Answer to Question 1
In simple terms, the result of legalization of prostitution would be similar to the current system of brothels in Nevada, where prostitution is limited and controlled by the state and violation of state limits and controls, such as health, safety, and financial statutes, may be criminal offenses. Decriminalization of prostitution would remove all criminal laws relating to prostitution and equate the sex trade with any other commerce that a person chooses to pursue, as long as it adheres to the same laws governing all legal business practices.
Those in favor of the decriminalization or legalization of prostitution contend that doing so would:
- Reduce or eliminate the rampant victimization of prostitutes by pimps, johns, and the other criminal elements now associated with prostitution.
- Help control STIs (among prostitutes and the general public) by requiring sex workers to obtain regular checkups and health certificates.
- Remove many prostitutes from street work and allow them to work in a safe, controlled environment.
- Redirect more of our limited law enforcement resources into fighting other, more serious crimes.
- Eliminate the profit motive in human trafficking and much of the motivation for pimps to addict young women (and men) to drugs in order to force them into prostitution.
- Eradicate a significant source of income for criminal networks.
- Allow governments to receive tax benefits from the regulation of sex trade businesses.
The other side of the debate contends that legal prostitution:
- Has increased trafficking and victimization of children because illegal sex trade activities can be concealed behind the legal ones.
- Is predominantly violent, not truly consensual, and invariably victimizes, exploits, and injures girls and women in countless ways.
- Forces women to prostitute themselves as a last resort for economic survival.
- Leads to physical illness (such as multiple STIs and drug addiction) as well as psychological harm (especially posttraumatic stress disorder).
- Is, in reality, a form of paid rape.
- Is fundamentally immoral, and removing it from our criminal laws would be a move in the wrong direction for society and could lead to a rampant sex industry in the United States, victimizing even more girls and women.
Answer to Question 2
- Streetwalkers sell their services on the street, typically to customers driving up in cars. The women in this category typically make the least money both overall and per customer, and for most, a large percentage of their earnings go to their pimp. The streetwalkers' income usually averages under 20,000 per year. In addition, streetwalkers are in the greatest danger of arrest, violence, and contracting STIs. They tend to be less educated and are very commonly involved with illegal drug abuse. The sexual services provided by streetwalkers are typically less varied and of shorter duration than those provided by other prostitutes. The most common services are manual masturbation, oral sex, or quick vaginal intercourse.
- The call girl, as the name implies, is usually contacted by a client when her services are desired. Typically, call girls maintain a list of clients whom they see on a regular basis, ranging from once or twice a week to once a year or less. Some call girls work for a madam, who introduces them to clients and schedules dates for a percentage of the fee. Call girls will typically see far fewer clients than streetwalkers, often no more than one or two per day, but will charge more per client. High-priced call girls can earn from several hundred dollars for a date of an hour or two to several thousand or more for an entire night with one client. Many call girls earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Once a call girl has a consistent list of regular clients, she typically no longer needs to hustle to find customers. Call girls are much less likely to be drug abusers and are at significantly less risk of violence, especially once they get to know their regular customers. Some call girls are listed in the phone book or place ads in magazines, under the heading Escort Services.
- Brothel workers or house prostitutes are women who work in houses that receive paying customers. These houses of prostitution are referred to by many names and euphemisms, including brothels, bordellos, and massage parlors. In Nevada, where brothels are legal and state-controlled, prostitutes typically work under the safest conditions of all sex trade workers. These brothels are closely monitored for any signs of danger to the workers, and clients are screened before the outside gate to the entrance is opened. House prostitutes, who share fees with the house manager or madam, typically earn more money than streetwalkers but considerably less, on average, than call girls. Owing to the requirements of the state, in the case of Nevada, or of the brothel itself, house prostitutes are far more likely than streetwalkers to receive regular medical exams and use condoms consistently. Therefore, they are less likely to contract STIs, even though they may see as many as or more clients than the typical streetwalker.
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