In Canada, prostitution is legal. Solicitation is not legal, nor is running a brothel. What is legal are call girls or "escorts" that either come to your house or hotel, or you go to theirs. They advertise in the papers, magazines or on the web.
That way, you wouldn't have people screwing in the streets or seedy redlight areas with people coming and going at all hours of the night disturbing the neighbours.
Massage parlours w/ sexual favours are illegal, but if they don't cause trouble the cops seem to look the other way. Occasionally, there are raids. They also raid stripbars if there are sexual stuff going on in there.
I think it is very civilized here in Canada.
There were some posts about "flagging down" that reminded me of a time about 15 years ago. I was on the south shore of Montreal in Lemoyne in the morning driving to the Victoria Bridge when I was "flagged down" by a prostitute. She was shoeless and poorly dressed for the raging blizzard going on. Apparently, she had been with a "client" and was robbed and barely managed to get away. She had to leave behind her coat and boots. She told me all this in broken english. I drove her home to Bouchierville. She offered to give me a blowjob. I said "no thanks, I just had one".
She was very appreciative. I felt great all day!