Legalizing Prostitution in Canada

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I'm quite aware that prostitution in the Netherlands isn't the best work environment ever, allthough I admit I don't know anything about it except general knowledge. And I join CountArach in not understanding your arguments at all- for starters,

1) why should legalized prostitution be more expensive? It shouldn't be, unless it's seriously overtaxed
2) for those prostitutes operating outside the law, why would they be worse off if they have competition from legal prostitution?

Smoking is legal, but there is still a thriving black market. Prostitutes are either self-employed or they have pimps. My guess is that most of the pretty ones are unready well paid and self employed, their margins go up, they put the prices up, they spend a bit more time at the gym, eat more citrus fruit. The pimps? They beat the whores more because the prices have gone up, or they don't go legal and they suck in formally independant prostitues to their brothals because they can't afford to put their prices up. Don't forget, quite a few women on the game have habits to fund or can't manage to find other work.

What Frag is saying is that legalising it doesn't get rid of the ugle underbelly, it just distracts you from it.

[gaelic cowboy]

Smoking is legal, but there is still a thriving black market.

What Frag is saying is that legalising it doesn't get rid of the ugle underbelly, it just distracts you from it.

But thats cos the government duty is high in order to drive government revenues up.

They say it's to make people give up but I doubt it to be honest, notice how they always seem to ensure it doesnt drive inflation up too much when they rise the price.

[Kralizec]

But thats cos the government duty is high in order to drive government revenues up.

They say it's to make people give up but I doubt it to be honest, notice how they always seem to ensure it doesnt drive inflation up too much when they rise the price.

That's one of the reasons proponents put forward, but I've never heard a politician say it. Our government has never made it a secret that it's a source of income, everything else seems to be afterthought.

Not unlike that Russian minister who encouraged the people to smoke and drink more in order to help the treasury.

[gaelic cowboy]

That's one of the reasons proponents put forward, but I've never heard a politician say it. Our government has never made it a secret that it's a source of income, everything else seems to be afterthought.

Not unlike that Russian minister who encouraged the people to smoke and drink more in order to help the treasury.

We havent put the price of Drink up in a while here cos the industry itself has had to raise prices due to rising commodities, so we can be fairly sure governments are ensuring revenue by not making it conducive to give up drinking.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

But thats cos the government duty is high in order to drive government revenues up.

They say it's to make people give up but I doubt it to be honest, notice how they always seem to ensure it doesnt drive inflation up too much when they rise the price.

I think it's because, politically speaking, they have to be seen to be doing something to discourage people. High taxes on cigs are a political win-win viz raising taxes.

I imagine prostitution would be the same.

[HopAlongBunny]

The good news is that it brings at least part of the trade within the law. The people involved in a legitimate exchange of services have recourse to the law; huge step in the right direction.

Will there be illegitimate activity? Yes. The good news is that resources now spent chasing "no harm no foul" types of cases can be re-directed to deal with activity that causes real harm.

As to the "moral" dimension: I believe Christ did not exclude prostitutes from the congregation; should we then exclude them from society and the protection they deserve as citizens?

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

The good news is that it brings at least part of the trade within the law. The people involved in a legitimate exchange of services have recourse to the law; huge step in the right direction.

Will there be illegitimate activity? Yes. The good news is that resources now spent chasing "no harm no foul" types of cases can be re-directed to deal with activity that causes real harm.

Will that happen though?

Also, you have to ask, after this will girls still be "forced into prostitution" or will they just be "working in poor conditions."

There's a siesmic shift in making such an inherrently seedy and morally ambiguous proffession legal and legitimate - it ceses to be seen as a form of abuse, which is a big part of why it was made illegal to begin with.

[/quote]As to the "moral" dimension: I believe Christ did not exclude prostitutes from the congregation; should we then exclude them from society and the protection they deserve as citizens?[/QUOTE]

He excluded no one who repented - but is line on sexual mores is unremittingly harsh and draconian.

[PanzerJaeger]

There's a siesmic shift in making such an inherrently seedy and morally ambiguous proffession legal and legitimate - it ceses to be seen as a form of abuse, which is a big part of why it was made illegal to begin with.

I think you are conflating prostitution and abuse. The two can be separated, and often are.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I think you are conflating prostitution and abuse. The two can be separated, and often are.

I think your and misunderstanding me.

Prostitution is not necessarily abuse, but pimps are usually abusive, giving prostitution a veneer of respectability by making it legal has the potential to turn them into just "bad employers" which in turn has the potential to increase the abuse because the abused women are no more likely to file a civil suit than go to the police.