4 ms·

While I think legalising prostitution would be beneficial, I think there is an argument that doing so would lead to more trafficking, which should not be ignore

While I think legalising prostitution would be beneficial, I think there is an argument that doing so would lead to more trafficking, which should not be ignored. Namely, that legalising prostitution may increase demand much more than it increases consensual supply, thus creating a larger market for trafficked prostitutes.

0really 10y ago
You make a good point and this point has indeed been argued. I can't speak for the quality of the research, but one conclusion was that if demand exceeds domestic supply, legalization will increase trafficking in high income countries. Which makes sense from an economic point of view. I still think the problem is the trafficking and not the prostitution so much, and that all efforts should be put towards combatting trafficking by any means possible. Even if protitution was legalized, I have no problems convicting johns for enabling or benefiting from human trafficking, if done so knowingly. This isn't much different from age of consent and could be solved in a similar way.
jamez1 10y ago
You make a distinction between consensual supply and non-consensual supply, but you don't do the same for demand? When prostitution is legalized, the distinction then exists for demand. What has to happen for this to increase trafficking is that non-consensual demand must be bigger than the totality of demand beforehand.
- aninhumer 10y ago
  I mostly just wanted to raise the point so it doesn't get ignored, and indeed, your argument is the one I would make against that point. However, I don't think it's that simple either. If lack of supply drives up the price significantly, I think it's possible some people will be convinced to visit cheaper illegal establishments on the promise that it's totally consensual, they just don't want to pay taxes etc.

4 ms·

While I think legalising prostitution would be beneficial, I think there is an argument that doing so would lead to more trafficking, which should not be ignore

by aninhumer 10y ago

0really 10y ago
You make a good point and this point has indeed been argued. I can't speak for the quality of the research, but one conclusion was that if demand exceeds domestic supply, legalization will increase trafficking in high income countries. Which makes sense from an economic point of view. I still think the problem is the trafficking and not the prostitution so much, and that all efforts should be put towards combatting trafficking by any means possible. Even if protitution was legalized, I have no problems convicting johns for enabling or benefiting from human trafficking, if done so knowingly. This isn't much different from age of consent and could be solved in a similar way.
jamez1 10y ago
You make a distinction between consensual supply and non-consensual supply, but you don't do the same for demand? When prostitution is legalized, the distinction then exists for demand. What has to happen for this to increase trafficking is that non-consensual demand must be bigger than the totality of demand beforehand.
- aninhumer 10y ago
  I mostly just wanted to raise the point so it doesn't get ignored, and indeed, your argument is the one I would make against that point. However, I don't think it's that simple either. If lack of supply drives up the price significantly, I think it's possible some people will be convinced to visit cheaper illegal establishments on the promise that it's totally consensual, they just don't want to pay taxes etc.