I’d like to direct Jared, author of the June 10 opinion piece “Legalize prostitution?” to the article, “Why Do Men Buy Sex?” in the most recent Scientific American Mind. Based on current social science research, the authors present a compelling case against prostitution. While experts disagree on why men pay for sex, there are some basic statistics that deserve repeating, such as 16 percent of American men pay for sex, 95 percent of Thai men have engaged a prostitute (where prostitution is illegal but socially acceptable, many johns are married with children and come from all socio-economic classes and women are “hawked like merchandise” in countries where prostitution is legal.
As the title of this article suggests, prostitution is driven by, and enjoyed by, men. Half of the population does not benefit. The few women who are in the business and might caustically be said to benefit, “suffer psychologically from trying to wall off their own emotions so that they can sell intimacy as a commodity.” Prostitutes also suffer a high rate of physical abuse by johns. Women become prostitutes, not because they love the benefits, but because of poverty and drug addiction.
Prostitution is not a victimless crime, as Jared would like us to believe. It is just that the victims happen to be women. I suppose that when women are looked upon as nothing more than a “commodity” it is easy to understand this line of thinking.
Just for the fun of it, let’s imagine prostitution is legal in Washington State. Since many of the men who participate in prostitution are married with children, imagine this conversation between a husband and wife:
Husband: “Hey honey, I know we are working on our budget this week; I’d like to add a $100 a week for entertainment expenses.”
Wife: “$100 a week? We don’t go out that much. Even if we wanted to go out more, that would put a strain on our budget.”
Husband: “Well, it is not to go out. I’m pretty happy with how much time we spend together as it is. I’m just feeling like, you know, “sowing my oats” a bit more. Ryan told me about this place where the prostitutes are fabulous and you definitely get your money’s worth. I am sure I would be a much happier husband and much better father with a little help from a prostitute.”
Wife: “Are you serious?”
Husband: “Hey, it is not like I am doing anything illegal. And the only risk is, even if I wear a condom, that I might bring home a sexually transmitted disease. But you’re fine with that right? So what do you say?”
Frankie Allen, Kirkland
