Sex work is a controversial topic because of the stigma surrounding the individuals in the profession as well as the lack of education and awareness that the public has. The total criminalization of prostitution has been the most widespread approach globally, which significantly impacts sex workers’ capacity to work safely and securely (Mac, 2016). Recently, states have been considering decriminalizing or legalizing sex work, which furthers the importance of openly and publicly discussing the issue. On the one hand, the legalization of sex work means the regulation of the profession with appropriate laws concerning the location, time, and manner in which it will take place. Decriminalization, on the other hand, implies eliminating all laws and preventing law enforcement and government officials from intervening in any sex work-related activities. Comparing the two, decriminalization is the most reasonable solution because legalization would criminalize those sex workers who are unable to fulfill their bureaucratic responsibilities, which can lead to marginalization and exclusion.
The ethics of decriminalizing sex work is concerned with the philosophical stance of freedom of choice and autonomy. If a woman or a man willingly decides to pursue sex work as a profession and as a means to meet financial objectives and cause no harm to themselves and others, there is no other authority over them to limit their freedom of choice. One’s body can only be possessed by the individual, and the choice to use it for sex work cannot be overturned by any authority. Of course, the ethics of sex work decriminalization will concern issues of age of consent. Beyond that, sex workers must have access to support systems that will ensure that they can do their work safely and without risk to their health.
Reference
Mac, J. (2016). The laws that sex workers really want. TED Talk. Web.