Posted April 6, It was a movie I loved at the time because I really knew so little about prostitution—"the life" that Roberts' character was a part of.
I have since been enlightened to the error of that view. My enlightenment arose from learning about the data around prostitution—that a majority of adults in the life entered as teenagers , that a majority of those prostituted have had a history of sexual violence , neglect, or abuse, and that most often participation is seen as the last viable means of survival.
I learned that when laws legalize prostitution, as is the case of some parts of the U. The effect of this legal structure is that prostitution decreases, violence against women decreases, and trafficking is curbed as well Source: Equality Now. Along with this law, the Swedish government invested in "exit programs" to aid those wishing to leave prostitution by providing social services, such as education , job training, etc.
Changing laws is not enough. There must be alternative options available, a social service exit strategy. Since the introduction of the law, street prostitution decreased and attitudes changed.
For example, the purchasing of sex dropped from Source: Equality Now. The U. The problem with the criminal model of prostitution is that under it illegal activity flourishes and the law enforcement and criminal justice system differentially punish the seller over the buyer.
