Prostitution laws - its kind of a poll
 

Prostitution is legal in New Zealand, as of a couple of years ago. There was of course the customary uproar at the time, but things seem to have settled now, and the people have gone back to quarreling over land ownership. I'd like to run a little survey, as I don't know about the laws reguarding this in other parts of the world.
Please post your location (country, state whatever), the way in which the law reguards prositution, and if possibe, the way the public generally reguards this law, so that we might form a proper idea of prostitution laws around the world. If you can speak (confidently) for countries that arent represented by TFPers, please do so.

Lak

As far as I'm aware working on the street is illegal in Victoria (Australia) but operating within a brothel is fine. I think Australia's prostitution industry is fairly well regulated since it doesn't seem to be a huge problem, it's not big in the news very often. Since it's not really a big issue as far as I know, I'm not too sure of the pulic opinion towards these regulations but I would guess that most people are supportive of the brothel laws. I don't think prostitution should be an illegal activity but should still be regulated - it gives the police time to fight the 'real crime' and doesn't turn ordinary natural people into criminals.

In Canada prostitution laws were struck from the books years ago. It is no longer ilegal to pay money for sex.

That said, it is illegal to do the following:

1) Run a common baudy house (brothel or regularly use your home to entertain clients)
2) Communicate in public a transaction (i.e. you can't discuss the procurment of services in public)
3) Living off the avails (anti-pimping law)

The result of this is that if you are a businessman who is staying in a hotel you can call up an escort and it is perfectly legal to do so.

Here in the northeast US, specifically CT, prostitution is still illegal, and if anyone objects, they don't talk about it much. A few of the more libertarian-minded among us bring it up during discussion about personal freedom, but it's rarely an issue that comes up.

It's illegal in NJ/NYC but the phone books have pages upon pages of ads for Escort services... so apparently, as long as you don't talk about sex for money, it's perfectly legal. Don't ask, Don't Tell?

I'm more conservative tham most, I don't quite understand the need for prostition when there are so many people willing to give it away for free, putting a monetary value on it is just...well insulting.

I'd be fun to see it legalized, and have the prostitutes have regular health checks to make sure that they aren't disease ridden. (One disease ridden prostitute would object and the ACLU would be all over it that you can't force people into health checks)

Prostitution is illegal in California, and nobody seems to object to it being illegal much here. I don't see what the compelling state interest is, and personally oppose laws banning prostitution, but at the same time would never consider doing it myself and find it sad for most women that do that this is all they have of value to provide the world.

It's obviously illegal here in Tampa, Florida and I have never heard anyone say anything about it. It's just not very common...

I'm pretty sure the only places in the United States where prostitution is legal is a few counties in Nevada (excluding Clark County, where Las Vegas is situated). So that about covers the legalities for all US TFPers. I would imagine that attitudes and enforcement differ, though.

To put it a bit coarsly... you aren't paying for the sex... you are paying for the woman to leave.

On many different occasions the US has attempted to legislate morals. Each and every attempt has ended in dismal failure yet, everything is still technically illegal. The only laws that are ever enforced are those that society demands be enforced. Let me repeat that statement - the only laws that are enforced - anywhere - are those that the majority of the people insist be enforced. Prostitution is a hard sell - it has been legal - illegal - semi-legal - semi-illegal - ignored and proscecuted to the letter of the law at various times. It seems that like everything else in our society, it all depends on who is doing it - who is making a prifit from it, and who is opposing it at any given moment.

In Guatemala prostitution is legal, what is illegal is to induce someone to it or to pimp (if that can be used as a verb).

Technically, in South Florida it is illegal. As far as the general public is concerned, they don't understand why the local police don't focus on bigger crimes. As for myself, I've been to other countries that regulate prostitution (through testing,etc), and their infection rate is lower. Better to go w/a tested ho than an untested one.

In Ireleand, it is ilegal.
I've never really heard any debate on it being otherwise, so I can only assume that most people are happy with the law as it stands.

The one thing that has always bothered me about prostitution being illegal here in the US, is that porn is still legal. So, I can not pay a woman to come to my home and have sex with me, *unless* I then tape or photograph it and attempt to sell the video and photos for a profit. Which explains why so much cheap amateur porn seems to feature crack addict prostitutes.

Most of your points are correct but I'm kinda confused about #1, wasn't there a gay baudy house that was busted in Calgary awhile ago that the court decided it was legal?

I might be mistaken

Here in washington state, it is illegal. Although, I grew up in Europe, specifically the Netherlands, in which, atleast in Amsterdam, prostitution is legal. I believe 100% that prostitution should be legal everywhere, law enforcement agencies have much better things they could concentrate on. I have no problem at all with prostitutes, even the illegal ones right now, other than the fact that they don't pay taxes on their income.

I feel that if I have to pay taxes on the income I make, then why shouldn't they... and why don't they have to be tested?


Partial Sidenote : Why is it legal to pay for sex if you video tape it and sell it on the internet but it is not legal to pay for sex w/o the video?

Thats just my 2 cents, written at 2am after an 11 hr workday. yay for me!