The topic of this thread is should prostitution be legalized. Now their are reasons for both sides of this argument and I'm interested to see who chooses what side. First and foremost NO JUDGMENTS! These are people's own opinion and should be respected. (I've edited to add more information on this topic so you can make a more informed decision.)

Here are some of the reasons for each sides position.

Pros:
1. If legalized the government would have more control over it.
2. Helps protect the prostitutes from being killed, beat, and raped.  
3.  Will help prevent "forced" prostitution (aka. parents forcing their kids to become prostitutes, nowhere else to turn, threatened to become a prostitute.) Leading cause of prostitutes.

Cons:
1. I don't want to be supporting prostitution.
2. Legalizing it would be like saying it's "okay".
3. Could encourage prostitution.  Could cause an increase in people choosing to become a prostitute by their own choice ( these
are typically professionals who do this because they like it and ten to make a six-figure salary,typically more than most doctors,but this tends to happen in mainly Australia but some in Europe). 

Well as far as I'm concerned for right now, it is illegal. But hey man people gots ta make dey moneyz. And I'm for it as long as it isn't a thing where the girl has a pimp or whatever because that is just wrong, he treats her like crap, she gets laid, but he gets a huge cut of the cash. So a prostitutes life isn't great unless she's working on her own, then she may be making decent money, but shoot yeah legalize it. I'm in favor.

Noobolicious : I 100% support the legalization of prostitution. If prostitution was legal, prostitutes would feel safer to go to the police if they had been raped or brutalized. There are countries where prostitution is legal and the prostitutes are allowed to kick men out of brothels if they disrespected them, refused to wear a condom, had an STD, etc. So on that note, legalizing prostitution can also lower the spread of STDs. As long as the prostitution is between two consenting adults, why should anybody care? Also, as long as these men and women aren't hurting anybody, how does anybody have the right to tell them what to do with their body? And HOW does it make sense that porn is legal but not prostitution? That's pretty ridiculous. What, as long as sex workers are video taped, everything's okay? Weird.

I understand that prostitution makes a lot of people (including myself) uncomfortable. In fact, I am very opposed to putting a price on something as meaningful as sex because of my personal belief that sex is supposed to be special. But who am I to let my beliefs keep others from being safe or doing what they want with their body?

That is my opinion on the issue.

As far as I'm concerned, if a person wants to risk STDs to make a buck who am I to tell them they can't? However, I don't think it should be allowed until the person is a certain age: at least 21. If there aren't laws like that then people might take advantage of young men/women.

Yes.
There is nothing physically harmfull about it. Prostitutes dont give you cancer or contribute to global warming.
The fact is, people generally dislike them because of religion.
Religion has no place in politics.
If it were legal, there would be less people traficking, less stds, less abuse and more support for them.

If it would give the girls more protection I say that's good. But If we start getting taxed on it I'm not OK with that! It is kind of already legal "escorting" but some girls just cant work with a Madam. I find it really interesting that this is what we are talking about on here though. Now I am going back to video game land see everyone on the other side

I think it should because you are inclined to see more crazy people do stuff like that anyways....

They should legalize it. After much deliberation, I think people WOULD be less likely to do rash things (ie. rape) if prostitution was legalized.  And the world could do with less crime I say.

Iconoclast? I think so! I don't think it should be legalized. Yes..people say No if they are religious, but there are nonreligious facets to Con. How could STD rates decline? By making prostitution socially acceptable newer generations will think it is alright leading to more widespread sex. Plus, would this not reduce women to things rather than living breathing human beings??

I am also in favor of legalization. It could be regulated, taxes could placed on the services (more revenue for state/local govt), and the girls (or guys) would have better protection and rights. Countries where it is legalized have little to no troubles with it and it has actually solved the problems that stereotypically come with it (like STDs and such). Also, if it is legal, there is no need for pimps, and thus it improves the lives of the prostitutes even more.

enigmaticninja : The answer to your question is simple. Look at Nevada. They are the only U.S state with legalized prostitution. They have licensed brothels where it is completely regulated. The spread of STDs is reduced because in order to have sex with any of the workers there, you must be willing to have a blood test to check for any blood born STDs such as HIV/AIDS. The brothels also check them for any externally visible STDs by a professional. So these tests determine whether or not you can have sex with the prostitutes. Having these regulated areas also prevents the prostitutes from being beaten, killed, or mistreated in any way. It reduces the sex trafficing of immigrants that is very common as well. Pretty much all of the most horrible sides of prostitution are nearly eliminated when it is regulated like in those certain counties in Nevada. Those counties showed a drastic reduce in STDs and violent crimes such as beat/rape against prostitutes since it was legalized in licensed brothels.

rcarter2 : Those results from Nevada make it look like legalizing should work but I don't get it..If we look to implement this at national level should we trust the results of several counties in Nevada opposed to the failures of Netherlands, Germany, and austria where the industry got too powerful and achieved the opposite of the intent?? http://www.humantrafficking.org/updates/643

I don't think it should be legal. Its demeaning and makes women less than human to do that kind of thing.

It should absolutely be legal. It is NOT demeaning unless the woman is FORCED into it. Furthermore, who says it's just women who will be prostitutes?

It is NOT going to spread STDs. Most countries that have legal prostitutes have strict policies about regular drug and STD testing to ensure that prostitutes don't spread disease.

I agree that if prostitutes had brothels to work in, they wouldn't have to be on the street or in some nasty hotel. They would be observable by authorities (no, I don't mean that way) and therefore less likely to be abused.

Lastly, prostitution just may save more marriages. Most men cheat because they're bored. In Spain, where I used to live, prostitution was quietly approved of and there was FAR, FAR less divorce than in the U.S., and don't tell me that it's due to the Spanish being religious -- they're not. I've been to and lived in over a dozen countries, and every fundamentalist I've ever met has been from the U.S.

I think it should be legalised.

Legal or not, it happens anyway, and if it was legalised and regulated it could be properly taxed and help out the economy. 

If it is legalised then people wouldn't get any STDs from the prostitutes because all prostitutes have to have regular checks by doctors, and all clients must wear condoms.

Of course it should be legal between consenting adults. The trade of sex has been around for thousands of years, it's because of all the idea that sex is so wrong that prostitution is illegal now.

I don't really see why prostitution should be illegal. If people want to wreck their lives by doing that stuff, let them make their own decisions. It's stupid to put people in jail for that. I personally don't believe in the practice, nor do I understand why people would pay for STD's but if you are that desperate, you can take that chance yourself.

Seriously, no, I don't support the idea of prostitution being legalized, the idea of prostitution is for those who can't get a girlfriend or want to betray the girlfriend, it should come from everybody thoughts about what is bad and what is good, on my opinion prostitution is bad, but everybody does what looks good to them...