Why Should Prostitution Be Criminalized?

Executive Summary
The world’s infamously known oldest profession is prostitution. This essay will express that while prostitution is immoral, it is a necessary evil and therefore it should not be fully criminalised. Instead, Singapore’s approach is ideal as it strikes a fair balance by regulating prostitution-related activities and retaining control over the red light districts.

This paper will first discuss the arguments for and against the legalisation of prostitution and its ethical concerns. Second, this paper will focus on Singapore and the approach taken by the government to manage prostitution.
II. Introduction
Prostitution is the sale of sexual services such as oral sex or coitus, for money. A prostitute/sex worker is a person who
It is a stereotype that prostitutes are either forced, drug addicts, alcoholics or mentally ill which has been reinforced by the media. Sex workers are also perceived as being “usually broken and needy individuals seemingly trapped by the circumstances of their lives”.

Given the consensus that prostitution is immoral, is it unethical? Should it then be criminalised?
III. Criminalisation (Arguments against)
Criminalisation makes prostitution illegal by legislation. The main aim of criminalising prostitution is to eradicate the sex-for-sale industry. Therefore, all types of sex work for money is not tolerated. Countries that choose this approach do so because they deem prostitution as wrong and unethical.

The arguments against prostitution will be discussed below.
A. Increasing demand
As prostitution is seen as immoral, it should not be promoted. A common argument for legalising prostitution is that it there would be more control over the sex industy. However, statistics show that states with legalised prostitution only increases the demand for it. For example, the number of escort services and legal brothels in Australia doubled after legalisation. Surprisingly (and ironically), the illegitimate side of sex work expanded as
The Sexpo advertises prostitution and pornography, and its attendance increases each year. Originating in Australia, the Sexpo has now expanded to the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Therefore, it is believed that a zero tolerance approach by criminalising prostitution will effectively curb the supply for sex work and eventually the demand.
B. Sex Trafficking
The increasing demand for sex work directly affects sex trafficking. For example, when deciding to legalise prostitution in the Netherlands, the government aimed to eradicate sex trafficking. However, it had the opposite effect. A report reflected that 80% of sex workers in Netherlands’ brothels were trafficked. Further, approximately 75% of sex workers in Germany are trafficked as well. Australia, widely known for liberal prostitution laws, also experiences a similar problem where the trafficking of Asian sex workers are continually growing.

Hence, arguably, legalising prostitution is not effective in eradicating sex trafficking and given the increase demand for sex work, may actually cause more trafficking.

C.