-- The Philippines and other Asian countries should decriminalize sex-related jobs in order to provide sex workers access to basic rights and to control the spread of sexually transmitted infections especially HIV, a new United Nations report said.
"The legal recognition of sex work as an occupation enables sex workers to claim benefits, to form or join unions and to access work-related banking, insurance, transport and pension schemes," the report dubbed "Sex Work and the Law in Asia and the Pacific" showed. –
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/legalize-prostitution--un-urges-ph.html
Photo from:
http://www.lookatvietnam.com/2011/07/prostitution-could-not-be-a-job.html
It is not a very much hidden truth that the Philippines is a poor country and many, women, men and even children resort to prostitution to earn a living. It is not much of an issue to talk about the “profession” or to see the prostituted in streets and in alleys. But what has come to UN's mind when it suggested a legalization of prostitution in the Philippines?
As what UN said, decriminalizing “sex work” has positive effects. Among those are the control of sexual disease, another would be, health benefits could be provided to the prostituted, and of course, an increase in government revenue.
Yes, it is probably true that it could control the spread of sexual disease through requiring “sex workers” to be healthy and to be undergo medical check-ups once in a while. But would it work? Would it really control the spread of STDs or would it not worsen the problem? When something is legal it could easily be accessed, so in turn many would patronize the service. And when there would be many patronizers, would it not make STDs spread?
Photo From:
http://www.preda.org/en/news/child-abuse-crimes/prostitution-in-the-philippines-a-time-for-change/
Yes , it is probably true that the prostituted would have health and other benefits. But would it work? Would it really benefit the prostituted? Are we not making them as certified public bodies which anyone could use and abuse? What benefit would they get from being abused?
Yes, it is probably true that there would be an increase in Government revenue. But is the Gross Domestic Profit or the high government revenue enough to measure the welfare of the public, especially the marginalized and the prostituted? Are we not making ourselves hypocrites in showing off that we have a high GDP but the people in our country suffer too many abuses?
In my opinion, the said suggestion of UN to legalize prostitution in the Philippines should be trashed. Maybe their intention is good. Maybe they just see the potential of the Philippine economy. But I would boldly say, even if entails a high increase or development in our economy, we should not risk the welfare of our countrymen. We must not let them be abused by the own laws that are and that would be created.
A country's measurement of wealth does not solely rely on government revenue... it's how the people of the country experience life. Whether they experience it hard or with contentment.
