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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: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 10 2017, @01:49AM (1 child)
No, it would make it so that prostitutes wouldn't have to worry about going to the police and being arrested.
There's nothing we can do that's going to completely solve these problems, but by legalizing the provision of sex for money, it would put the actual victims of these crimes in a position where they are better able to take care of themselves. Going full legalization, has serious problems as it becomes very hard to tell the difference between a slave and somebody that's choosing to sell sex.
Ultimately, we do have to acknowledge that the law isn't what's keeping most people from being prostitutes, it's that it's a terrible job full of unacceptable risks and that legalizing it isn't likely to increase the number of people offering their bodies for rent. But, it does open up a ton of room for people looking to take advantage of other folks.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday August 10 2017, @04:16AM
That's a ridiculous assertion to make. The key is freedom of movement. If the sex worker is physically restrained from leaving, it's slavery.
Sorry, that's another ridiculous statement. The law is the key reason the job is full of bad risks such as imprisonment, no legal recourse if the prostitute is cheated or assaulted, and no disease testing standards.