Prostitution promotes degrading attitudes toward women,

and invites violence against them

The fact that sex workers are 80% female cannot be
overlooked, nor should the fact that a sizable portion of sex
workers are coerced by physical means or by economic
hardship. Female prostitutes are more likely to be raped or
murdered than any other population. One former prostitute
recalls the violence she withstood both as a trafficking victim
and as an independent contractor, stating: “I’ve been shot five
times, stabbed 13 times – I don’t know why those men
attacked me, all I know is that society made it comfortable for
them to do so.”
The fact that sex workers are 80% female cannot be
overlooked, nor should the fact that a sizable portion of sex
workers are coerced by physical means or by economic
hardship. Female prostitutes are more likely to be raped or
murdered than any other population. One former prostitute
recalls the violence she withstood both as a trafficking victim
and as an independent contractor, stating: “I’ve been shot five
times, stabbed 13 times – I don’t know why those men
attacked me, all I know is that society made it comfortable for
them to do so.”
VICTIM BLAMING

It will contradict artya sen’s capability approach

It reinforces the darkest attitudes of capitalism, in which
people are reduced to commodities

Legalization circumvents the most dangerous aspects of

prostitution
Criminalization of prostitution leaves prostitutes on the fringes
of society, making them vulnerable to violence, poverty, and
health risks. Decriminalization allows sex workers to call police
in incidences of violence. In the Netherlands, decriminalizing
prostitution gave sex workers access to social security and
public health care.  India’s union of sex workers improved
prostitutes’ financial security by teaching them how to identify
counterfeit bills.
Sexually transmitted infections are also statistically lower in
areas where prostitution is decriminalized. In rural Nevada,
where prostitution is legal (and condoms and regular HIV tests
mandatory), there has not been one case of HIV/AIDS
diagnosed in a registered sex worker since 1986. Beyond all
the practical benefits, legalizing prostitution brings sex workers
into the fold of society, increasing their sense of belonging,
thereby enhancing their feelings of responsibility toward others.
 
Legalization can harness the sex industry’s potential to
contribute to society
One formerly illicit trade that is now legal, marijuana, has done
wonders for economic and social rejuvenation in Colorado. In
2015, the state has grossed nearly $1 billion in pot
revenues (approximately 15% of that became the state’s
through taxation), most of which have been funneled into the
state’s school system. At the city and county levels,
Coloradans have used their share to ramp up public health
initiatives and even to address homelessness. Imagine how
different prostitution would seem if a portion of its proceeds
went to providing child-care support for working parents, or to
supplement medical research that helps to cure disease, or to
help fund drug rehabilitation programs.
 
Legalization reflects the victimless nature of consensual
prostitution
The internet abounds with sex worker testimonials who attest
to the satisfaction of a career in sex, and these personalities
carefully draw a distinction between themselves and those who
are coerced. One prostitute marvels at her great financial
success, and draws feelings of “empowerment” from her work.
Stories of satisfied practitioners and customers beg the
question: Why isn’t prostitution simply viewed as a normal
business transaction? As the great variation in prostitution
laws across the globe reflects, the illicit nature of prostitution is
by no means an objective reality. And even if the ethical
parameters of prostitution are unclear, free societies should, in
principle, avoid restricting business transactions which do not
harm individuals or society.