So I got a invite to a facebook group to petition against the legalisation of prostitution in SA. They don’t have actually any evidence that it will happen, or even if its part of the government plans, apart from a leaked COSATU document: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-09-15-cosatu-mum-on-prostitution-proposal
So, I thought what is the arguments for and against? What I can think of is:
Against:
The most pressing to me is that with the AIDS issues that SA has, this is generally not a good idea. The argument would be that temptation would put even more people at risk. Of course, there is a decent counter argument to that.
The only other arguments could be used against giving the LGBT community, it’s immoral, it’s against God’s word (bah!), where does it stop (slippery slope fallacy)
Any more that you guys can think of?
For
Regarding the AIDS problem, arguably if the practice is legal, then you can regulate what happens. Make sure that the client or employee has protection, condom or diaphragm, spermicide or whatever. Regular tests can be done to ensure that the employee does not have any STDs, and if a client is found to have one, get him help or put him on a list or something. It would involve issuing something similar to liquor licenses, and having somebody to enforce the regulations. More bureaucracy :(. Of course, TIA, so enforcing it without corruption will always be a problem
Along with regulation, comes taxation of the business.
The prostitutes will have legal recourse, they can go to the police without fear of being prosecuted, take legal action against their employers, form a union, in other words have the rights that most other working people have
So what do you guys think? Also point out to me if I’m making mistakes in my arguments.
It is happening anyway. You can not stop it, so I think it should be legalised and controlled. This is a corrupt country and that will bring other problems but I think we are better off with it being legal and controlled. At the moment it is easy, tax free money for the pimps.
I don't understand why prostitution is illegal. Selling is legal. Fucking is legal. Why isn't selling fucking legal? You know, why should it be illegal to sell something that's perfectly legal to give away? I can't follow the logic on that one at all! Of all the things you can do, giving someone an orgasm is hardly the worst thing in the world. In the army they give you a medal for spraying napalm on people! In civilian life you go to jail for giving someone an orgasm!
Well, there’s also the Feminazi argument which says that prostitution demeans women generally by fostering a mindset in which it is okay to objectify them as no more than providers of physical pleasure. Personally, I don’t hold with this particular line of short-sighted emotion-based reasoning. In fact, I think prohibiting women from using their bodies in whichever way they see fit is even more demeaning for being patriarchally dictatorial and an imposition of a not-necessarily-applicable morality, one that very likely is outmoded. After all, we don’t prohibit certain extreme sports activities because they endanger the participants and/or others.
If anything, legitimising prostitution will actually empower women by affording them at least some protection concerning decisions on how they wish to live, be they made out of necessity or free choice.
Then again, everyone will have an opinion on this controversial issue.
I heard the hookers were going to down tools during the world cup if they weren’t legalized. Seriously, why two adult persons cannot legally enter into a voluntary contract whereby one party offers to provide a service to another party in exchange for money is quite beyond me; there is nothing immoral about it that I can see. And you God-botherers BUTT OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES!
