S01E19 – Should prostitution be legal?

In this episode of Finding Common Battle Grounds we discuss whether prostitution should be legalized. As a baseline, both agree that forced prostitution, sex trafficking, and underage sex work should be illegal and is morally wrong. That then leaves the question of whether individuals who choose to sell sex should be allowed to. Josh wants to allow his inner Libertarian to come out and agree that it should be legal but is hesitant because there is evidence that even when it is legal, illegal sex work continues and those working illegally are subject to exploitation, abuse, and violence. Despite a fair number of tangents, Ryan and Josh ultimately agree that, if prostitution can be legalized, carefully regulated, and arranged in such a fashion that sex workers are engaged in this occupation of their own volition and are protected and benefit, then prostitution should be legal. If that isn’t what happens, then perhaps it should not.