Prostitution: Yay or nay?

[rumborak]

So, an outcome of me trying to find the cheapest hotel I could find in Singapore is that I'm smack in the middle of the red-light district. Which is really rather annoying because I can't go to or leave from my hotel in the evening without guys on the streets trying to lure me into their "clubs".

It did make me entertain the idea though I have to say, but I concluded that I'm a little too grossed out by the idea to actually do it. Some of the girls are obviously quite good-looking, but I can't get over the fact that the same greasy guys I see walking down the street might have had his d***k in said girl just a day ago.

But, here's a poll then. Have you made use of those services at some point?

rumborak

[hefdaddy42]

No, I never have, but a hooker was really nice to me and gave me directions once when I was in New Orleans.

Also, intellectually, I can't think of a reason why it should be illegal (although I realize that question isn't the topic of your thread).

[King Postwhore]

I'm in the same boat as you Rumbo.  When I was single I couldn't get past the thought of some jamoke there a half an hour earlier.  I'd rather meet a girl that was really into me.

[Cool Chris]

I have never been a particularly rich, charming, or handsome man; but I always thought if I put forth a little effort and had a little luck, I could find a reasonably decent looking woman who would be willing to sleep with me for more than a quick business transaction.

[jsem]

I thought this would be a policy debate.. but guess not.

[Perpetual Change]

Never used it. No desire to, really, and find it to be immoral. If I was going stoop to paying for sex, it'd be via me just being an outrageously wealthy guy and someone's sugar-daddy.

*cue "smooth" videos.

[El Barto]

The general principle answer:  I always took the George Castanza approach.  Don't pay for something which could come for free if you just apply yourself.  And then there was an incident with an ex-girlfriend.  After working an entire weekend to get together for what should have been a slam dunk,  I came away [figuratively] empty handed.  I came to the realization at that point that IT'S NEVER FREE!  Driving home at four in the morning with nothing good to show for it,  I realized that it would have been worth $300 to me just to have not had any of that experience and gotten my weekend back.  But, for that matter I could have spent the same $300,  gotten laid,  and had a decent weekend without all the melodrama.  That changed my opinion all the way around.  As Charlie Sheen once said:  the only difference between sex for free and sex for money is that sex for money is cheaper. 

The practical answer:  finances force me to maintain the Castanza mentality.  If I wind up with discretionary cash,  I'll always spend it on more important things.  Banging strangers isn't a good use of money.  Unless I find a girl willing to exchange professional services,  which isn't going to happen given my line of work,  then I don't see that position changing.  Never happened over here and probably never will.

The historical answer:  I did hit up an FKK club while traveling Europe.  Found it to be a pleasant evening, though certainly nothing mind-blowing.  Not something I'd do over here for the reasons stated above,  not to mention that the American version of such things is 18 kinds of fucked up.  In Germany,  however,  they've managed to make the whole thing a decent way to spend an evening and a few euro.  I'd certainly recommend it from a tourist perspective.  It's just an interesting experience that Americans don't often get. 

[73109]

Thought the topic was about legality...no, I've never fucked a prostitute.

[MasterShakezula]

I have no interest in making use of the service, due to its being illegal in most states, the outrageous pricing, and because the women who do it are meh.

[Perpetual Change]

I dunno. I just can't do the whole sex without strings attached thing. It's weird, and makes me feel very awkward. I'm already awkward enough, being close or inside of someone I don't or barely know just kinda would send me into a panic attack.

[The King in Crimson]

No, I've never done it. The whole idea just kinda grosses me out. I have the same problem with a one-night stand with some barfly.

[William Wallace]

Personally, no. Not my deal. As a matter of policy, I don't care who bangs whom, or how much it costs.

[kirksnosehair]

When I graduated from boot camp a bunch of us went into Milwaukee for the weekend and did a ton of drinking and I think you can do the math from there.     It was the one and only time I've ever engaged the services of a um, working girl.

[ClairvoyantCat]

because the women who do it are meh.

What a generalization.

[BlobVanDam]

I have no interest in making use of the service, due to its being illegal in most states, the outrageous pricing, and because the women who do it are meh.

How would you know what the women who do it are like when you're not even old enough to bang them?

[jsem]

I have no interest in making use of the service, due to its being illegal in most states, the outrageous pricing, and because the women who do it are meh.

How would you know what the women who do it are like when you're not even old enough to bang them?

There are many safe legal brothels in Nevada and many European cities, and the women there are sometimes former porn-stars etc. Prostitutes must not necessarily be nasty and just looking for cash to pay for their next dose of heroin.

[Ħ]

because the women who do it are meh.

What a generalization.

The framework of our minds is built on generalizations.

[Cool Chris]

Yes, I think a distinction can be made between receiving services at a house of ill-repute, and finding a ‘professional’ on craigslist.

[MasterShakezula]

I have no interest in making use of the service, due to its being illegal in most states, the outrageous pricing, and because the women who do it are meh.

How would you know what the women who do it are like when you're not even old enough to bang them?

There are many safe legal brothels in Nevada and many European cities, and the women there are sometimes former porn-stars etc. Prostitutes must not necessarily be nasty and just looking for cash to pay for their next dose of heroin.

How expensive are these brothels?  I remember seeing a Penn and Teller that talked about one of these and it didn't look cheap.

(I wasn't being completely serious with that comment; I thought it was pretty clear no one would actually make or believe said generalizations as being 100% true in every case of prostitution.)

[KevShmev]

Hell no.  Seems to me that going to a pro is like asking for an STD.  Thanks, but I like having my genitals not covered in sores or suddenly dripping all over the floor.

[jsem]

I have no interest in making use of the service, due to its being illegal in most states, the outrageous pricing, and because the women who do it are meh.

How would you know what the women who do it are like when you're not even old enough to bang them?

There are many safe legal brothels in Nevada and many European cities, and the women there are sometimes former porn-stars etc. Prostitutes must not necessarily be nasty and just looking for cash to pay for their next dose of heroin.

How expensive are these brothels?  I remember seeing a Penn and Teller that talked about one of these and it didn't look cheap.

(I wasn't being completely serious with that comment; I thought it was pretty clear no one would actually make or believe said generalizations as being 100% true in every case of prostitution.)

I actually don't know, depends on the quality and the place I guess. But in many European cities top tier could be at around 100-120 euros, and that's pretty inclusive I guess.

[El Barto]

I have no interest in making use of the service, due to its being illegal in most states, the outrageous pricing, and because the women who do it are meh.

How would you know what the women who do it are like when you're not even old enough to bang them?

There are many safe legal brothels in Nevada and many European cities, and the women there are sometimes former porn-stars etc. Prostitutes must not necessarily be nasty and just looking for cash to pay for their next dose of heroin.

How expensive are these brothels?  I remember seeing a Penn and Teller that talked about one of these and it didn't look cheap.

(I wasn't being completely serious with that comment; I thought it was pretty clear no one would actually make or believe said generalizations as being 100% true in every case of prostitution.)

I actually don't know, depends on the quality and the place I guess. But in many European cities top tier could be at around 100-120 euros, and that's pretty inclusive I guess.

I wouldn't go near a Nevada brothel.  Sleazy, overpriced, and highly degrading to the skanks that work in them.

And 100-120 is suspiciously accurate.   

[TempusVox]

No. Now that I have reformed myself and am recovered (recovering), I think it's pretty degrading to all involved. Especially the women. Although, I would be more in favor of legalizing and regulating it I suppose. I think I didn't when I was addicted only because it would have taken away from the whole "thrill of the chase" thing I was actually addicted to the most.

I have however slept with more than a few strippers and many many many many many many many women who wound up having borderline personality disorder issues. 

[rumborak]

In terms of quality of women, I once worked for two weeks in Hamburg (construction work, to earn money for college). One week the fellow workers dragged me to St. Pauli, and into one of the brothels ("You gotta have at least seen it!").
Maybe it was because I was young and also looked as if I would need a heavy convincing, but the girl the brothel sicced on me was in the top 10 of most beautiful girls I have met in my life. And she was hitting on me, hard. By the time we were leaving I was at the border of considering it.

rumborak

[HeAvY-MeTaL-MaN]

Never have, and I doubt I ever will to be honest. Same reasons as to why I wouldn't have casual sex with a girl I have just met. You just never know what they have (even with protection, i still find this possibility off putting), or who they are etc

[j]

Nope, never considered it.  I guess I've always been fairly "picky" for lack of a better term, but the whole "you don't know where she's been" thing was enough to deter me from the thought even in my less discretionary days.  Doesn't help that the only prostitutes I have actually seen or interacted with have been of the beyond nasty, toothless, homeless, smoking-crack-on-the-corner variety.

Interesting side note: I've lived in lots of major cities, but during these past months that I've been in Fort Worth, TX I have had more prostitutes ask me for money, offer BJs, etc than in the rest of my life combined.  Sort of strange given the demographics and whatnot compared to other places I've lived.

-J

[jcmistat]

Never have, but am open to it if the situation is right. Should be it legalized? I'm ok with that too.

[sonatafanica]

i never have


but i took a greyhound to new orleans a few weeks ago and spent the weekend drinking/substance abusing and sleeping on people's floors, and one girl i talked to was a hooker and we talked about it for a while

she was my age (20ish) and it wasn't something she did often but she had a good attitude about it and had some standards. it was a bit off-putting i'd say when she talked about how much she enjoyed it, but who am i to give a fuck about how people do or do not get fucked

she had a boyfriend of three years too and i swear to god they loved each other more than i've ever loved anything

she talked about the things she liked about me even like there was something deep to my personality, pointed out something about how i pick up on/reply to things people say in a "different" way. she liked to think about things like that

but when we sat too close or something i felt this weird embarrassment, a sort of social conditioning to i guess. like she was someone i shouldn't associate with

but she wasn't evil, she was just being opportunistic in a world that's getting lower and lower on opportunity all the time

who could blame her?

[AndyDT]

In terms of quality of women, I once worked for two weeks in Hamburg (construction work, to earn money for college). One week the fellow workers dragged me to St. Pauli, and into one of the brothels ("You gotta have at least seen it!").
Maybe it was because I was young and also looked as if I would need a heavy convincing, but the girl the brothel sicced on me was in the top 10 of most beautiful girls I have met in my life. And she was hitting on me, hard. By the time we were leaving I was at the border of considering it.

rumborak

Sounds like you saw some erections whilst in Hamburg Rumborak.

[Tick]

Eww.

[Zeraphex]

it should be legal, and i employ they're services more than i use the bathroom

[chknptpie]

I voted no.

I'm under the belief that it should be legal and regulated though.

[PraXis]

I went to the Bunny Ranch in Vegas for the hell of it, but walked out after I found out it costs about $1000-1500 for one hour....fuuuuuuuuuuuck that! 

I have nothing against prostitution. I don't understand why something that's perfectly fine to give away for free is illegal to sell.

[El Barto]

I went to the Bunny Ranch in Vegas for the hell of it, but walked out after I found out it costs about $1000-1500 for one hour....fuuuuuuuuuuuck that! 

I have nothing against prostitution. I don't understand why something that's perfectly fine to give away for free is illegal to sell.

Like I said:

I wouldn't go near a Nevada brothel.  Sleazy, overpriced, and highly degrading to the skanks that work in them.

It's really surprising what a mess they've made of things out there.  Nobody likes their arrangement, except for the handful of assholes that own brothels.  Ironically, a lot of the pro-prostitution advocates who want to see girls move off of the streets will tell you that they're actually much better off on the streets than in the Nevada brothels.

It's also a fine example of the difference between legalization and decriminalization. 

[7StringedBeast]

Yeah if it was legal they could have laws for standards and also the girls could unionize or something to make sure their work conditions are up to a good standard for them.