Should Prostitution Be Legalized?

I am against the legalization of prostitution, not because I take moral issue with the sexual activity itself, but because of the danger presented to the parties involved as well as the community.

First, while I have conservative views on some matters, I make a point not to judge (or even think about, generally) the sexual practices of other people. I believe that what a couple does in bed, with or without the exchange of money, is none of my business.

The problems with prostitution are the the people and activities that surround it. I know firsthand about some of these things because for about a year I lived in a apartment directly underneath a working prostitute. Besides the unpleasant experience of having to listen to her conduct her daily business, I also had to listen to the fights and arguments she would have with various people. I even called the police one day when I heard glass shattering, a female voice screaming...and a baby crying. The mixture of drugs, long nights, and hot tempers is a dangerous one. A prostitute does not know when the man they bring over will put their life (and here the life of a friend's child) in danger. Luckily, the infant was not hurt and was placed in protective custody.

Eventually, through repeated call to the apartment manager and on-site police officer, I finally had the woman removed. I had begun to worry for my and my neighbors' safety. Once I was approached by a man coming out of her door, asking if I wanted to buy 30 Ecstasy tablets. When I declined, he asked if I wanted to buy a television, or a dvd player. Only 20 dollars, he said. The same thing happened when I had a friend's 13 year old sister visiting, and I felt terrible exposing her to that kind of situation.

Even the men who visit prostitutes may be putting themselves at risk. I have seen enough episodes of COPS to know that what looks, dresses, talks, and acts like a woman...is often a man. Males will dress like female prostitutes, then rob their "customers".

As I mentioned earlier, drugs play a huge role in the perpetuation of this industry. The majority of prostitutes begin selling themselves to fund their habit, or, if not addicts in the beginning, soon begin using because that is the culture of this practice. With drugs comes violence, putting the community and police officers in danger.

In conclusion, I believe that law enforcement should continue to fight prostitution. With each arrest, officers take drugs and guns off the street and make the rest of us a little bit safer.