• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Escort Services.

Should it be illegal to buy/sell sex?

  • Both should be legal

    Votes: 38 86.4%

  • Only selling should be legal

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Both should be illegal

    Votes: 6 13.6%
  • Total voters
    44
S

SCitizen

DP Veteran
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
2,138
Reaction score
316
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Other
Escort Services providers charge men $400 to much more per hour mostly for intimate services. Unlike streetwalkers almost none of Escort Service providers are exploited, and every country has law against exploiting sex workers. Escort Services provide enormous physical and emotional benefit for lonely men. Most men would feel embarrassed to support decriminalization of Escort Services for that reason, but why?

Unfortunately in some countries, buying sex and in some cases selling sex is illegal. In most US states, both acts are illegal since mid 20th century. In Sweden since 1999, South Korea since 2004, Norway since 2009, Iceland since 2009, North Ireland and Canada since 2014, and France since 2016 buying sex is illegal. In all formerly Socialist countries both selling and buying sex was illegal during most of Communist reign. In Russia, it was outlawed in 1918 and the law was "forgotten" in 1980s. In China it was outlawed in 1949, and the law was "forgotten" in 2000s.

In USA the ban on selling and buying sex is diligently enforced. Even though #notallpolicedepartments reported their data to FBI, for the districts reporting in 2012, 25,000 providers and 11,000 customers have been arrested. According to a 2006 MSNBC article "A consumer guide to prostitutes is a click away", David R. Elms has set up an Escort Service review site which in fact helps customers avoid Law Enforcement. By 2006, they were not able to prosecute him.

Maybe someday many states will legalize Escort Services.
 
Both should be legal if there is serious attention to prevent forced prostitution and human trafficking.
 
The chief argument in favor of anti-prostitution laws is that sex workers are victims of exploitation and trafficking, and yet, as cited above, the police arrest more prostitutes than customers or pimps.

I think that says everything that needs to be said about the legitimacy of those laws.
 
Peter King said:
Both should be legal if there is serious attention to prevent forced prostitution and human trafficking.
Click to expand...

Definitely, exploitation should be prevented. But hopefully all consensual activity between adults would be legal.

No one could imagine in the peak of Drug War in 1990s that marijuana would be legalized.
 
SCitizen said:
Definitely, exploitation should be prevented. But hopefully all consensual activity between adults would be legal.

No one could imagine in the peak of Drug War in 1990s that marijuana would be legalized.
Click to expand...

Healthcare of the prostitutes and their patrons and protection from pimps/violence/forced prostitution should always have been the goal in prostitution IMO. Why criminalize sex between willing adults for a fee. If they had legalized prostitution they could have destroyed the position of pimps and more importantly, prostitution could have been taken out of the criminal circuit/organized crime.
 
I really don't approve of it. It cheapens sex, taking something that is supposed to be special, intimate, and an act of bonding, and making it a temporary commercial activity.

Not to mention all the various associated risks and ugly issues that tend to arise from it.


On the flip side, it isn't as if laws are going to make it go away. World's oldest profession and all that. Not to mention a fair number of marriages aren't really much more than a formalized and long term version of prostitution... hence the terms trophy wife, gold-digger and so on.


Nor is my approval or disapproval particularly important. The important bit in any question of whether something should be legal is whether society has a compelling interest and damn good reason for making something illegal...and whether so doing will actually have an overall positive outcome.


Since the sex trade won't go away any more than drug use will, I suppose it might as well be brought into the light, taxed and regulated. CAREFULLY regulated, to protect all concerned from the many downsides of the trade.


I don't like it much but there it is.
 
Peter King said:
Both should be legal if there is serious attention to prevent forced prostitution and human trafficking.
Click to expand...

Very important "if". Prohibitions of victimless crimes grow the state and cost us money.
 
SCitizen said:
Escort Services providers charge men $400 to much more per hour mostly for intimate services. Unlike streetwalkers almost none of Escort Service providers are exploited, and every country has law against exploiting sex workers. Escort Services provide enormous physical and emotional benefit for lonely men. Most men would feel embarrassed to support decriminalization of Escort Services for that reason, but why?

Unfortunately in some countries, buying sex and in some cases selling sex is illegal. In most US states, both acts are illegal since mid 20th century. In Sweden since 1999, South Korea since 2004, Norway since 2009, Iceland since 2009, North Ireland and Canada since 2014, and France since 2016 buying sex is illegal. In all formerly Socialist countries both selling and buying sex was illegal during most of Communist reign. In Russia, it was outlawed in 1918 and the law was "forgotten" in 1980s. In China it was outlawed in 1949, and the law was "forgotten" in 2000s.

In USA the ban on selling and buying sex is diligently enforced. Even though #notallpolicedepartments reported their data to FBI, for the districts reporting in 2012, 25,000 providers and 11,000 customers have been arrested. According to a 2006 MSNBC article "A consumer guide to prostitutes is a click away", David R. Elms has set up an Escort Service review site which in fact helps customers avoid Law Enforcement. By 2006, they were not able to prosecute him.

Maybe someday many states will legalize Escort Services.
Click to expand...

Consenting adults ought to have the right to do anything they want, even for a fee.
 
Goshin said:
I really don't approve of it. It cheapens sex, taking something that is supposed to be special, intimate, and an act of bonding, and making it a temporary commercial activity.

Not to mention all the various associated risks and ugly issues that tend to arise from it.


On the flip side, it isn't as if laws are going to make it go away. World's oldest profession and all that. Not to mention a fair number of marriages aren't really much more than a formalized and long term version of prostitution... hence the terms trophy wife, gold-digger and so on.


Nor is my approval or disapproval particularly important. The important bit in any question of whether something should be legal is whether society has a compelling interest and damn good reason for making something illegal...and whether so doing will actually have an overall positive outcome.


Since the sex trade won't go away any more than drug use will, I suppose it might as well be brought into the light, taxed and regulated. CAREFULLY regulated, to protect all concerned from the many downsides of the trade.


I don't like it much but there it is.
Click to expand...

A very excellent post! probably agree 100% or t least like 95%. I feel basically the same way, while I may have my own personal feelings towards it based laws, rights, harm, society etc I can never come up with a good reason to keep it illegal. Why are most other forms of physical labor completely fine but not sex acts? Porn is legal but not independent unassociated personal contractors? While I may frown on it, it just never made sense.

If I vacuum a room for my neighbor for a fee and that's fine, NOT a crime.
If I vacuum a room, while I'm naked, for my neighbor for a fee, that's not fine, it's a crime
If I vacuum a room, while I'm naked, for my neighbor for a FREE, that's fine, NOT a crime.

That just doesn't add up. If I gave sex away just to make people feel good it's legal, but if I charge a dollar it's a crime? It's just a very weird thing to me. I say legalize it and regulate it to its core. IMO this would make it much safer, cleaner and help cut down on the related crimes and activities that are currently associated with it.
 
LaylaWindu said:
A very excellent post! probably agree 100% or t least like 95%. I feel basically the same way, while I may have my own personal feelings towards it based laws, rights, harm, society etc I can never come up with a good reason to keep it illegal. Why are most other forms of physical labor completely fine but not sex acts? Porn is legal but not independent unassociated personal contractors? While I may frown on it, it just never made sense.

If I vacuum a room for my neighbor for a fee and that's fine, NOT a crime.
If I vacuum a room, while I'm naked, for my neighbor for a fee, that's not fine, it's a crime
If I vacuum a room, while I'm naked, for my neighbor for a FREE, that's fine, NOT a crime.

That just doesn't add up. If I gave sex away just to make people feel good it's legal, but if I charge a dollar it's a crime? It's just a very weird thing to me. I say legalize it and regulate it to its core. IMO this would make it much safer, cleaner and help cut down on the related crimes and activities that are currently associated with it.
Click to expand...

download-1-450x237-1-450x237.png
 
LaylaWindu said:
?????
Click to expand...

Do you not watch Shameless, lol. That's Kevin's topless maid cleaning service. :2razz:

You are the one who brought up vacuuming your neighbors house nekkid. :lol:
 
Winchester said:
Do you not watch Shameless, lol. That's Kevin's topless maid cleaning service. :2razz:

You are the one who brought up vacuuming your neighbors house nekkid. :lol:
Click to expand...

I do watch shameless but it's sporadic. I don't even know what I have seen and what I haven't seen. :( Damn, I'm bummed I missed the joke. :)
 
I'm in favor of decriminalizing sex workers, but not their customers or their pimps. We need to give maximum agency to the workers.

The reason I don't favor straight up legalization is because it will let the pimps and traffickers operate in broad daylight. They would just conceal their activities under other guises like they are already doing. If we tilt the power to favor the workers then they can get help if they need it by reporting abuses. For the workers that want to be doing the work, they can continue doing it without fear of reprisals.

Decriminalization also lets workers rent space from landlords rather than allowing the landlords to become de facto pimps of brothels.
 
Northern Light said:
I'm in favor of decriminalizing sex workers, but not their customers or their pimps. We need to give maximum agency to the workers.

The reason I don't favor straight up legalization is because it will let the pimps and traffickers operate in broad daylight. They would just conceal their activities under other guises like they are already doing. If we tilt the power to favor the workers then they can get help if they need it by reporting abuses. For the workers that want to be doing the work, they can continue doing it without fear of reprisals.

Decriminalization also lets workers rent space from landlords rather than allowing the landlords to become de facto pimps of brothels.
Click to expand...

Cities do have the ability to zone red light districts, not like peeps are going to be able to set up on street corners across from the local high school.
 
Northern Light said:
I'm in favor of decriminalizing sex workers, but not their customers or their pimps. We need to give maximum agency to the workers.

The reason I don't favor straight up legalization is because it will let the pimps and traffickers operate in broad daylight. They would just conceal their activities under other guises like they are already doing. If we tilt the power to favor the workers then they can get help if they need it by reporting abuses. For the workers that want to be doing the work, they can continue doing it without fear of reprisals.

Decriminalization also lets workers rent space from landlords rather than allowing the landlords to become de facto pimps of brothels.
Click to expand...

If it's regulated then no pimps and traffickers exist under the regulations. Would people still try to do illegal activity? of course people always do but the regulation would cut down on that massively and help expose it.
 
LaylaWindu said:
If it's regulated then no pimps and traffickers exist under the regulations. Would people still try to do illegal activity? of course people always do but the regulation would cut down on that massively and help expose it.
Click to expand...

You need to understand the power structures that exist in the sex industry, even in legal areas, to understand why decriminalization would be better -- at least at first.

First you shift the power to the workers, then let the workers establish the foundation of the industry within the legal framework, then you legalize it. Decriminalization gives agency to the people who want to get out, like trafficked workers. It cleans house.

If you go straight to legalization then the crime lords will still have total control.
 
Well, if I found a lady to be sexually attractive, and we ended up doing the McNasty, and she wanted to pay me for it, I wouldn't want her to have to go for jail for that.

But I would never pay someone for sex myself. If anything, they should pay me. :mrgreen:
 
LaylaWindu said:
A very excellent post! probably agree 100% or t least like 95%. I feel basically the same way, while I may have my own personal feelings towards it based laws, rights, harm, society etc I can never come up with a good reason to keep it illegal. Why are most other forms of physical labor completely fine but not sex acts? Porn is legal but not independent unassociated personal contractors?
Click to expand...

Thank you. Likewise it was unthinkable in 1990s that marijuana will be legalized. The laws are based on the opinion of majority of people.
 
SCitizen said:
Thank you. Likewise it was unthinkable in 1990s that marijuana will be legalized. The laws are based on the opinion of majority of people.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I'm confused, what are you thanking me for.
 
LaylaWindu said:
If it's regulated then no pimps and traffickers exist under the regulations. Would people still try to do illegal activity? of course people always do but the regulation would cut down on that massively and help expose it.
Click to expand...

Definitely, sex workers should have full protection of the law or even more given the dangers.
 
The litmus test is: Does it increase the number of abortions? If it increased the number of unborn babies killed by abortion, it should be unlawful.
 
LaylaWindu said:
A very excellent post! probably agree 100% or t least like 95%. I feel basically the same way, while I may have my own personal feelings towards it based laws, rights, harm, society etc I can never come up with a good reason to keep it illegal. Why are most other forms of physical labor completely fine but not sex acts? Porn is legal but not independent unassociated personal contractors? While I may frown on it, it just never made sense.

If I vacuum a room for my neighbor for a fee and that's fine, NOT a crime.
If I vacuum a room, while I'm naked, for my neighbor for a fee, that's not fine, it's a crime
If I vacuum a room, while I'm naked, for my neighbor for a FREE, that's fine, NOT a crime.

That just doesn't add up. If I gave sex away just to make people feel good it's legal, but if I charge a dollar it's a crime? It's just a very weird thing to me. I say legalize it and regulate it to its core. IMO this would make it much safer, cleaner and help cut down on the related crimes and activities that are currently associated with it.
Click to expand...


I believe that you can vacuum the room for a fee while naked, but vacuuming your neighbor for a fee is not in the US
 
SCitizen said:
Escort Services providers charge men $400 to much more per hour mostly for intimate services. Unlike streetwalkers almost none of Escort Service providers are exploited, and every country has law against exploiting sex workers. Escort Services provide enormous physical and emotional benefit for lonely men. Most men would feel embarrassed to support decriminalization of Escort Services for that reason, but why?

Unfortunately in some countries, buying sex and in some cases selling sex is illegal. In most US states, both acts are illegal since mid 20th century. In Sweden since 1999, South Korea since 2004, Norway since 2009, Iceland since 2009, North Ireland and Canada since 2014, and France since 2016 buying sex is illegal. In all formerly Socialist countries both selling and buying sex was illegal during most of Communist reign. In Russia, it was outlawed in 1918 and the law was "forgotten" in 1980s. In China it was outlawed in 1949, and the law was "forgotten" in 2000s.

In USA the ban on selling and buying sex is diligently enforced. Even though #notallpolicedepartments reported their data to FBI, for the districts reporting in 2012, 25,000 providers and 11,000 customers have been arrested. According to a 2006 MSNBC article "A consumer guide to prostitutes is a click away", David R. Elms has set up an Escort Service review site which in fact helps customers avoid Law Enforcement. By 2006, they were not able to prosecute him.

Maybe someday many states will legalize Escort Services.
Click to expand...

Legalize it, regulate it and tax it. It's never going to stop, we may as well use it to our advantage $$$
 
jet57 said:
Legalize it, regulate it and tax it. It's never going to stop, we may as well use it to our advantage $$$
Click to expand...

In 1997, the War on Drugs was at its peak -- only a few hippies did not understand that there would be no chance for legal marijuana in some states.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom