...LBST 2101-207 4/4/16 Prostitution Debate Paper Prostitution is the occupation or act of providing sexual services with someone in exchange for payment or some other benefit. Prostitution is known to be the world’s oldest form of occupation. It dates back to around 2400 B.C. The profession is recorded to produce about one hundred billion in revenues annually throughout the world. Prostitution is considered illegal in the United States, with exception of some places in Nevada. The criminalization of the trade is a controversial issue because it is said to be damaging to not only the individuals involved in the trade but also surrounding others. According to sources, prostitution cause the spread of diseases, moral shame, and human trafficking. The amount of effort and money put into destroying prostitution hardly shows good results. Although it brings much complaint and conflict, legalizing prostitution would help limit problems for the sex workers, improve the economy and help weaken the spread of diseases. There are many reasons argued about why prostitution should be illegal. One of the most argued reasons about why prostitution should be illegal is because its morally wrong. Morals is a person’s standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do(google.com). Morals are based off of a piece of information or an experience and differs from person to person. Morality is subjective and what is considered morally wrong to one person might...
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...one great problem, an ethical one. Also, the fact is that prostitution will exist no matter what because men will always degrade women, and women, in turn, can do the same to men, even though these moral aspects are not connected with the legalization process, mostly depending on moral qualities of the society members, and not on a position on prostitution. Thus, the essay will try to prove why prostitution should not be legal with the help of analysis of the articles of the well-known scientists. While feminist theory represents prostitution as a working activity that lets women use their “agency” or “free choice”, calling them “migrant workers”, even despite the fact that a bigger part of those women are working to pay debts, or under duress, it serves to normalize prostitution concept and its rapid growth. Nevertheless, most of the problems, such as violence against women, organized crime, trafficking, early sexualization, that become more pressing day after day are seen as a substantial part of sex industry functioning. The feminist theory pays less attention to violence against women than to work and economy question. Moreover, the idea of sexual work has already caused a significant controversy at feminist debates, just as the fact that most of “academic feminists” and activists seem to speak for prostitutes, representing their sex industry by themselves, as respective sexual workers. View on the issue of prostitution as a “work activity” has to be discussed from the point...
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...By: KGallina CON: "Prostitution as an institution is evil. It doesn't matter if it is the 'world's oldest profession', it is still wrong”. I disagree with this belief about prostitution. First of all, I have a best friend who is a prostitute and so when you talk about prostitution being wrong or something that should be against the law I strongly disagree. I will start by stating that I do not believe that something should be illegal just because someone charges for their time or services if neither parties in danger or if they both agree and are okay with the exchange. Everyday people are having sex and there is not a fee for the time they spent giving their body to a stranger, so why should it be wrong to make the stranger pay for what they want. We all learned growing up that nothing in life is free. You must pay for the things you want for they will not be given to you for free. So why must a human being give their body up to someone for free. There is a difference in prostitution and human trafficking. Human trafficking is when people (mostly women) are abducted and made to sale their body against their own free will. With prostitution, it is a free will whether to give their body away or to charge a fee for it and is done without force. It has been estimated that the rape rate would decrease by 25%, if the United States would legalize prostitution. That is a decrease in about 25,000 rapes a year. So with that being said, there would already be a decrease in...
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...Indecent Occupation (- SAY IT, The Vagina Monolouges- Eve Ensler,2008) Prostitution, pornography or sex work has been in history one of the most demeaned kinds of work. But today there is a drastic change in the way prostitution is viewed. There are demands from every corner about decriminalization of prostitution. In its draft statement ICPR (International Committee For Prostitute’s Rights) states, “Until recently, the women’s movement in most countries has not, or has only marginally, included prostitutes as spokeswoman or theorists. Historically, women’s movement (for example socialist and communist movements) has opposed the institution of prostitution, while claiming to support prostitute women. However, prostitutes reject support that requires them to leave prostitution, they object to being treated as symbols of oppression and demand recognition as workers. Due to feminist hesitation or refusal to accept prostitution as legitimate work and to accept prostitutes as working women, the majority of prostitutes have not been recognised as feminists. Nonetheless many prostitutes identify with feminist values such as independence, financial autonomy, sexual self-determination, personal strength and female bonding.’ In the new discourse demanding the legitimisation of prostitution the however, the institution and the individual is confused. It is one thing to defend the prostitute and a completely different thing...
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...modern-day form of slavery.” Prostitution is defined as, “The act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment.” These two entities go hand in hand, as nearly four million people are trafficked every year into some form of prostitution. Humans are trafficked for other reasons, though, such as: forced labor, domestic servitude, and farm work. However, the number one reason for human trafficking is prostitution. The more shocking reality of the situation is that some countries tolerate prostitution. It is even legal in some places. In Copenhagen, Denmark, prostitution is rampant because of such decriminalization (Shubert). This profusion of illicit activity is the birth child of one thing, human trafficking. The fact that some countries allow acts of prostitution to be legal is dubious. Anyone forced into any acts that they don’t wish to participate in is having their civil liberties violated. If such violations are to be stopped, then one must look for the root of the root of the problem. The root seems to be lawful prostitution, because it only seems to welcome the idea of trafficking unwilling individuals into positions in which they don’t want to be in. Conversely, some individuals are wholly willing to participate in acts of prostitution. However, these people shouldn’t be put at risk to get taken advantage of by human traffickers. Universal regulations should be set in place to end all forms of prostitution and levy more severe penalties...
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...looking at the topics of prostitution and sex work brings about many sides of the situation that must be considered in order to discuss the way we perceive this reality and what is sexually deviant. In order to begin this type of discussion we must first consider the fact that we do not have common definitions for many of the situations involved in this topic. For example, everyone does not define rape, consent, prostitution, or ‘sex work’ in the same way. These are not well defined or uniform in description across the whole of society. Furthermore, what is sexually deviant (as with any deviance) is dependent on the norms within a particular culture, segment of society, or context. The fact that much of this topic is subjective and there are many grey areas makes it difficult to take an unbiased or concrete stance on the issue. There are so many factors intertwined in the debate that I find myself going back and forth between what I think may be best for this “issue” and seeing pros and cons to legalization/de-criminalization (for one example). We can take many sociological perspectives and use many theories when considering why people may enter into prostitution. Similarly we can think sociologically about the construction of deviance around prostitution and why we look at it and the people involved in certain ways. I think the latter is a large part of where one’s stance on the topic is derived from – the understanding of why it is deviant, “wrong” or “bad”, and how our treatment...
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...Sex Sells Sex work is a broad topic, which encompasses careers such as stripping, erotic massage therapy, pornography, and prostitution. Prostitution is the oldest known profession. In the modern world, it is a source of controversy regarding the debate about the ethics of prostitution. The controversy is revealed through different realms that exhibit different opinions on the ethics of prostitution. Is prostitution ethical from governmental or religious standpoints? How does each approach deal with prostitutes? How do these approaches affect one another? In this paper I will explain both the political approaches of three American states, and religious approaches of Christians and Buddhists on their ethical opinions regarding prostitution. I will argue in defence of the utilitarian approach. The idea of selling sexual favors for money is cause for much debate globally. Separations in ethical ideas of prostitution can partially be attributed to different religious ethics. Two religions that have contrasting beliefs in many cases are Buddhism and Christianity, and this differentiation is clear regarding the topic of prostitution. Buddhist ethics are driven by the avoidance of harm to oneself and to others: Essentially, according to Buddhist teachings, the ethical and moral principles are governed by examining whether a certain action, whether connected to body or speech is likely to be harmful to one's self or to others and thereby avoiding any actions which are...
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...Prakash (2013) claims that prostitution is the oldest occupation in the world. It occurs when an individual assumes material or monetary compensation in exchange for the performance of sexual acts. This has been observed since the beginning of the formation of relationships between men and women (p. 1). Despite this, selling sex as a profession remains illegal in most places except in Las Vegas, Amsterdam, New Zealand, Austria, and the Netherlands to name a few. On the other hand, the selling of sex has been permitted in some countries like Sweden and Canada but the solicitation of sex is still not allowed by the law. Moreover, prostitution is just like any other occupation in the sense that it has its negative and unwanted sides, but it...
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...Rome Cheri Griggs ETH 316 October 8, 2013 Patrick Tierney Topic 2: When in Rome Prostitution is legal in many countries outside the United States. Should it be? To understand whether prostitution should be legal, we first should understand what prostitution is. Prostitution is being a willing participant in sexual activity, usually with people other than a spouse or friend, in exchange for immediate payment of money or other valuables. Prostitutes can be either male or female, and mostly they are females with males as clients. Prostitution varies from country to country. In some parts of the world, it is known to be legal and is known to be a profession, while it is a crime punished by death in other parts of the world. Prostitution also known as a form of human rights. In many countries, women are vulnerable and trafficked into the sex trade. Certain religions oppose prostitution, saying it as a threat to the moral codes lay down in their scriptures. Many sex worker activists view it as a human rights issue. There are four things about prostitution that legal teams find interesting and they are victimization, ethics and morality, freedom of the individual and general benefit or harm to society. Victimization issues are people who support legal prostitution and argue that this is a consensual sex act between adults. Many advocates that are against prostitution say that all prostitutes are victims and that this kind of behavior leads to serious psychological...
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...World’s Oldest Profession Prostitution is the act of offering sexual services to another person in return for money. Prostitution is often referred to as the world’s oldest profession and has existed in the sex industry for centuries occurring all over the world. Since prostitution first began the debate has raged: should prostitution be legalized or not? To protect the safety of sex trade workers, the time has come to legalize prostitution. A major argument for legalizing prostitution is the questionable logic of criminalizing an activity that occurs routinely in our society. The services of a prostitute are used regularly by many people. According to Doctor Allan Schwartz, four main reasons that men visit prostitutes are a “compulsive need for sex, an insatiable need for sexual pleasure, a fear of intimacy or relationships, and misogyny” (Schwartz). These reasons for using the services of prostitutes have existed for a long period of time and the demand for paid sex will always exist. In many segments of society paying for sex is acceptable. History has proven that eliminating prostitution is not possible. Decriminalizing the sex trade will recognize prostitutions role in our society. Prostitution is generally an act between consenting adults and different categories include street, brothels, escorts and sex tourism. According to Sherry F. Colb of Rutgers Law School, prostitution is classified as a victimless crime. She states “What makes prostitution a victimless crime in...
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...Chang Gyu Lee Professor Imbarus English 1C 25 April 2015 Prostitution Should Be legalized Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual relations in exchange for payment or some other benefit. Prostitution is commonly referred to as “the oldest profession”, which is commonly, far from exaggeration. For as long back as human being have records, evidence can be found of people selling sex for various kind of gains. When the invaders were running around slaughtering the native people, they also were enjoying the pleasures of local prostitutes. In the fourth century, Athenian orator Apollodoros said "we have courtesans for pleasure, and concubines for the daily service of our bodies, but wives for the production of legitimate offspring and to have reliable guardians of our household property." And yet, in the modern world, where people claim to be the most socially financially advanced, prostitution is still an illegal action. Prostitution is one of the growing concerns around the world. Governments of different countries seem to have no answer to this illegal act. While in some countries, it has been legalized, in others it is strongly condemned due to cultural and religious factors. Prostitution in recent years has become a business for many. Many of the people hire prostitutes and sell them to men looking for sexual pleasure for loads of money. The question is if prostitution is illegal then why is the industry for prostitutes expanding? The society...
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...Nussbaum declares that prostitution is comparable to other common jobs such as a chicken factory worker, a domestic servant, a nightclub singer, a professor, a masseuse and a colonoscopy artist. However, I would like to challenge this. If prostitution were to be considered a valid job, it would have to meet the OSHA standards for worker safety, sexual harassment, and civil rights; yet, it does not. As a result of this, I believe that Watson is correct with regards to whether or not "sex work" is true work. She takes a unique route on prostitution by building on the Nordic model through the lens of worker safety, sexual harassment, and civil rights. Watson states in "Why Sex Work isn't Work" that no one chooses the occupation of prostitution. Instead, one is forced into the selling of their body for money due to poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, or mental health issues. I will...
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...Prostitution is considered by many historians to be the oldest profession on the planet; traced back before ancient eastern scripture, and has been disputed since it’s inception. The question then arises: is prostitution morally sound? While Kant believed that prostitution was unethical and should be avoided, I contend that the conscious and choice act of prostitution (discounting cases of forced and child harlotry), done voluntarily and of one’s own accord is morally well-founded. Such a legal reform to decriminalize and provide the right of prostitution would respect that which we hold most dear: our autonomy. From time immemorial, human beings have sought escape from the stresses of society, and since then prostitutes have welcomed their business and soothed their nerves. It has spawned a great variety of opinions; from being an honest and blue-collar profession not unlike any other, to a vile and contemptible trade resorted to only by the dregs and undesirables of society. But while opinions exist, it is not yet clear whether prostitution is morally valid and should be legalized. Prussian philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) believed that morality and its requirements were subject to a universal order; something he termed the Categorical Imperative. But to form an indubitable foundation for such a law, he first needed to establish a common moral knowledge, and so Kant determined that “..nothing in the world—indeed nothing even beyond the world—can possibly be conceived...
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...The problem with prostitution Over the past two decades, Canada's prostitution laws have faced a number of challenges. Soon they will face another. By The Vancouver Sun August 27, 2007 Over the past two decades, Canada's prostitution laws have faced a number of challenges. Soon they will face another. A group of Vancouver lawyers and sex workers have initiated a Charter challenge arguing that our present laws violate their right to life, liberty, security, equality and free expression. Our laws don't actually prohibit prostitution per se. They just ban any mechanism of engaging in it -- from soliciting for the purposes of prostitution to operating a common bawdy house. Those bringing the challenge argue that the laws do more harm than good. They argue that our criminal laws expose sex workers to significant harm: Physical and sexual violence, lack of access to police protection, social stigma, inequality, exploitation and murder. Their solution? Strike down the laws and institute a regulatory scheme to help make being a prostitute safer. There is something fundamentally wrong with this vision. Prostitution laws don't expose sex workers to an increased risk of physical and sexual violence, psychological injury, kidnapping and death. Prostitution does that. Should drug dealers challenge laws banning the selling of drugs because those laws force them to sell drugs in alleys and deal with shady individuals in their business? No. They should stop selling drugs...
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...SOCRATES’ PHILOSOPHY AND THE SOCIAL ISSUE OF PROSTITUTION “It is not living that matters, but living rightly” -Socrates To live is a big adventure but living rightly is the biggest adventure. It’s not just important to live life, anyone can go on living, but it is on how you live life. In today’s terms, I would say it would be to live life to the fullest and be a good citizen, for some, this may to follow doings as their religion says, for others, it may just to participate in one’s community, for me, it is to live life a happy and prosperous life without much wrong-doing and to follow a life believing in God. Prostitution is one of the rampant social issues here in the Philippines. It is not just an issue of the society, but it is also an issue of morality. Having sexual intercourse to anyone to make a living is definitely evil. Prostitution is spreading uncontrollably and it really sounds deplorably bad. In this complex world, we are living in a never ending competition in order to survive, but doing such act of prostitution does not justify the idea of the survival of the fittest. We have to consider the morality of our actions because even if the consideration or the money you get of doing such prostitution is for the sake of the needs of your family, it will not apparently justify your means. Yes, you do live and survive, but the question is, did you live rightly? No of course, wrong way of life cannot be lived rightly. We can live happily and at the same time survive...
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