Las Vegas Mayor Considers Legalizing Prostitution in ‘Sin City’

by Amanda Kloer · 2009-01-26 08:39:00 UTC
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From prostitutionresearch.comFormer mafia defense lawyer and current Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman is openly considering legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas. The renewal of this discussion, which was begun publicly in 2004, is partially a response to the budget downturn which Las Vegas and many other American cities are currently facing.

While many people think prostitution is legal in Las Vegas, it isn’t. Prostitution is legal in the state of Nevada in counties where the population is less than 400,000. Clark County, which contains Las Vegas, has too high a population for the current law to allow legal prostitution. State Senator Bob Coffin is also interested in the idea of legalization,

I'd be happy to listen to arguments for legalization anytime," Coffin said. "In the meantime, I know we have to get some money from the world's oldest profession.

Goodman sees regulation of prostitution as a solution to Sin City’s budgetary woes.

I’ve met with folks from that industry who make a very compelling argument that [legal prostitution] could generate 200 million a year in tax dollars…” said Mayor Goodman.

Goodman shows a keen understanding of how legal prostitution would work in Las Vegas. The legal sex market would draw more sex tourists to Las Vegas, where in addition to buying women and young girls they’ll stay in hotels, purchase food and drinks, and maybe do a little gambling. The availability of legal prostitution will drive up the demand for prostitutes in Las Vegas. But what happens when men coming to Las Vegas demanding commercial sex outstrip women wanting to offer it? What happens when these men demand someone younger? Someone more exotic? Someone they can get a little rough with? That’s when the pimps and the traffickers step in to supply that demand by coercing, forcing and tricking young girls and women into the sex industry.

A recent study by prostitution researcher Melissa Farley showed that 89% of the women she interviewed wanted to escape prostitution. She estimates up to 60% of women in prostitution have been forced into it or entered due to extremely restricted life choices, coercion or deceit.

So, Mayor Goodman, as you consider building up the money in your bank on the backs of exploited women, please think again. Legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas will only take a very serious problem of human trafficking, as outlined in the video below, and make it worse.

Amanda Kloer is a Change.org Editor and has been a full-time abolitionist in several capacities for seven years. Follow her on Twitter @endhumantraffic
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