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Prostitution (1,587 responses; 4/6/15)
By Jacquelyn Benson
Public nuisance, or nobody else’s business? In the wake of a widely publicized raid in Nashua, on April 6th, the Live Free or Die Alliance (LFDA) asked its 57,000+ Facebook members to share their views on the so-called “world’s oldest profession”.
In response to the question, “Should prostitution between two consenting adults remain a crime in NH?”, 85% of those directly answering were in favor of legalization, with only 15% against. An additional 39% of respondents opted not to give a yes or no answer, instead addressing their comments to broader issues. In sum, the LFDA received 427 specific comments and 1160 concurrences for a total of 1,587 citizen responses.
The strong majority in support of legalization argued that prostitution between two consenting adults should not constitute a crime. “Sex trafficking should always be against the law, but what goes on between consenting adults is their business,” one commenter wrote. “Legalize it, establish safe environments, and you reduce disease, abuse, and increase tax revenues,” a respondent argued. “Sex is a biological need, and if this were legalized, more power would be restored to women, and mandated health and safety practices would be implemented for the better,” another commenter said.
Others argued that legalization would cause a host of additional problems. “It ruins families and is not a victimless crime,” one poster argued. “I just can't fathom raising my kids where people want to do this freely.” another respondent wrote. “The last thing we want to see is blatant prostitution on every street corner. No reason in the world should we make it easier to spread disease and immorality,” one commenter said.
Those opting not to give a yes or no response discussed wider implications of the question. “Consent can be coerced. Mitigate the problem and then I'll say no,” one poster declared. “Regardless of whether it's legal or not, there's always a black market for everything,” a commenter pointed out. “Would this even be an issue of a certain high position person attached to a certain Senator wasn't caught?” another respondent asked.
The nonprofit, nonpartisan LFDA takes no position on this or any issue, as this report is presented as a summary of citizen testimony. As New Hampshire’s Virtual Town Hall, the LFDA community, numbering more than 60,000, provides objective information on state issues, promotes the civil exchange of opinions, and communicates views to elected officials. To learn more about this issue or the LFDA, visit www.lfda.org.
Jacquelyn Benson is an Editor with the Live Free or Die Alliance.
Live Free or Die Alliance
www.livefreeordiealliance.org
Source: http://townhall.livefreeordiealliance.org/xn/detail/4091641:BlogPost:71069
