When looking at the possibility of decriminalizing prostitution, many arguments are presented. Some researchers argue that prostitution is harmful and therefore shouldn't be legal. [Moe12] Others hold that the legalization or decriminalization of prostitution would actually be beneficial and lower the amount of violence that occurs as a result of illegal prostitution. [Wei06] The Christian's and radical feminist have come together in an attempt to prevent the legalization of prostitution. They argue that prostitution degrades women and reduces them to nothing but objects for sex. [Wei06] Other researchers believe that it is all about the language used when discussing prostitution that determines the outcome of legislation on the subject. [Nie10] This literature will review all of these arguments for and against prostitution. .
One of the main arguments against legalizing prostitution is that it leads to psychological problems which make it harmful. [Moe12] There was psychological research was done on prostitution, they found that a compelling amount of prostitutes had eating disorders, suffered from depression, panic attacks, a lot of them experienced regret and guilt and that the suicide rate was high. [Moe12] Other researchers counterattack this argument using research done on homosexuals from the 1920s and 1930s. [Moe12] This research showed that the findings were the same for homosexuals during the 1920s and 1930s. [Moe12] These findings were believed to be caused by the ill treatment of homosexuals. [Moe12] In his article 'Is Prostitution Harmful?', Ole Moen argues that the same ill treatment by society against prostitutions could be the cause behind the psychological problems they experience. [Moe12] Moen argues that the research found on homosexuals could not conclude that homosexuality was the cause of these effects therefore; the same conclusion cannot be drawn for prostitution either.
