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Around the world, there's a growing movement to decriminalize sex work. Last year, Amnesty International, the largest human rights group in the world, came out with a recommendation that governments should decriminalize consensual sex work and develop laws that ensure workers are "protected from harm, exploitation and coercion." A United Nations commission has also come out in support of legalizing prostitution.
But the idea is a divisive one, stirring impassioned debates and concerns about the ways varying approaches could harm sex workers. Amnesty's recent policy drew strong support from public health advocates and intense backlash from those aiming to end prostitution completely.
Understanding the scope, harms and public health implications of policies addressing the world's oldest profession is really tricky. While prostitution - the buying and selling of sex - is a multibillion dollar industry, the sex trade is clandestine by nature. It's taboo. That makes it really hard to study, especially in the United States.
That's most often the case, except in this one part of the country, where the laws of prostitution were totally upended. It's a peculiar story that's largely left out of the current discussion. The place in question is not Nevada, where there's a small number of regulated brothels in certain rural counties.
It's a whole state - Rhode Island.
For several years, ending in 2009, indoor prostitution such as in massage parlors, strip clubs and through online escorts, was not a crime in this tiny New England State.
The whole thing happened somewhat unintentionally. But at the time, it fueled a heated public debate about sex, crime and health.
Years later, some are revisiting the lessons learned.
(Score: 2) by t-3 on Thursday August 10 2017, @12:51AM
So are you religious, and think sex is something that should only happen between a man and woman who are married, or you one of those people who have been brainwashed by renaissance-era troubadours? "Love" is a social construct, historically it's never been a factor in marriage or sex. Current views around marriage and sex descend from concerns about inheritance and legitimacy, with a heaping portion of racism and societal control on top. My morals tell me: people should be able to do what they like with their own bodies as long as they don't infringe on anyone else's rights. Sure, prostitute yourself, but non-consensual pimping is wrong (note the non-consensual, there's nothing wrong with a manager or agent, but nobody should be forced). People should also be free to seek the purchase of services from others as long as these services are willingly offered and not dangerous (the mentally disabled and those not capable of legal consent should obviously be protected, safe working conditions should be enforced (premises and persons regularly inspected and validated), mutilation/physical harm should be limited). With proper regulation, legal prostitution is entirely workable and would eliminate a lot of the trafficking, strip club "vip areas", etc. Of course, to really solve a lot of the problems, drugs ALSO need to be legal, and other black market economies brought into the light, because as long as there are desperate people there is an opportunity for exploitation...