Legalizing Prostitution

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Despite the flood of media messages that hookups are okay, if not desirable, people may still feel that they’ve done something that violates their own internal standards. Feeling perhaps pressured to get involved because "everyone else is," they may develop performance anxiety, ironically setting the stage for future sexual dysfunction. Other common reactions include regret, disappointment, confusion, embarrassment, guilt, and low self-esteem, although other individuals certainly report feeling proud, nervous, excited, and desirable or wanted. (Feelings tended to be more positive before and during a hookup, and more negative afterward.) (Whitbourne).

Regulating would not prevent under aged people from engaging in prostitution and even those of legal age would still develop psychological issues resulting from this normalization of selling sex.

In conclusion, prostitution should not be legalized. It cannot guarantee those involved would be safer against violence, sexually transmitted infections, or the psychological effects of casual or monetarized sex. Legalizing prostitution is further allowing the irresponsible behavior of casual sex that would still lead to sexually transmitted infections. It would not be worth the monetary gain for a government to legalize and attempt to regulate such an “occupation” as this.

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Works Cited

Article from Government Websites

National Institute of Health. “Underage Drinking.” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. National Institute of Health, Sept 2015. Web. 1 Dec 2015.

U. S. Department of Health & Human Services. “Condom Fact Sheet In Brief.” Condom Effectiveness. CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar 2013. Web. 1 Dec 2015.

Journals

Anderson, Scott A. “Prostitution and Sexual Autonomy: Making Sense of the Prohibition of Prostitution.” Ethics 112.4 (2002): 748-780. Web. 1 Dec 2015.

Ericsson, Lars O. “Charges Against Prostitution: An Attempt at a Philosophical Assessment.” Ethics 90.3 (1980): 335-366. Web. 1 Dec 2015.

Farley, Melissa and Barkan, Howard. “Prostitution, Violence, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Women & Health 27.3 (1998): 37-49. Web. 1 Dec 2015.

Magazine Articles

Whitbourne, Susan Krauss. “How Casual Sex Can Affect Our Mental Health.” Psychology Today 9 Mar 2013: Web. 1 Dec 2015.

Websites

Fuchs, Erin. “7 Reasons Why America Should Legalize Prostitution.” Business Insider. 13 Nov 2013, Web. 1 Dec 2015