Chatting with Wellness Industry Workers

[Albert Hidel]

Being a libertarian I have nothing against guys, or women for that matter, paying for sex.

The obvious health and safety issues aside, there is a difference between libertarian and libertine.  As author Chuck George wrote:

Libertarians do not support any sense of encouragement for the use of alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, prostitution, etc., by or among consenting adults. Libertarians decry the abuse of alcohol, drugs, pornography, prostitution, etc. Libertarians absolutely oppose the use of coercion in the practices of alcohol or drug use, pornography, prostitution, etc.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig6/george4.html

And as a practical—rather than theoretical—matter, coercion is inherent in the prostitution industry.  These theoretical “transactions between consenting adults” do not correspond to the stark reality of the sexual marketplace.  The fact is that where prostitution is “legal,” either overtly or in practice, women are exploited, abused, and consigned to sexual slavery.  That is not in any way consistent with “libertarian” ideals.  

And anyone who acts as a “purchaser” in such transactions is participating in and contributing to that coercion and exploitation.  It cannot be justified as merely a harmless exercise in “libertarian” ideals because it’s not.

Legalized Prostitution and Sexual Slavery

I'd always said, gee, of course prostitution should be legal.  I'm changing my mind.  San Francisco has de facto legalized prostitution.  You can go to MyRedBook.com to read reviews of "massage parlors."  Prostitution is, more-or-less, legal.

San Francisco is, not coincidentally, a center for sexual slavery.  The San Francisco Chronicle did a report on this issue in 2006.  The situation has not changed.  

This Chronicle article is something to read if you're in favor of legalized prostitution.

It's so easy for those of us to say, "Freedom!"  Yet, in reality, our freedom to pay for sex comes at the expense of a sex slave.

I'm sure some of you can make libertarian arguments in favor of legalized prostitution.  None of them will be arguments I have not thought of or considered.

In reality, centers where prostitution is legal in form or substance - like Amsterdam and San Francisco - are also centers of sex slavery.  This is not abstract argument or a priori philosophical nonsense.  This is empirical fact.

How can you support legalized prostitution when it will – in fact - lead to sexual slavery?