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Regulated prostitution
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In some countries prostitution (the exchange of sex for money) is illegal, in a number of countries, prostitution is legal, but many activities which surround it are prohibited (many times making it difficult for people to engage in prostitution without breaking any law), while in other countries prostitution is legal and regulated (including in a few jurisdictions in countries where prostitution is otherwise illegal).
In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, prostitution itself is not illegal, but many activities often associated with it, such as soliciting, pimping or operating a brothel are illegal.
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Encyclopedia
In some countries prostitution (the exchange of sex for money) is illegal, in a number of countries, prostitution is legal, but many activities which surround it are prohibited (many times making it difficult for people to engage in prostitution without breaking any law), while in other countries prostitution is legal and regulated (including in a few jurisdictions in countries where prostitution is otherwise illegal).
In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, prostitution itself is not illegal, but many activities often associated with it, such as soliciting, pimping or operating a brothel are illegal. In such countries prostitution is not regulated (prostitutes do not have to undergo health checks, they do not have to register, their activity is not considered a recognized field of work etc).
In some jurisdictions, such as some rural Nevada counties (see Prostitution in Nevada), Switzerland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and several Australian states, prostitution is legal and regulated (the degree of regulation varies by country, for example in Netherlands prostitutes are not required to undergo mandatory health checks). In others, such as the Philippines, prostitution, whilst technically illegal, is in practice tolerated by the authorities and subject to regulation.
Such approaches are taken with the stance that prostitution is impossible to eliminate and thus these societies have chosen to regulate it in ways that reduce the more undesirable consequences. Goals of such regulations include controlling sexually transmitted disease, reducing sexual slavery, controlling where brothels may operate and dissociating prostitution from crime syndicates.
In the Netherlands and New Zealand legalisation of prostitution has similar objectives, as well as improving health and working conditions for the prostitutes and weakening the link between prostitution and criminality.
Some countries display official "no prostitutes here" signs to indicate areas where it is illegal to solicit a prostitute. In countries where prostitution is legal it is usual for the practice to be restricted to particular areas. These signs are used to indicate areas in which it is not legal for such activities. These signs can be seen in Malaysia and Iraq. In Germany, the use of the signs during the Football World Cup 2006 was considered.
Mandatory health checks
A few jurisdictions require that prostitutes undergo regular health checks for sexually transmitted diseases.
In Nevada, state law requires that registered brothel prostitutes be checked weekly for several sexually transmitted diseases and monthly for HIV; furthermore, condoms are mandatory for all oral sex and sexual intercourse. Brothel owners may be held liable if customers become infected with HIV after a prostitute has tested positive for the virus. Prostitution outside the licensed brothels is illegal throughout the state; all forms of prostitution are illegal in Las Vegas (and Clark County which contains its metropolitan area), in Reno, in Carson City and in a few other parts of the state (currently 8 out of Nevada's 16 counties have active brothels, see Prostitution in Nevada).
Labour laws
The regulation of prostitution is problematic because standard labour regulations cannot be applied to prostitution. The typical relation between employer and employee where the employer is in a position of authority over the employee is - in the case of prostitution - viewed by many as contrary to the physical integrity of the prostitute. It is forbidden to order a person to have sex on a given moment at a given place. Many sex operators also do not want to pay social security contributions which comes with paid labor. Therefore many prostitutes - in countries where prostitution is regulated - are officially listed as independent contractors. Sex operators typically operate as facilitators only and do not interfere with the prostitutes. For instance, exploratory interviews of prostitutes by the sex operators to filter out victims of human trafficking could be interpreted by the tax department as a relation of authority between employer and employee. It is therefore easy for human traffickers to place their women in legal sex businesses. The major benefits of regulating prostitution therefore are lost.
Loans and insurances
It is difficult for prostitutes and sex operators to acquire loans and insurances, because banks and insurance companies often refuse to do business with whom they often view as criminals, despite prostitution and operating prostitution being legal.
Status of unregulated prostitution
The existence of regulated prostitution generally implies that prostitution is illegal outside of the regulated context.
For example, Nevada has laws against engaging in prostitution outside of licensed brothels, against encouraging others to become prostitutes, and against living off the proceeds of a prostitute. However, all of these behaviors are quite common.
Sanctified prostitution
Though prostitution is illegal in India, through the system of Devadasis whereby daughters are groomed by parents for the profession at a young age. Such devadasis are well versed in song and dance skills.
Pro Prostitution
Many proponents say that legalizing prostitution will protect sex workers and its their individual career choice.
Anti Regulation
Some people think that regulation will not solve the prostitution problem.
See also
Africa
Europe
South America
North America
Oceania
External links
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- sexwork.com:
- Donna M. Hughes,
- Paul Armentano,
- bayswan.org:
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