That's what I can think of at the moment. I disagree with most of them, though. It all depends how you angle an argument. I would make sure that you address all the so-called negatives first before proposing that the positives outweigh them.
Nebbiolo Just so as you don't think I'm stalking you, or accusing you of supporting something you don't I've quoted your comment above.
I just wanted to use some of your list below as it conveniently summarises most of the salient points. I'm
not attempting to imply you support any of them.
First a general point. Only women prostitutes have been mentioned. But it's an occupation open to both sexes. Male prostitution seems to get less publicity but all of the same drawbacks seem to apply.
1. Removes women from the grips of organised criminals.
It doesn't. Legit business won't touch them for all the obvious reasons. Legal brothels are run by criminals as legit businesses, which - as prostitution generates cash for which no proof of source is required (eg VAT returns, receipts, invoices etc) can very easily be used for money laundering. Also there was a report I saw recently which claimed that some (many?) women working in legal brothels in the US were held illegally as a form of bonded labour against drug debts.
2. Legitimises the right of women to do with their bodies as they please
They have that right already, they just aren't allowed to advertise them for sale. Same goes for male prostitutes. Hands up who would be up for trying their er...hand, etc ? Count me out.
3. Brings these women into the mainstream of society. They are not criminals anymore, but taxpayers and contribute the same as everyone else. They are productive members of society.
It'll be a while before 'taxpaying whore' becomes a compliment.
4. Allows for women to have necessary health checks
They can (and should) anyway. As should the men who use them. Assuming that trasmission can be reduced by screening only the prostitutes risks creating a false sense of security. Many conditions are/can be asymptomatic (Trich, Herpes etc) and the assumption will be that a prostitute is healthy until proven to be a carrier by which time they could have had hundreds of partners. (let's say they have monthly check ups and average 10 partners a day - so up to 309 infected partners.
AIDS is not detectable for up to six months after infection but can still be transmitted.
5. Reduces sexually transmitted diseases (need evidence for that claim)
See above
6. Reduces instances of rape or sexual abuse (as above)
Apart from date rape, obsession/stalking and paedophiles?
Anyway if prostitution and brothels are as common as believed how come there's still rape?
7. Reduces the traffic of women
Only assuming it's possible to adequately check the women working in brothels are there voluntarily - see point 1. It also assumes that illegal brothels will cease to exist if legal brothels exist. What if more widespread social acceptance of brothels simply reduced interest in cracking down on illegal operators, which are already difficult enough to identify and close down.
8. Keeps women off the street and has the benefit of less of the social problems associated with areas where kerb crawlers frequent (drug use, innocent women be accosted, rape)
Let's ask whoever is living next door to the brothels how they feel.
9. In keeping with the liberal principle of JS Mill: That the only just reason power can be asserted over others is to prevent harm to others.
Human traficking, AIDS etc
10. Keeps government out of our private lives. Who is government to moralise?
That opens several cans of worms including the question of whether there should be an age of consent. In a democracy governments are elected by a majority of the voters to enact legislation on their behalf. If the voters don't agree with the 'moralising' of the people they elected they can vote them out.
11. Essentially prostitution is a victimless crime
A view which might not be backed up by a poll of 'retired' prostitutes.
12. Prostitution will always continue, why fight it?
So will burglery, paedophilia, fraud, terrorism. And we fight them because we find them morally reprehensible and their existance detremental to society.
