Prostitution is the performing of sexual acts for payment, which mostly comes in the form of money. It is illegal throughout most of the United States, with exceptions in some counties in Nevada, which practice prostitution under strict guidelines and rules. However, it is legalized across Europe and Asia. So the question remains—should prostitution be legalized here?

Yes, prostitution should be legalized throughout the United States. Prostitution should be legalized because it can help control the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus. HIV/AIDS is the sixth deadliest virus in the world. Data gathered by the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) estimates that approximately 39 million people died from HIV/AIDS last year, with 27,000 coming from the United States. The research done by the International AIDS Conference in Australia suggests that this mortality rate can be cut by a third if prostitution is legalized.

Because their industry is generally underground, prostitutes do not usually receive any medical attention. If prostitution is legalized, and prostitutes are recognized as labor workers, then they would receive routine checkups. If the HIV virus is found, then they receive the proper treatment and health care they don’t receive now. The use of a condom would also be required.

Condoms aren’t normally used because of the negative connotations the word “crime” brings. Because prostitution is illegal, and considered a crime, men who engage in intercourse seldom wear condoms as they fear that condoms can be used as evidence to trace back to them. Furthermore, a study of San Francisco prostitutes found that 82 percent had been assaulted and 62 percent were raped while working as prostitutes.

The hostile work environment that a prostitute is placed in can be eradicated once it is legalized. If it is legalized, brothels, like the 25 that are located in Nevada, must be implemented. Brothels promote a safe work place because brothel owners do not want their employees to be put in harm’s way because of the millions of dollars in revenue that they bring in annually. Assault and rape will increasingly go down, and condoms will be a necessity if one was to engage in intercourse with a prostitute. A safer work environment can be ensured if prostitution is legalized, but the legalization of prostitution might promote child trafficking as well.

Human trafficking is the second most frequent crime across the world. Children especially are sought out because they are looked at as “fresh meat” on the sex slave market. If prostitution is legalized, then the demand for prostitutes will go up. If this demand exceeds the number of people who want to consensually engage in sexual acts, then children and women are at risk to being forced into the business. The legalization of prostitution will not necessarily dampen human trafficking, but would most likely promote it.

Prostitution should be legalized in the United States, and in general as well, because it can help control the spread of HIV/AIDS, a virus that continues to plague the world’s population. It can also help reduce the violence and assault that is projected upon prostitutes because the stigma of “crime” will no longer be in play. There are certain issues that prostitution alone cannot contain, but all in all, the legalization of prostitution promotes a healthy environment.