How to deal with the prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to deal with the prostitution - Essay Example One reason states pass laws is to prevent and/or punish activities that are harmful. Decriminalizing prostitution would, in essence, be saying that it does not cause harm, and so is a private matter and not one the state can or should intervene in. Prostitution does cause harm, though, to the prostitute and to society as a whole. Prostitutes are at risk for assault, rape and other violent crimes (reference), sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV and Hepatitis C) and posttraumatic stress. (Destiny's End). Societal costs are difficult to measure, but include the spread of disease and effects on families. Prostitution is also linked to sex trafficking, and a recent State Department brief said that prostitution, "fuel(s) the growth of modern-day slavery by providing a faade behind which traffickers for sexual exploitation operate." Regulating prostitution does not prevent the harm it causes. Proponents of regulation say that regulation will prevent the spread of disease, make for safer working conditions and reduce sex trafficking and child prostitution. (Raymond). Criminalizing prostitution does have a negative effect on prostitutes because prostitutes, not the pimps or the johns, are the ones who suffer.