Should prostitution be legalized?

I think there are a lot of good reasons for legalizing prostitution. As long as only the people making tons of money at it were taxed (i.e. the Spitzer call girl), the financial implications for the government might be significant. Of course, those who only make enough to get by from day to day, i.e., the majority of prostitutes, should not be taxed on that income.

Also, and this argument is most compelling to me, if prostitution were legal, then women in that profession would be less afraid to go to the police if they were abused, either by clients or by pimps. Prostitutes take so much abuse, it's really quite sad, because they have no one they can reliably turn to for fear of arrest.

To say that prostitution is a victimless crime that need not be illegal is a bullshit claim that rests on a serious error in philosophy. The purpose of laws are not solely to provide protection, but more importantly, we have laws to establish standards in society. To say that you can't legislate morality is stupid. Congress has been successfully legislating moral standards for 200 years. Laws are not just for protection, they provide standards already deemed good by the society. Our society has already deemed prostitution to be morally repugnant. . But beyond this prostitution is still wrong because there are many great harms caused by it. Real people are hurt in real ways everyday, in Nevada and around the world, regulated (clean) or not, victims are still abundant.
Prostitution is highly injurious and destructive to women everywhere because it objectifies them. It dehumanizes women and discriminates against them all. Notice how our language changes when discussing prostitution. We no longer talk about the people as humans. We are always sure to use words like "whore" and "slut". After a while one can barely remember that "she" is a human being! This strips away any sign of individuality and makes men view women as good for only one thing and not having the right to anything greater. There is real and great harm done when the reputation and views of women become distorted for and within the minds of men. Also, given the correlation between sex, power, and violence. Prostitution suggests that violence against women is acceptable and that men should be able to own them,(even if temporarily).
Too many guys believe in the myth of casual sex. Too many girls fail to recognize the significance of their own bodies. Our culture tries to teach us the lie that sex can be done apart from commitment, consequence, responsibility, or even love. (Hence all the bullshit about "hooking up" just for fun.) The truth is that all sexual acts carry with them great significance. If you were to take out just one sexual act from history then many people who are alive and making the world go round today would simply not exist.
If humankind is greater than the animals of the earth then logically there is something significant and special about our kind. Our entire lives are filled with proof of this. Everyday when we wake up in our heated and cooled houses we are reminded that we are obviously set apart and special above all other creatures of the earth. Our bodies and minds are significant. This is part of the natural law. Indeed there is such a thing as the profound significance of the body. Based on this principal of significance, one can say that casual, uncommitted, unsafe, and/or irresponsible sexual acts are wrong because they take away from the beauty and significance of the body by reducing it to a mere means to an end.

Yes make them legal. That is the oldest trade on earth

Even though it's morally frowned upon, for most of history it was legal. I do think it should be legalized, because the only people possibly getting hurt are the two in the situation.
Anyway, if a guy picks up a girl at a bar and takes her home and bangs her, that's totally legal! So, what's the difference? No money exchanged, but otherwise it's the same.

I believe it should be legalized because people have needs and looking at the good side of it this could really have a lots of pros like practice to please your partner
it would make prostitutes have benefits like in every other job. it would make people aware more about sex and its dangers. it would help lots of desperate mothers with children to raise them and have money to give them whatever they might need
it would make people get over the fact that its just sex making relationships about each other and not just about sex
it would help people feel more secure about having sex
and it would minimize unwanted pregnancies since everyone could have sex without consequence instead of recurring to raping or kidnapping
those are the ones I can think off the top of my head of reasons why it should be legalized but I'm sure people have reasons why it shouldn't

As a trucker, I have seen the best of prostitution in the Nevada system. It is regulated, protected and in some ways sheltered in some places so that it does not "Irrevocably damage out children" as one hardcore church goer once said. The women there are clean, professional and protected. They are at least 21 and checked every week. No exceptions. I feel the brothel system is best, Asian massage parlors should follow suit as well. The legalized system will help crack down on child porn, street whores and in some ways, lessen sexual harassment. Why ask a woman out risking harassment when you can get a sure thing at the cat-house?

In contrast, I have also seen the worst in prostitution. The street rats are just plain bad, the Lot-Lizards that scurry around the truck stops are even worse. Strung out, smelly, stinky, ugly as hell and old. That is what illegal, unregulated prostitution.

I am a very strong supporter of legalized prostitution as it helps in many ways. USA is the ONLY first world country that opposes it to such a vehement degree. For each hot handsome guy there is, there are about 12 who are just lacking in what women want, yet those poor souls are expected to find and marry ANY woman in no time with no effort at all. Reality is far more harsh. Quite a contradiction eh? Be with hot lovely woman or don't be with anyone at all is what I hear all the time. Women don't want to be approached for dating or sex but cannot figure out why we don't ask them out. By introducing legal prostitution drastically reduces a man asking women for a booty call. So the logic follows.

Legal prostitution if regulated properly can only lead to a stronger better nation. Let's face it folks, the church and marriage is just not working anymore and it's not going to go back to those old ways. Sure, married men may cheat but some have always done so even without the use of prostitution.

The way I see it, to legalize prostitution would strengthen marriages. Meaning: does a woman want to be replaced by $500 hoe? I don't think so. Quite a sensitive subject, I am sure that some of you will have some choice words for me. But is the current way of things any better?

Well people have ethical and moral reasons for keeping it illegal but I'd be for legalization

I do believe that it should be legal, but only if it were regulated to some extent. I think that From a medical stand point and for fear (at least my fear) of the spread of an std, that there should be test that the prostitute has to take every so often to be sure she is free of std's and other things that could get people sick.

I feel that once it is legal, that no matter what the income level of a person I that industry, they should pay income tax on it. Just because they are having a hard time making money does not mean they can't help in sharing the tax burden. Look at other areas of work, Nurse's, air line pilots, and many other professions, people still struggle to make ends meet at times and they still pay their share of taxes. When it is not legal, they are making tax free money and not helping pay like people in other industries.