Should prostitution be legalised in India?

Answer 1

I can't speak to India specifically, but in general prostitution is a victimless crime. It is outlawing consensual action between adults. A free state has no business preventing such a thing. Many would argue that prostitution is degrading to women, immoral, or creates negative 'neighborhood effects'. But in fact the prohibition of the act creates far more problems. Because it is illegal, prostitutes are forced to live in a black market world where their health and lives are in constant danger, both from their clients and their pimps. Places where prostitution is legal the neighborhood effects are almost nil. Prostitutes do not walk the street, but instead operate safely in a storefront, perform safe sex to minimize disease risk, and are not vulnerable to the predations of pimps or violent clients. No amount of law enforcement or penalties can eliminate prostitution because, like drugs, it is a demand-driven industry. As long as there are clients willing to pay, there will be suppliers. It is perfectly valid for folks to feel that prostitution is morally repugnant, and to speak out against it, but when one uses the power of the state to enforce one's moral viewpoint on others, one ceases to live in a free society.