to in a controlled, safe,
healthy environment. The idea that a woman can terminate a
pregnancy, destroying a potential human being, but not have the
freedom to use her body sexually for profit does not make sense
(Cauthen). I feel that if a person is willing to sell sex for a living, as
long as they stay safe and have frequent checkups, than this is a right
that they should be able to practice.
Like the failed effort to prohibit the manufacture and sale of
alcohol and the ineffective war against illegal drugs, treating
prostitution as a crime has not worked. It is costly, takes time,
resources, and personnel that could be used with greater effectiveness
Kelly Hoggarth
Comp. 1
elsewhere. It involves police in sordid work against a lot of people with
limited personal resources in desperate circumstances many of whom
are children and victims of bad homes, sad life histories, and a
neglectful society (Cauthen). It is just something that has been
around to long, to big, and to hard to crack down on. There is no way
police will ever be able to stop prostitution 100%. Instead, why not
make it a better institution through regulations and limits. This would
drastically save police forces from all over millions of dollars, money
that could be spent in more promising areas.
Legalization would reduce or eliminate the widespread
victimization of prostitutes by pimps, johns and the whole unsavory
assortment of criminal elements now associated with it. It would take
away the reason to get young women and men hooked on drugs in
order to turn them into prostitutes and profit. It would free more of
our limited law enforcement resources to fighting serious crimes and
violence (Cauthen). As one can see illegal prostitution is more of a
problem than just the selling of sex, many other evils are involved. I
feel that it would be a better thing to get rid of the reason to make a
person into a drug addict or a sex slave that is ran by pimp, than it is
to get rid of prostitution itself.
The exchange of money is immaterial. The only conspicuous
difference between casual sex and prostitution is that one involves
Kelly Hoggarth
Comp. 1
payment. That fact is morally irrelevant. Since casual sex cannot be
regulated by the state, sex for hire should not be either. It is ridiculous
that a woman can have sex with multiple partners if she does it for
free, but can go to jail for charging money for it (Cauthen). As anyone
can see it is all about how he or she views it. Is it right for a person to
have casual sex with as many people as he or she wants without pay?
I feel that no it isn’t, but as long as it is legal there should be no
reason that prostitution can’t be legal.
In a perfect world all sex would be pure and meaningful, full of
love and compassion. Unfortunately this is not a perfect world. There
are many people out there that are willing to engage in intercourse
just because it is a sunny day. The reasons range from the need to
feel excepted to a poor childhood upbringing. It is all how we see it.
Is casual sex less degrading if it is free opposed to paying for it? My
answer would have to be, No.
Work Cited
Cauthen, Kenneth. Legalizing Prostitution.
9 Feb. 2000 <http://www.frontiernet.com/~kenc/pros.htm