Prostitution in Russia — to legalize or leave as is?

In recent years on streets of Petersburg invisible "fight" was developed. Practically all streets in "sleeping" areas are stuck round by type announcements «Frivolous acquaintances» or «Dasha, 24 hours». Prostitution in Russia - to legalize or leave as is?
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Some activists break these announcements, therefore their began to draw ballonchik directly on asphalt. (Whether competitors, whether fighters for purity of customs) cover others other ballonchik of figure on the phone numbers, as a result all street is entirely covered with color spots. Who from it wins and loses, unclear, but it is obvious that to the city it does not add purity.

Certainly, the most ancient profession was, is and will be. It is possible to treat it differently, but time always was demand, time always were wishing to earn, means, there were also market relations. Therefore we will lay aside a moral question, he is senseless for discussing. It is ready to address more interestingly to world experience and to try to analyse the relation to prostitution in the different countries. Europe

Unities in laws of the European Union countries are not present. In Norway for example, prostitution is forbidden, and the authorities went on an original course – the penalty is imposed on the client, instead of on the prostitute. The authorities quite reasonably decided that it is impossible to catch all "girls" (and the majority of them most likely from other countries), and here for "clients" the risk of a heavy fine will be more effective restriction.

Prostitution is also forbidden in Bulgaria, Sweden, Romania and Iceland. However practically in all other European (quite civilized and Puritan) the countries it is authorized. This group includes England, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Poland, Israel and many other countries. And certainly, Holland, about "red light district" in which all, likely, heard. Asia

Formally prostitution in Asia practically everywhere is forbidden. However effectiveness of such ban under a big question since about "rounds" to Thailand, for example, did not hear only the lazy. By data from open sources, in the same Thailand this activity brings more than 4 billion dollars a year. In Saudi Arabia for example, prostitution is forbidden and is punished by imprisonment or a flogging, and in Singapore on the contrary, is resolved.

So the unity here too is not present. It is interesting that in Iran, for example, despite severity of laws and formal prohibition of prostitution, the conclusion of «temporary marriage» (Nikah mut‘ah) which under Islamic laws can last from 15 minutes to 99 years is possible.

In Australia the situation differs in various areas: in one states it is authorized, in others is not present. America

In the USA and Canada prostitution is officially forbidden (though according to reports, only for 2007 in Washington the income of the illegal sex industry made $280 million). In Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Honduras prostitution is allowed. Russia

Russia too partially treats Europe, how are you are at us? Legally in Russia it is forbidden and under the law activity is punished by a penalty «at the rate from one thousand five hundred to two thousand rubles». But it is obvious that this penalty is rather symbolical since even in one "working day" earnings of "girl" it will be obvious higher.

It is interesting that in Russia since Petrovsky times brothels at first were forbidden. So Ekaterina II in 1782 entered penalties for the maintenance of brothels, and in 1800 Pavel I issued the order on the reference of "girls" from Petersburg to Irkutsk. However illegally all of them equally existed, and over time scope of venereal diseases became so big that in 1843 emperor Nikolay I resolved these houses, under condition of visit by his "workers" of the doctor of times in two weeks. Brothels should not have any signs, should not settle down close to schools or churches, and the entrance there was forbidden minors.

So this system also worked till 1917. Then against prostitution began to fight, and after the 40th years in the USSR it "officially" was considered nonexistent therefore also punishments for it any more were not.

What target audience of these services in Russia? Exact data, certainly, are not present, it is possible to assume only. According to NTV channel data, in Russia one million people are engaged in prostitution. If to assume that each "worker" serves at least one person in day, at least one million clients per day turns out. If to assume that clients go not more often than once a week, 7 million people consumers of these services, or about 5 % of the population turn out somewhere.

So it or not, precisely, of course, is not known. It is possible to allocate three groups of people allegedly also:

1. At whom in private life everything is good. Any «paid services» to them are not necessary.

2. Those who owing to the increased temperament will seek meetings elsewhere, irrespective of existence of constant pair (the most known example – Pushkin).

3. Those who owing to any factors (appearance, health) has no pair in general. For such people it is better to have possibility to receive "service" for money, otherwise they hypothetically can go, for example, on rape.

Fortunately, representatives of the 1st group, probably, nevertheless the majority, and for the others – really not everything is so unequivocal. Conclusions

Here everyone can make conclusions itself. Obviously only one, this phenomenon was eat and will be, and to close eyes, pretending that it is not present, it is self-deception. Probably, adoption of the high-grade laws regulating prostitution, is a sign of a legal maturity of the society capable honest to recognize the defects (that it defect, likely, nobody argues). Or perhaps simply at legislators it is full of another matters and to it not before. Or (that most likely) all are afraid to communicate – obviously that discussion of any laws in this direction will cause a big public response.

On the other hand, spontaneous announcements on columns unequivocally spoil the person of the city and should be forbidden. I went more than once across Europe and such announcements did not see never. Certainly, it is impossible to put the policeman at each column, but after all enough, for example, it is simple to block phone numbers specified in announcements – then their sticking-up becomes senseless. Generally, to the city authorities here is over what to think…

Updated: 24.10.2015 — 13:03