Kevin Jones
Topic: Should prostitution be legalized
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that prostitution should be legalized
Thesis Statement: The legalization of prostitution can have a lot of benefits to society.
I. Introduction
A. Prostitution may be the world's oldest profession dating back to the 18th century BC, and laws prohibiting prostitution may well be the oldest example of government regulation and government discrimination. In a free society, however, all such laws are inappropriate because they violate the basic rights and liberties of the individuals involved. Prostitution is the provision of sexual services for negotiated payment between consenting adults. So defined, prostitution is a service industry like any other in which people exchange skills for money or other reward.
B. Legalizing prostitution has a lot of advantages for all parties involved.
C. Today class I would like to talk to you about why I believe prostitution should be legalized and how legalizing it can have several positive effects on society.
These are my arguments why I believe prostitution should be legalized
II. Body
A. Prostitution is a victimless crime
1. Prostitution a victimless crime in the sense that no one is necessarily harmed by it is that there are consenting adults involved. Both parties involve exchange goods and services.
2. Prostitution is the voluntary sale of a labor service. Individuals own their own bodies and their own labor services and have the absolute right to decide how those labor services should be used
3. As long as the prostitution transaction is voluntary, there is no justification for governmental interference. Indeed, such interference constitutes an infringement of the privacy and personal liberty of the individuals involved.
B. Legalizing and regulating prostitution can help prevent diseases
1. Occupational and health laws would give prostitutes access to clinics where they can regulate their health and get proper screening. These laws are effective in legal brothels, but not with their counterparts on the streets.
2. According to current evidence, roughly half of the street prostitutes in Washington, D.C., and New York City are HIV-positive. In Newark, New Jersey, the estimate is that close to 60% of all prostitutes carry the AIDS virus. Yet, in the relatively "free market" of Nevada, where prostitution is legal, not one of the state-licensed prostitutes has ever tested positive for AIDS.
3. Since prostitution is illegal prostitutes and their male clients cannot get proper testing for sexual transmitted diseases which puts both parties in danger of contracting an STD.
C. Prostitution is a booming and profitable business
1. Studies show that a high end prostitute can make between $2000-$5000 a night, which means if a prostitute only works one night a week she can make between $104000-$260000 a year gross pay.
2. Prostitution is one of the oldest professions in the world. The desire for sex has existed through history and continues to grow. If the government legalizes prostitution the government could tax it and generate more revenue for the country.
3. In this troubled economy legalizing prostitution will create more jobs for the woman involved and the workers at the brothels.
III. Conclusion
A. The moral and economic case for the legalization of prostitution is overwhelming. Government prohibition and regulation blatantly violate the rights of the individual and are economically expensive. Therefore, America's views and strategies on the topic of prostitution must undergo an immediate and radical change. The time has come to abandon the nation's archaic attempts to legislate personal morality. The time has come to face up to the facts and to implement a policy that can make a positive difference. Sex will always sell so it’s best to regulate it and make it as safe as possible. The time has come for the legalization of prostitution.
Works Cited
Armentano, Paul. (1993, December 1). The case for legalized prostitution. Retrieved from http://www.fff.org/freedom/1293e.asp
Top 10 pros and cons should prostitution be legal?. (2011, April 21). Retrieved from http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000115
Should prostitution be legal?. (2011, April 21). Retrieved from
http://prostitution.procon.org/
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