Prostitution Gavel

Indiana Code 35-45-4-2 : 

Prostitution is illegal in the majority of the United States, including Indiana.  The topic itself is uncomfortable for some Americans. There is a certain level of negative stigma around prostitutes as whores, but like any other illegal activity people find a way around the law to still engage in such activities. However, this is not the case in many European countries such as the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, prostitution is legalized and regulated like any other profession. Prostitutes are subject to working conditions, taxation, health checks, rental charges, and so on. The scale of sex work itself may be degrading to some women, but legal or not, prostitution will remain.  

Backpage website seized by the federal government.

Backpage.com was the second largest sex trafficking site behind Craigslist in the United States. Recently Backpage was seized by the government, but who really wins from the shut down? On the surface the removal of Backpage is a step towards women’s rights and a further attempt to eliminate sex work. But, what really happened? Human sex trafficking is now harder for law enforcement to track and many women have lost the safety blanket Backpage provided. For example, if women are unable to find and screen clients online via Backpage, they are forced to fall back to underground resources such as pimps. Many women have expressed that Backpage offered a more regulated outlet for their services and spared them from exploitative forces and dependency on pimps. They have made a case for decriminalizing prostitution which in return will allow them to work freely and report traffickers without fear. 

Red Light District

Amsterdam, Netherlands: The Red-Light District

For those who have not been to Amsterdam, the city is driven by sex and marijuana, both legal and regulated activities. A specific area known as the Red-Light District has become a hub for tourists to experience half naked women behind glass doors lit by fluorescent red lights. As a common profession for many women here, there is no stigma around openly paying for sex work. A level of etiquette is required in the Red-Light district, no photos or gawking: prostitutes are people not objects. 

It’s recommended to visit the Red-Light District with an open mind and remember these are real women trying to make a living. Sadly, this can be difficult to do when the alleys are clearly lit on all sides with fluorescent red and crowded by tourists looking at women like zoo animals. In addition to window work, the women perform in live sex shows like an adult theater play. On the positive side, these women are freed from underground trafficking like the United States and are provided a real wage. Despite this, some women may not voluntarily choosing sex work as their profession. Either they fear the repercussions of quitting and falling under a pimp’s control or they do not have the education or skill sets necessary for any other job. In addition, according to the National Institute of Health, sex workers often suffer from psychological problems, such as depression. Sex work may be legal, but this does not make it easy. 

Illegal or legal, prostitution is a lucrative industry.  If you are in Indiana and a victim of prostitution, accused of prostitution or accused of patronizing a prostitute, Mark Nicholson is an experienced attorney and aggressive advocate for his clients. He will make sure your rights are defended and your interests represented.  Contact the Law Office of Mark Nicholson now at 317-667-0718. He will fight for you!

Author: Kate Elisha

Kate Elisha is a Summer 2019 Intern for the Law Office of Mark Nicholson.

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