Why prostitution and “sexual tourism” are bad?

Note for the mods: I am not sure this is the right place for this thread, in case there may be a more appropriate section for this discussion, please feel free to move it there.

From time to time I read in the newspapers discussion about prostitution and how immoral it is, sometimes by the same newspapers who claim that wars of aggression are somehow legitimate.
There are a lot of people that think that prostitution and even more, sexual tourism are immoral and degradating practices.
I have thought quite some time about this, and I can not really find a reason why prostitution is (so) bad.
I would like to have a discussion about this.

Seemingly, the majority of the people that argue against prostitution are women, but there are a lot of men who share the same opinion.
Please note that, when I speak about “prostitution”, I speak about prostitution between two consensual adults, none of them in condition of duress, and practising sex without taking unnecessary risks for health.
Here are the major arguments that people use against prostitution:
1) It is immoral because in the Bible it is written so
-> Yes, but in the Bible it is also written that lying, stealing, killing other human beings, is also wrong, but most of the people condeming prostitution accept the idea of (sometimes extra-judiciary) killing a terrorist, not paying all the taxes, tell a lie in your resume, etc.
2) It is immoral as there are many underage girls engaging in prostitution
-> I agree that underage sex, or even worse, child sex is wrong. But this has nothing to do with prostitution between two adults.
3) Prostitution is immoral because it is the exploitation of the weak by the strong.
-> Let alone that the “strong” exploits the “weak” in many many other ways at work, in politics, etc. we still need to define who is the “strong” and who is the “weak”. Is a top-class prostitution making a lot of money with wealthy customers “weak”? Is an occasional customer, with an usual job, spending a part of his salary to have sex with a prostitute a “strong” man?
4) Prostitution is wrong because it is the degradation of women
-> Or the degradation of men, depending how you see it
5) Sexual tourism is wrong because many rich people go to sex paradises and exploit children
-> See reply number 2)
6) Sexual tourism is wrong because it allows the “rich” to exploit the “poor”
-> Maybe yes, but allows the “poor” with no other source of income to access money.
I do agree that there is a lot of inequality in this world between extremely rich countries and poor countries and that sexual tourists take advantage of this, but the problem does not arise because of sexual tourism, but because of other factors. Anyone contesting this point can easily sell half of his/her property and give the money to some Haitian hospital. Strictly speaking, sexual tourism can be even seen as a (very partial and temporary) relief to the problem
7) Prostitution is bad as prostitutesand customers spread illnesses
-> True up to a point, but the most dangerous sex-transmissable diseases can be prevented with the use of condom.
Prostitution is bad as many families have been broken as the husband went with prostitutes
-> There are many lonely men who go with prostitutes and we can not blame (only) prostitution for unhappy marriages.

What are your thoughts?

 

If you took away prostitution, how would right wingers get ever get any?

 

Two consenting adults should be able to do whatever they want. If you pick up some tramp in a bar its the same as paying for a hooker. If your both of legal age and consenting it shouldn't be illegal.

Everyone involved is aware of the risks.

 

Ask The Mormons

 

Prostitution is incredibly hard to regulate. Just as much or more so when it is legal. Exploitation is inherent in this trade and can be hard to judge in a tolerant society. The common solution is to ban it entirely to avoid confusion. This is more about pragmatism than it is about morals.

 

Its also impossible to stop. A better solution would be to just legalize it but up the penalty for people caught trafficking in underage girls. Not the girls of course but the pimps and johns as the girls are oftentimes the victims.

 

Oh that's right. LOL
Just maintain a pack of wives indoctrinated at age 14. Good point.

 

I think prostitution should be legal. I don't want anyone to think that this means that I think prostitution is a good thing. It's just that making it illegal doesn't seem to do anything. It's a very basic economic transaction with vast moral consequences (in my own opinion) that appears to be inherent in human society, sort of like sports, and somewhat moreso than written language.

It can't be prohibited. I mean, you can make a law, but that will largely serve to demonstrate the impotence of the law in the face of human nature.

The only way to not have prostitution is for individuals to choose not to engage in it. The law can't accomplish that. All you can really do is raise your kids to believe that some things are worth more than any amount of money. This has become more complicated in the era of eBay, but it's still true. You shouldn't have sex for money. It's bad for you on a spiritual level (again this is only my own opinion). But the law accomplishes nothing in this regard.

 

I honestly don't know how any liberal could ever get aroused after watching your girl Maddow on the television consistently. Us Fox people have it far better.

 

You mean like Ann the man Coulter? That guy? I don't know how you guys keep from vomiting uncontrollably watching him.

 

All you have to do is flip on Fox News to see what we consider the standard conservative woman. The democrats must have a policy that their women be run over by a truck or something before their accepted into the ranks.

What's up with the DNC chairwoman by the way? You guys should start up a fund to get her some plastic surgery if she's gonna be your spokesperson.

 

I am not really talking about the legality, but about the morality.
What is there so much immoral about prostitution?

I do not see what you would like to regulate in prostitution, if you talk about underage prostitution, it is as hard to regulate as anything else (underage labor, underage drinking).
Where is the exploitation in prostitution?

 

If it flies, floats or #^#@ lease don't buy. Nah just kidding.

Personally, I find prostitution to be immoral and disgusting. If it were to be legalized, can you imagine all the bureaucratic nonsense a sex shop would have to deal with in a blue state? Lawsuits would be flying everywhere. If I were a lawyer I'd be all for legalizing the sex trade.

I think it should be legal, but I don't think making it legal would benefit society.

Also, any man that has to pay for sex is not a man. You might as well just trade in your testicles at that point as they are causing you more harm than good.

 

I lived in Nevada, in a county where prostitution is legal and regulated. Regulating it is not hard and prostitution is very lucrative for the county.

I have no problem with, and in fact favor, legal prostitution.

 

If plastic surgery is what Ann had on his throat, I wouldn't recommend it. Turned out horribly wrong on him.

 

You cannot legislate morality at all. One persons beliefs are not shared by everybody. As for underage prostitution it would not be a matter of regulation. It would be police task forces specifically designed to locate and arrest those involved with this criminal activity.

 

I am not talking about legislating (or non-legislating) anything

P.S.
This thread is about prostitution, not Ann Coulter, so please try not to get too much off-topic, thanks.

 

I don't think Ann Coulter gives conservatives a positive image. I think she does a lot to make people think less of conservatives -- which is unfair, because I don't find her to be very conservative at all, she just calls herself that. For some reason.

And think about what you're saying. I don't care what the DNC chairwoman looks like. It doesn't matter. Don't pick your politicians based on looks, pick them based on brains and issues. Even if they're women.

 

You got anything else besides Ann Coulter? If you've seen Rachael Maddows commercials where she wears no make-up, it is impossible to tell her gender. I would say that she and Ann cancel each other out which still leaves the republicans with the edge.

Unless of course you like visions of a naked Nancy Pelosi giving you a lapdance or Hillary's kankles flopping in the wind. Of course if that's too rough we can always talk about Rosie O' Donnell...yum or Chaz Bono, whatever that creation is.

 

Well, he is the ugliest example but, there are others I'm sure. I refuse to watch right wing propaganda so I don't know what other "dressed up males" Fox has on, and I'm not interested in looking just to comment. Makes me sick
I only see Ann the man on the rare occasions where he's hawking another book of propaganda on other networks. He's just too gross to investigate your question any further, and so is Fox....sorry.

 

I also spent some time in Nevada, in small towns that had brothels. It wasn't much of a big deal. Vegas is a bit different of course. In some parts of Vegas, you can't walk down the street without seeing one of those small paper machines full of borderline porn ads, or someone handing you a flyer for some escort service. It's a bit over the top there, but I think it's still better that prostitution be legal and regulated.

 

Current regulation is prohibition, which is difficult, sex is a natural ability. Desirable candidates for prostitution are coerced through various methods to preform services, often these methods are not ethical. If prostitution is legal the willing and unexploited prostitutes must be allowed to practice while the victims of sexual predatory behavior must be protected. That is a complex task.

 

....or...they could exercise a little self control, wait till they get home, and empty their animal instincts onto themselves, OR, they could pay pigs to pretend somebody loves them. Complex? I don't think so.

 

Ya got the party wrong....

 

The difference that you note is that prostitution is illegal in Clark County (Las Vegas) and Washoe (Reno) and the reasons are obvious - tourism. The country "fathers" don't think that legalizing it in their counties make for a very "family friendly" atmosphere.

The counties that allow legal prostitution have very strict rules and licensing.

I lived in a county next to Clark with several legal brothels. It's easy to regulate and makes the county a lot of money. It also keeps STDs under control that would not be, when it's illegal.

As a moral issue, it's not my business to impose my morality on others. Prostitution has been voted on in those counties and it's been passed as legal. When and if the majority of the country residents are opposed to it, then it will be gone.