I don't think it should be legalized, but I would favor decriminalization. No little girl ever says, "When I grow up, I want to be a hooker," and for good reason: it's a bad gig, no matter the pay. And most prostitutes aren't well paid. Rather, they are people, often with a history of abuse and no family support, who turn to selling their bodies because they are simply trying to survive. Instead of giving them a jail sentence, I would prefer to see resources devoted to providing them with counseling, education, and job skills so that they could get a job in which they will be treated with the respect that every human being deserves.
I am, in general, for allowing adults to do whatever they want, no matter how odd or ridiculous, as long as they aren't hurting anyone. But, prostitution isn't about freedom; it is about exploitation, often of those too powerless to stand up for themselves. Legalizing prostitution would provide legitimacy to such exploitation, and doing so misses the point and would be, quite frankly, just wrong.
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