Prostitution is known as the “oldest profession.” It has always existed, continues to exist and will likely always exist. New York, an embodiment of democracy, paradoxically criminalizes this profession. Yet, making something illegal doesn’t eradicate it; it only pushes it underground, where it becomes unregulated and potentially precarious.

According to The New York Times, four people, including a police officer and a high school teacher, have been charged with running a prostitution ring that operated two brothels on Long Island for over five years. It is shameful when a public servant is arrested for sex trafficking. However, what’s more shameful is that instead of safeguarding vulnerable individuals, the current justice system enables exploitation and allows sex trafficking to thrive.

An NBC article revealed that the defendants were accused of making sex workers who could neither read nor speak English sign monthly leases ranging from $6,000 to $12,000. This isn’t an isolated incident; sex workers have always been victimized because they lack legal protection. What have legislators done to prevent this ongoing issue? Nothing.

The argument behind why prostitution is illegal has always been that it would increase global human trafficking, violent crime and rape. Much like prostitution, each of these acts are highly illegal, yet their prohibition does not prevent them from happening daily. Legalization of sex work would promote safety and protection for sex workers.

There are countless lonely individuals seeking connection and many people in financial distress who see sex work as a viable option. It should be treated like a normal job because there is a consensual supply and demand. Make it legal, reap the tax revenue and protect the rights of sex workers by offering them control over their livelihoods in a field that’s inherently exploitative when criminalized.It’s absurd that the same sexual acts are legal when performed in front of a camera, labeled as pornography, but illegal behind closed doors. Pornography, with some exceptions, is a legal industry, which even allows for adult actors to enter unions and receive benefits. The explicit sexual content is similar in both of these instances.

In one way or another, people sell themselves every day. An athlete sells their physical abilities, a lawyer sells their knowledge and a sex worker sells their body. Everyone should have the autonomy to decide what part of themselves they want to sell to others.

Current prostitution and anti-trafficking laws in many states make it impossible for victims to report abuse and violence without risking prosecution. When innocent people are arrested and prosecuted, victims face barriers to services and exploitation proliferates in the black market.

Legalization would not only reduce the stigma surrounding sex work, but also encourage safer reporting mechanisms and allow sex workers to seek help without experiencing repercussions.

It is time for lawmakers to recognize that illegality doesn’t equate to elimination. Control only creates a lack of transparency; it represses the issue instead of being a part of the solution.

The government should focus on practical solutions, not moral policing. Instead of judging the ethics of sex work, efforts should center on protecting individuals who choose this path, ensuring they do so safely and with dignity.