Does prostitution allow for more harm than good?Prostitutes are highly stigmatized for the work they do, and those who condemn this work believe that it is shameful and immoral, and has no place in a just social order. Others believe it is a necessary evil, in that if men (primarily) could not satisfy their sexual urges through some form of commoditized sexual service, these urges would find a more socially disruptive outlet.
Some feminists argue that prostitution is a relic from older patriarchal societies in which men’s access to the bodies of subordinates was a privilege and expression of men’s social power.
Many contemporary “sex workers” (a term coined by prostitutes’ rights activists) report that their clients have various motives, but primarily to seek relief from loneliness or to have uncomplicated sex. These sex workers believe that they are providing a valuable and morally permissible service to their clients and, by earning a living doing valuable work, they are making a contribution to their societies. I
n short, women (and men) who offer their labor in various types of sex trades believe that the stigma that attaches to them and their work is unfair and undeserved.
Are there any direct benefits or disadvantages to society in general as a result of legalisation?
Are there strong moral barriers for different cultures?
What are your thoughts?