The underlying assumption is the same as in abortion: that women can't be entrusted with agency over their own bodies.

Because one of the biggest issues with sex work, human trafficking, gets worse with legalization. Studies across Europe have shown that countries that outlaw prostitution see a decrease in human trafficking victims while countries that legalized or decriminalized it see an increase.

Unlike with drugs, you don't just create a way to increase the supply. A very small minority of women actually want to engage in sex work. And the few who do, usually envision the high class escort lifestyle. But working in a brothel charging $100 per client isn't something many want to do.

But legalizing prostitution increases demand. Which makes it more profitable for criminals to utilize human trafficking to fill that demand.

https://orgs.law.harvard.edu/lids/2014/06/12/does-legalized-prostitution-increase-human-trafficking/

One source of it.

It also doesn't help at all with protecting victims of human trafficking. Victims of human trafficking are already protected. But they don't step forward because of threats against their own well being and that of their families. Something that doesn't change just because their work technically is legal now.

Which leaves a small percentage of people who fall into financial hardship and consider prostitution as a method of overcoming said hardship. For them that might slightly improve their situation. But that still means exploiting vulnerable people and isn't people engaging in sex work because they want to. And it's even questionable if people in these scenarios would follow the legal way.

So while initially it might seem like legalizing it solves a lot of issues, it is more difficult than that.

Puritan values.

My bet is on America's conservative puritan history where anything good is bad.

Also sex trafficking. At least that's the argument for keeping it illegal. :(

Old white men elected themselves under the guise of voting (gerrymandering who?) and are too embarrassed and confused to allow women the rights they have as humans. Isn't democracy silly.

I'd say the diagram of "Why is sex work illegal" and "Why is abortion illegal" is almost a perfect circle.

It's about contolling other peoples' bodies and weakening the separation of church and state.

Hopefully neither, and they’ll arrest the organizers/pimps/etc.

sex workers and clients should be the lowest priority.

3 individuals sounds like just the pimps.

They'd probably have to confirm identities to arrest those folks, and also prove they aren't just getting name-dropped.

Just grabbing the pimps and workers is a lot easier and less case intense

I only remember the rug as I’m supposed to.

The bribery potential of those officials violating the laws they're publicly supporting is the problem.

Prostitution isn't legal in Vegas. Parts of Nevada yes, but in Clark county where Las Vegas is located prostitution is illegal.

It's very bizarre. Kinda shocking the gov't hasn't figured out the massive amount of tax revenue behind the legalization of sex workers.

There are porn producers who do such a crappy job that I’d swear they only film so they have legal access to prostitution.

It started a few centuries ago when this annoying group of people known as Puritans were expelled from their home country and sailed to north America.

The natives saved them from starvation and today still impose their beliefs and values on everybody. These hypocritical laws is but one example

In this day and age, why aren't brothels and sex work legal?

Where else are they going to get sex? From the woman they live with that is laughably called their wife?

Look at Ted Cruz and tell me that there is a woman on the planet earth who will allow him inside her without money being exchanged.

Since it’s illegal and probably secret from their wives, it opens the client to blackmail, which isn’t good for the public if they’re in government or military.

Regardless of whether someone was trafficked, folks in positions of power chosing* to disregard the law is itself an issue.