They obviously are victims of someone else's decision.

Prostitution is not, as some insist, a “victimless crime.”

I have to disagree with you there, Mark.

Someone who willingly engages in some unsafe or unhealthy activity—whether it be doing drugs, having unprotected sex, or eating a diet high in fat and cholesterol—cannot be said to be victim of anyone but themselves. In such a case, the perpertrator of the “crime” and the victim of the “crime” are one and the same, and punishment falls upon the victim—the very person that supporters of victimless crime laws claim they are trying to help.

Consider this example:

If I were to eat nothing but french fries and hamburgers for the rest of my life, I would be doing myself great harm. But would I be a victim? Of course not. The only way in which I could reasonably be considered a victim would be if someone forced me to eat nothing but french fries and hamburgers. But if I decided to do so of my own free will—that is, consensually—then I cannot be considered a victim.

And that's what the issue of “victimless crime” really boils down to: consensual acts.

Indeed, there are countless young women who were coerced into becoming prostitutes (or alternatively, upon choosing to become prostitutes, are coerced into remaining prostitutes), but certainly not all prostitutes were coerced into their position.

Prostitution is the act of engaging in sexual intercourse or sexual acts for money. There is nothing whatsoever in the definition that suggests that anyone is being coerced. Indeed, it is the coercion that creates a victim and not the act of prostitution itself.

A man wants sex and is willing to pay it. A woman wants money and is willing to have sex for it. The two meet together and agree to give the other what they want. Tell me where in this scenario is there a victim?

domajot:
I personally think that prostitution should remain illegal.

However, it's disturbing to me when a public figure ostensibly committed to equality sees no problem with objectifying women.

Mark

I agree that prostitution objectifies women, but criminalizing prostitution in no way halts objectifying women, nor does it halt the practice, of prostitution. It's counterproductive to waste money on measures that are ineffective and help no one.

Also, Paterson had an affair with a state employee while a state official. I guess President Clinton ended the idea that quid pro quo sex is a bad thing.