Would Legalizing Prostitution Help Curb Human Trafficking?
The United States Government takes a firm stand against proposals to legalize prostitution because prostitution directly contributes to the modern-day slave trade and is inherently demeaning. When law enforcement tolerates or communities legalize prostitution, organized crime groups are freer to traffic in human beings. Where prostitution is legalized, the cost of sexual services includes brothel rent, medical examinations, and registration fees. Due in part to these costs, illegal prostitution has flourished in legalized areas as clients seek cheaper sex. In some countries where prostitution is legal there are from three to ten times as many non-registered women involved in prostitution as registered women. Many of these non-registered women are foreigners who have been trafficked. There is no evidence that legalization in any country has reduced the number of trafficking victims, and NGOs working in this field note that the number of trafficking victims often increases. In short, whe
