12 years ago, Zambia made highlights when it refused, in the wake of a food crisis affecting 2 million, to accept American-made genetically-modified (GM) crops. Regardless of your personal view on that issue in certain, what we should have learned is that we should never let our own morals and values completely dictate decisions that have very real repercussions for people around the world, very large potential losses in societal gains.
Today, the domestic and international illegalization and stigmatization of prostitution gives us a chance to steer ourselves on to the right track.
Society makes claims that prostitution provides an additional outlet for the abuse of women. What such critics don't realize is the BIGGEST factor that makes such allegations reality is the fact that we're forcing these women to go underground. By banning their way of life, we create a self-perpetuating prophecy in that by banning prostitution, we are the ones locking these women from health care services, from abuse protection services, from what these so-called "concerned" critics want to get them. A column from the New York Times succinctly explains:
Criminalizing prostitution does not eradicate it. It drives it underground, putting the women at risk and giving customers an unfair advantage.
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Pimps have these sorts of illegal prostitutes in their power because the women can find no recourse to help. Women who work legally enjoy huge benefits: better access to health care, protection from violent customers and protection from exploitation. Antwerp has apparently one of the best bordellos in Europe, equipped with its own police station and high tech sensors.
Two empirical studies, one from this month, make this argument a reality.
One study from 2012 by The Foundation for AIDS Research explains:
Compared to the general population, for example, HIV prevalence is 22 times higher among people who inject drugs. In low- and middle-income countries, MSM and female sex workers (compared to all women of reproductive age) are 19 and 13.5 times more likely to have HIV, respectively, than the background population.
Another recent study, one published this month, from the Imperial College of London relies on mathematical models to make the impact of decriminalization clear as day:
Decriminalisation of sex work would have the greatest effect on the course of HIV epidemics across all settings, averting 33—46% of HIV infections in the next decade.
When we as a society accuse prostitution as hurting the quality of health and life of the women in America, we become the biggest part of the problem. Let's not fail our women.