Đề tài Should prostitution be legalized?

	HANOI UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
WRITING TERM 3
A SECONDARY RESEARCH ESSAY
SHOULD PROSTITUTION BE LEGALIZED?
	LECTURER: Đặng Hoàng Anh Thư (M.A)
	 STUDENTS: Lê Thị Phương Chi
	 Phạm Thị Hoa
	CLASS:	5A13
Hanoi – December, 2014
Prostitution has existed for a long time and the history of prostitution put its foot to all ancient and modern societies. Since the mid-1980s, the issues of prostitution have been highly charged and hotly debated. Prostitution is legal in77 countries; on the other hand, it has been declared as a crime in 109 countries (Robinson et al., 2010). Even if it was considered as “the oldestprofession”, prostitution is only the oldest form of oppression (U.S. Dept. of State, 2004). From our own perspectives, it is time for legislators to make a special effort to prohibit prostitution because it is harmful to women’s health and promotes the growth of human trafficking.
 First of all, when legal barriers of prostitution disappear, women’s health will not be promoted (Raymond et al., 2001). Women in the sex industry will certainly have to suffer physical violence from clients (Farley, 2004). Buyers always believe that when paying money, they are entitled to be provided with some “sexual services” (Raymond, 2003, p. 8). Therefore, if these clients are not made satisfied with their requests, they can become angry and cause more serious violence to women. Even though sex workers are given some kind of protection such as a bodyguard standing outside the door or a camera in the room, all of them are naturally to protect the buyers, but not women (Raymond et al., 2001).In addition, another effect of legitimate prostitution is raising sexually transmitted diseases. Legal prostitution only has health examinations and certification for women and ignores tests formale clients (Raymond et al., 2001). Sadly, these men will spread HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases to their victims. Moreover, the main cause of transmitting diseases is having sex without a condom. According to a research in U.S, 73 percent of women said that clients would pay more not to use condoms (Raymond et al.,2001). As a result, when sex workers were attracted by extra money, wearing the condom is not important any more. Definitely, the argument that the legalization of prostitution will protect sex workers as well as other people shows nothing but a deeply cruel lie.
Second, when prostitution is legalized, it will definitely lead to an increase in human trafficking (Cho, Dreher&Neumayer, 2012). The legalization of prostitution will gift “a safe haven for criminals” (The U.S Department of State, 2004, p.2). Also, “Organized crime networks” violate the law, evade payment of taxes and are hardly identified. The decriminalization of prostitution simply gives them a good chance to expand their profitable business. In Sweden, the government has found that although the global prostitution industry creates vast profits, much of the profits belong to human traffickers (U.S. Dept. of State, 2004). Moreover, as prostitution is one of the most profitable businesses, the legalization will expand prostitution, but not control it (Raymond et al., 2001). In the Netherlands, it is 5 percent of the national economy that prostitution now accounts for (Darley, 2001, p.4). From decriminalization of prostitution in the Netherlands in the year 2000, in the sex industry, there is an increase of 25 percent compared with ten years ago (Daley, 2001, p.4). In addition, if prostitution is officially recognized by the governments, it will not only give a gift to criminals but also increase the demand for sex slave (Malarek& Victor, 2004). In 2007, the US Department of State suggested that prostitution and allied activities such as pimping and running brothels have added fuel to the growth of modern-day slavery and operation of traffickers. As a result, the toleration or legalization of prostitution would in turn increase the incidences of human trafficking instead of curbing it. The United Nations estimated that approximately 79 percent of 2.5 million people being trafficked around the world are for sex work. Summarily, the evidence indicates clearly that the legalization of prostitution definitely lead to the increase in human trafficking.
On the other hand, supporters of legitimate prostitution believe that rape rate would decrease with the decriminalization of prostitution (Cundiff, 2004).They argue that recognizing prostitution as a legitimate career is likely to reduce violence against sex workers by providing them a safe working environment. However, “women in prostitution are 18 times more likely to be murdered than the general population and it shows that legal prostitution may not always translate into a protective environment” (New Philanthropy Capital, 2007). Moreover, when prostitution itself bought rape, the legalization cannot change the nature of violence on prostitution (Coalition against Trafficking in Women, 2007). Farley’s research in nine countries (2003) indicated that 63 percent was raped and 71 percent of women in prostitution were physically assaulted. Truly, when women can be either bought or stolen for sexual use, rape will never have an end.
In conclusion, the legal status of prostitution will have an enormous impact on sex workers’ health as well as human trafficking inflow. Checkley (2007, p.1) claimed that “Prostitution as an institution is evil.” As prostitution has responded negatively on equal rights and human rights, it makes no sense to approve legitimate prostitution in the modern society. In the hope of rescuing victims from prostitution and setting up an equal society, it is high time to take action and eliminate prostitution from community.
Word count: 869.
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