Legalising prostitution is a much lesser evil
SIR — In countries where prostitution is legal, there are no crime problems associated with it. Legalising prostitution is a solution. It is already in many parts of the world. If prostitution were legal in Uganda we would reduce or eliminate the rampant victimisation of prostitutes by pimps, and
SIR — In countries where prostitution is legal, there are no crime problems associated with it. Legalising prostitution is a solution. It is already in many parts of the world. If prostitution were legal in Uganda we would reduce or eliminate the rampant victimisation of prostitutes by pimps, and control dis sexually transmitted diseases by requiring prostitutes to have regular checkups and health certificates.
Many would get off the streets and settle in a better, controlled environment. Some financially powerful people get young women and men and get them addicted to drugs in order to turn them into prostitutes and exploit them. If they were settled in well designated areas this would not happen.
Prostitutes can pay tax like all other people who are gainfully employed. Right now, instead of deriving income from prostitution, we are spending large sums of money trying to wipe out “an evil†which will not go away. We cannot legalise on morality.
By legalising prostitution, we would not be condoning it. We would only be saying that we have finally gotsmart enough to face facts about the world’s oldest profession and opted for a lesser evil. With some of the tax revenue generated by legalisation of prostitution we could also do some sensitisation.
But I know it is unlikely that prostitution will be lagalised in Uganda. Instead the issue will be politicised. Politicians depend too much on inflating issues like this to get elected.
Alex Mango
Kamplala Uganda
Many would get off the streets and settle in a better, controlled environment. Some financially powerful people get young women and men and get them addicted to drugs in order to turn them into prostitutes and exploit them. If they were settled in well designated areas this would not happen.
Prostitutes can pay tax like all other people who are gainfully employed. Right now, instead of deriving income from prostitution, we are spending large sums of money trying to wipe out “an evil†which will not go away. We cannot legalise on morality.
By legalising prostitution, we would not be condoning it. We would only be saying that we have finally gotsmart enough to face facts about the world’s oldest profession and opted for a lesser evil. With some of the tax revenue generated by legalisation of prostitution we could also do some sensitisation.
But I know it is unlikely that prostitution will be lagalised in Uganda. Instead the issue will be politicised. Politicians depend too much on inflating issues like this to get elected.
Alex Mango
Kamplala Uganda