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Comment by ocdtrekkie | Hacker News Reader

I am male and expressed an opinion that prostitution should be legal. But I have no desire to ever actually use such a service personally.

My opinion is based largely on the fact that there are plenty of women who want to do this, or particularly enjoy it, as well as the unfortunate cases of people who feel they have no other choice. In either of those cases, punishing the people who are in this industry is wrong.

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Punishment is a legitimate disincentive. Are there going to be fewer prostitutes when it is safe and easy? If the field is inherently injurious to women, why should we incentivize women to become prostitutes in any way?

Adult women are not helpless children and I believe that any societal pressure that they might feel to pursue a damaging lifestyle can be dealt with before any punishment for exercising bodily autonomy should ever be considered.

Perhaps, but making it easier for them to make bad choices is not the way to go.

I don't agree that prostitution is a bad choice. It's a legitimate choice, a legal choice in some countries. The only problems it causes are from the illegality hat the women (and men) performing it are driven into.

They are not protected by regulations, they don't receive pensions and they don't pay taxes.

There are a lot of jobs that might not be the best life choices. But that's no reason to make it illegal and force the people performing these jobs underground.

Well, read my many other replies around here. Prostitution is in no way a good life for women.

I don't necessarily think it is either, but I don't get to dictate to women how they live their lives.

It might or it might not be a good choice. Just with so many life choices. I think the best we can do -- as a society -- is to mitigate any harm that might come from it and make sure everybody involved knows what they consent to.

You want to protect women from injury by actively injuring them?

It sounds like you just have a problem with sex in general and protecting women is about as much a goal of yours as when politicians cry "think of the children"

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