What are the wider social effects of legalising prostitution?
The sex industry is sometimes cited as a public service that reduces levels of rape and sexual violence. However, there is no evidence that prostitution reduces rape. In fact, the opposite can be said to be true if you consider all the rapes of women involved in prostitution. Evidence from Nevada, where prostitution is legal in some counties, indicates that legal prostitution fosters a general prostitution culture that affects all women and children in the community (Farley, 2007). This results in increased sexual harassment. Nevadas rape rate is twice that of New York and 25% higher than the US average (Farley, 2007). Men also say that they are more likely to buy sex when it is legal and more socially acceptable (Coy, Horvath and Kelly, 2007). There are many destinations within Europe that men visit for prostitution tourism, such as Germany and the Netherlands but also the Czech Republic and others (Coy, Horvath & Kelly, 2007).
