Term Paper On Is Prostitution A Victimless Crime

When a crime is committed without inflicting direct harm on another individual, this crime is often called a victimless crime. This is the type of crime that leaves no obvious victims behind although the act itself may be considered illegal or against established laws. It may also not result to damage to property or threaten the rights of anyone; and, may be committed by the perpetrator alone or in connivance with two or more persons without causing injury to other persons. In such cases, the offense is considered a consensual crime. One such example is prostitution, which renders the one offering sex as an offender and a victim as well.
Prostitution has been regarded as a definitive example of a victimless crime, considering that the act is a consensual contract between consenting individuals. The individual selling sex is often viewed as the person to be charged of the crime. However, in instances when this individual is female, she may be considered a victim of the crime as well. While some people will regard prostitution as a victimless crime, I think that it is not a victimless crime because not all who engage in the flesh trade do it on purpose. Some are forced to do it out of need or desperation. In most cases, it is a cry of help because prostitution could be the only choice they have at the time. It could have been borne out of abuse, fear, low self-esteem, or lack of other options in life. In addition, prostitution is a form of sexual harassment and exploitation especially when a prostitute is obligated to perform acts that are against her wishes, but is still forced to do in order to earn a living. As a result, prostitutes end up being emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually scarred. With many prostitutes becoming victims of physical assault or assaults with weapons, it is not a surprise then that many of them resort to suicide or experience post-traumatic disorders. Aside from the prostitutes, other victims of this consensual crime are the wives who are often left unaware of the husband's indiscretions until she (the wife) is infected with communicable diseases brought about by the husband's sexual relations with prostitutes.
In most parts of the United States, prostitution is considered illegal because it is widely believed to cause more harm to women. For instance, women engaged in this trade open themselves up to possibilities of rape and various forms of physical and verbal abuses. It also makes them more susceptible to diseases, thus, may become health threats to society. In addition, it exploits women's rights and demeans the womanhood of sex workers. For moralists, they may say that prostitutes deserve whatever negative effects their actions bring; and, because it is immoral, therefore, prostitution must be treated as a crime. However, sex trade workers are still people and no one has the right to put down another individual.
Currently, courtrooms deal with prostitution cases where prostitutes and customers pay fines when caught, but return to the same flesh peddling and buying after settling the misdemeanor. Instead of managing the trade, the system only temporarily prohibits individuals from doing the act. In this light, what then is the role of the government in regulating prostitution? For me, the government has a huge responsibility in ensuring the safety of its citizens, regardless of their occupation and financial status. Even if the government bans or criminalizes the prostitution, it will not go away since it has always been there and will continue to happen with or without laws governing prostitution. Thus, I think the best way to approach this problem is for the government to be involved and think of ways on how to assist women engaged in prostitution rather than acting passively towards it. The government may also present ways on how to disengage from the trade, which is extremely beneficial to those who want to leave the trade.
What then are the pros and cons of legalizing prostitution? There are some people who are against the legalization of prostitution due to its moral and social impact in society. People say that it could increase rates of teenage pregnancy and divorce rates due to the health impact of legalizing the sex trade. Even if the sex worker is constantly monitored for sexually transmitted diseases, there is no assurance that the "buyer" is free from any diseases. In addition, it gives the impression that the female body is a commodity that men can buy anytime they want.
However, legalizing prostitution prohibits pimps from forcing women to abide by rules that further degrade themselves. It means that violence brought about by prostitution will be lessened, including reduction in cases of under-aged prostitution. It also means the health safety of prostitutes will be monitored considering that they will be subjected to constant tests to prevent the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, sex workers will be required to register with the police to obtain licenses to work as prostitutes, thus making it easier to supervise who are legally engaged in the trade. For these reasons, I believe that legalizing prostitution is the best method to control the trade.