We daily hear the news about police atrocities on prostitutes like prostitutes have been arrested from a flat or they are tortured and harass. Sometimes we hear the news that they are beaten by the pimps and sometimes even got killed. So, the question is if these prostitutes are doing some business to make their living, then why the hell they should be tortured or harassed. Why the hell should police trespass into a prostitute’s life if she is doing something to make her living? Just think??
They are many prostitutes in this country who are indulged in this sex profession, but they are still vulnerable. Why they are so vulnerable because these prostitutes have no legal protection. Even in this business, where no one is raping to anyone and it is professed by countless women across the country, still this profession is illegal. That’s why these prostitutes become the pawn of cruelty because in technical term they are indulged into illegal activity.
Basic concept of prostitution
If we look at the very basic concept of Prostitution, we will get to know that in practicality, this profession is very much of legal. Yup, you heard me right. It is very much of legal in terms of the nature of business.
A man needs to quench his sexual desire; and he pays to a prostitute and gets laid with her consent. So what’s illegal, then? It’s kind of doing business. Prostitutes get paid money and customers get their services.
One of the oldest professions
The question arises, is it immoral to provide sexual services for money? If yes, then what about those countless girls and women who have no other option to earn a livelihood? Why not we should legalize it so these prostitutes can earn some dignity in society.
Prostitution has been legalized in developed countries with high literacy rates. Many countries in the world have a legal and regulated prostitution. In India it is estimated to be an 8.4billion dollar industry. So why not government, should simply legalize it to make their lifestyle better?
Benefits of legalizing prostitution.
1-Eliminate middlemen–
Of course, it will eliminate the middlemen. Now prostitutes can directly engage in this business without any fear of getting arrested. And they can too directly find their clients.
2-Enforce a better regulation
Currently, it is difficult to regulate prostitution due to its underground nature. If we make it legal, it would give opportunity to the government to regulate it stringently. And then those prostitutes can have a better security and lifestyle. No more late night illegal arrest.
3. Will provide legitimate services–
Many people genuinely look for companionship on a regular basis and legalizing the prostitution will solve their problem. They can now go to these prostitutes without fear.
4- Curbing black money–
As currently prostitution is illegal so, the earned money in this business usually goes unaccounted. Legalizing prostitution will enforce better financial regulation. It will also increase government tax collection.
5- Better health–
Many prostitutes are suffering from diseases. Legalizing this profession will regulate their regular health checkups to keep them healthy and fit.
6- Curb illegal trafficking–
Legalizing will help the government to curb the human trafficking in better ways.
So, legalizing prostitution will solve all the problems?
Hell nope!
Let’s look at this example. There are countless sexual surveys that show that many women have different sexual fantasies and ‘rape fantasy’ is one of the top among them. Means you literally want to get raped by someone. Yup, it is one of the top most fantasies of women today in many countries. Now days, many women even arrange to get raped by strangers or they indulge into this practice of mock rape by their lovers, partners or husbands.
So, the question is if these women love getting raped then does it mean that we should make rape legal? Hell, absolutely not!!!!
By simply legalizing prostitution we can’t eliminate the crime which these prostitutes daily face like torture by customers.
It lies somewhere in the mentality of people. A sick mentality, in fact, which denotes men are superior and aggressor and women are weak and submissive and that’s why men love to torture women for their own pleasure. So, rather legalizing prostitution we should educate people to change their mentality.
Many people consider women as a commodity. For them a woman is an object of sexual pleasure. Legalizing prostitution will fuel their thought.
Selling one’s body for money is always unethical. It is absolutely wrong to give a woman the legal choice to sell her body. It will denigrate the status of women in society.
We can’t have the duel mentality where we oppose the objectification of a woman and then we can legalize the profession of prostitution.
Legalizing prostitution will give many people the option to have sex with multiple partners without any legal trouble. It will increase the chances of sexually transmitted diseases.
By legalizing prostitution we are providing an easy way to make money to a girl or woman and it will attract many girls or women in this business and it will have a detrimental effect. It is undoubtedly a very risky profession full of violent behavior of customers, abuses, torture and harassment and by simply just legalizing we can’t eliminate these risks.
It will also endanger the institution of marriage. Many sexually unsatisfied men will now easily obtain to go to these prostitutes. It will ruin their marital life and family as well.
It will increase the risk of child and human trafficking. More and more girls will be forced into this business. Big rackets will be involved to openly supply girls for this institutionalized profession.
So what is the way forward?
Technically in India, a prostitute is devoid of almost all rights. We should look forward for a way, which can guarantee at least all basic human rights to these prostitutes.
Many a times, a woman has no option and has to resort to this profession. By legalizing it, we are simply encouraging them. So better we need to find innovative solutions to tackle this grave problem of prostitution for the long term.
