Published Sept. 01, 1997 in “the WHY!? Paper”
Should prostitution be legalized? Hmm. Let us ponder this a bit. But first let us take a look at a few of the players.
It seems apparent to me (though not to some), that our society’s moral integrity has been under assault as of late by those who thrive on the fringes of our legal system. By that I mean that activists acting in conjunction with hired guns (lawyers with less scruples than normal who aim to make a name for themselves) have begun to sell the very soul of our society for a way to solve the worlds ills that would seem “easier.” These people have (by various means) insinuated themselves into the fore of this debate.
Once again it has fallen to the citizenry of this nation to defend itself from the ministrations of an extremely vocal minority. One that insists upon selling out the few remaining threads of dignity and decency left in our society. And now to the point: There are those who would wish to alleviate the strain upon our law enforcement resources by eliminating from the books certain laws that are somewhat difficult and time consuming to enforce. (Not to mention unpopular with the hedonists). When such topics are discussed, prostitution invariably comes to mind. That “oldest of professions” is what we will consider today. First, let us take a look at the reasons given for legalization:
- Prostitution laws eat away at the resources of our police forces.
- Prostitution is a victimless crime; it doesn’t hurt anyone.
- A woman should have the right to use her body in any ways she sees fit.
Legalization of prostitution would lessen the rape and sexual assault rates by providing an outlet for sexually frustrated individuals who might commit these crimes without the availability of prostitutes.
Let us first examine the effects of prostitution; think of what comes with it. Drugs come with prostitution. It has been shown time and again through exhaustive studies that prostitution and drug abuse are intertwined with each other. And of course with the drug use comes the inevitable rise in criminal activity, gang activity, and violent crime. Add to this the detrimental effects on families; the ready supply of prostitutes presents a tempting diversion for wayward spouses who would otherwise stay at home with their wives and children. (thus contributing to a sharp rise in the broken homes, single-parent families, and use of welfare support.)
Can you see how these things which accompany prostitution can and do damage the community? Please, don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself. Look into how the crime rates in regions where prostitution has been legalized.
Take, for example, Las Vegas. Last month in this city, there were 11 murders in one weekend. Just one example of how the breakdown in the moral fiber of the community has lead to an increase in violence and criminal activity.
Ok, now that we have determined the effects of prostitution, the harm that it does to the community, what is the cost? The cost is obviously apparent in the increased costs of additional Law Enforcement needed to deal with the increased crime rates, but there are also other costs; consider the costs of medical treatment for the increased instances of STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases) such as AIDS.
What have we established? We have shown that;
Legalized prostitution increases the crime rates, requiring more Law Enforcement assets.
The society as a whole is the victim here, suffering more crimes and increased burdens on the public medical and welfare systems.
The supposed rights of individual women to do what they please with their bodies has infringed upon the right of the public to safe and wholesome living conditions (invalidating that position).
Lastly, extensive records clearly show a dramatic increase in the instances of rape and sexual assaults in areas that have legalized prostitution.
Look for yourself, the statistics and past experiences tell the tale. Legalizing prostitution has created far more problems than it has ever attempted to solve.
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