Please don't be fooled into believing the government had some altruistic motivator to do this. This is simply politicians and government agencies buying politic

Please don't be fooled into believing the government had some altruistic motivator to do this. This is simply politicians and government agencies buying political capital by hurting morally-offensive sections of society which they keep illegal so they can have more sway over their real target: the moral majority. The only reason to keep prostitution illegal (and pornography legal) is the moral argument that actually having sex is a sin (and "not classy") whereas just looking at sex is more of a minor inconvenience morally. By shutting down businesses like these they get the support (monetary and politically) of the moral majority. Business as usual.