Well some people are forced into gang violence. That does not give a good reason to legalize violence. Some people are forced into working in sweatshops to sew

Well some people are forced into gang violence. That does not give a good reason to legalize violence. Some people are forced into working in sweatshops to sew t-shirts. That does not make a good reason to criminalize t-shirts. Forcing someone into doing something is already illegal. The forced person is a victim, most laws are clear about it. If the issue we are talking about is fighting against human-trafficking, the only question should be to know if legalizing prostitution would help the police find human traffickers. And this should be the top question of the debate IMHO. I don't care much to live in a society that answers differently than me to the question "Should prostitution be legal?" but I would love to be in a society where human-trafficking does not exist. I do have the feeling that pimps do enjoy the hypocrisy and moral ambiguity of the laws: it makes their services invaluable and their activities under the radar. But this opinion mostly comes from anecdotes and common sense. I am inclined to change opinions based on facts.