Following on from yesterday’s QotD, this comes from the comment thread under that Feminist Current blog post, from commenter stephen m:

Just for a moment lets follow the full decriminalization route and see what will happen. I don’t think you will HAPPY with that conclusion. Just a quick overview, some from existing fact in other countries and a little logical extrapolation from me:

Full decriminalization absolves the government, (you and I) from all responsibility. We will open prostitution up to the “market forces” (read big money) and let it all manage and regulate itself. The big money moves in and hires women as private contractors so there are NO benefits for the prostitutes. We next see trafficked women brought in as legal foreign workers who will work very inexpensively so all women will get the new minimum wage, after all who wants to pay more. We all know the problems with the foreign nanny program and its abuses of the women involved don’t we. Now extrapolate that to prostitution. The hotel, bar, convention etc. concessions will all be won by the big money organizations. The mom and pop operations will find it very hard to stay in business. Not only that but your “shelf life” will be shortened with all the new fresh young women being brought in by the big operations.