For nearly all of documented history, money and sex have been traded. The legality of prostitution has constantly gone from one extreme to another. Right now, a prostitute can be punished to death in one country but acknowledged as an attribute to society in another. One question must first be asked: What is prostitution? When the word “prostitute” is heard, one usually imagines a grimy, forlorn woman wearing little clothing, meandering down a dark street, looking up expectantly at the men who pass her. Encarta Encyclopedia defines prostitution as “the performance of sexual acts for the purpose of material gain.” This interpretation vastly expands the profession. Pop singers, in their revealing costumes and with their suggestive dance moves, are now prostitutes. Models who pose nearly nude to promote a new product are now prostitutes. Porn stars, who are very literally paid to have sex with someone, are prostitutes. So, a clear definition of the term must be agreed upon. I propose that prostitution be defined as the exchange of sexual acts for money, drugs, or other items of value. A major cause for people’s desire to keep prostitution illegal is their inability to separate morality from legality. These are very valid concerns, but laws cannot be based on the sense of right of the majority. They must be based on the betterment of the public as a whole. The attempt to legalize prostitution is not an attempt to fill the streets with whores. It is an attempt to make the industry safer for everyone. With the legalization of prostitution comes the ability to regulate it. Perhaps the biggest problem with the business today is the abundance of sexually transmitted diseases in the workers and their clients. Once the government has the ability to oversee this industry, the problem could significantly diminish. In order for a prostitute to have a license to work, she would be required to pass regular tests for STDs. The awareness that contracting a disease could leave them jobless would motivate prostitutes to use protection with every single client. The clients, in turn, would need to prove themselves to be clean before engaging in any sexual activities. Another benefit of legal prostitution is found in the fact that the government can tax it. Sex is a huge industry and would bring in a significant amount of revenue for the government. Also, since prostitutes would then have a legal source of income, they would be able to file taxes. Prostitutes are often the victims of abuse. Both their clients and their pimps, if they have one, take advantage of their situation and will beat them. Prostitutes who have been physically abused often feel like they have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. They certainly cannot press charges against anyone, since they themselves are involved in an illegal activity and could get in trouble with the law as well. However, were prostitution made legal, this wouldn’t be the case. Prostitutes would then be then be free to report any abuse without the fear that she will be the one put in prison. Once clients and pimps are aware of the possible consequences, the rate of physical assault will inevitably decrease. Many will argue that prostitutes are victims being exploited by the business who statistically have a traumatic past. As previously stated, legalization will help decrease exploitation by allowing the prostitutes the ability to place charges against abusers without fear. Also, women who have previously been raped or abused will have been raped or abused whether or not they go into prostitution. The idea that legalizing prostitution will increase abuse outside the business itself is ludicrous. It would not!