The cover story for USNews & WR recently was about teen sex.  Reading it and several related documents produced the following generalized view:

The fact that we are sexual beings and that in society today we are blasted, more and more every year, with sexual images and suggestions everywhere we turn.  The impact of this is that, more and more, men and some women are constantly aroused beyond their ability to keep their pants on.

One question is to what extent does this increase in sexual stimulation have an impact on an increase in sex crimes, particularly date rape?

Potentially a bigger question is to what extent legalizing (or decriminalizing) sex work would reduce sex crimes (eg, those that would and should remain illegal)?

Does anyone know what the stats are in countries where sex work is legal?  Does it appear that the legal availability of paid sex reduces sex crimes and that sex crimes would increase if they, like the US, were to instate a prohibition against paid sex?

Launce

Personally, I think that legalization would certainly reduce crime against the Ladies in the business and crime against the Gents who see the Ladies.

It would probably reduce SOME kinds of "sex crimes," but not all. Most rape is about violence, power, and hatred, not about sex. Have you ever read realistic accounts of rape, written by victims? It certainly doesn't sound like a "sexual" experience to me. Rape "fantasies" are common to both sexes - many couples act them out. But the reality is a horrible, viscious crime, not a sexual act.

As far as other countries go, I doubt that any of them would be valid comparisons. I can't think of any country in the world that simultaneously allows virtually unlimited "titillation," but simultaneously outlaws consensual sex for money among adults.

To be a noodge, legalizing certain portions of the sex industry would lower the crime rate by the simple fact of fewer acts being illegal.

But more to the point: some crimes that are classified as sex crimes are more realistically crimes of violence. I don't think that legalization of the sex industry would significantly reduce those types of crimes (i.e. rape, sexual assault, etc.).

Date rape is a whole kettle o' worms. Some date rape is more forced and violent, some is "morning-after regret". I'm sure that some of it would go down, but one could make the argument that the ready availability of sex would make some more ready to pounce on anything that moves.

I *do* think it would have a positive influence on relationships in general. Imagine dating without the pressure of getting laid getting in the way-- you could actually date people and get to know them in a more relaxed fashion.

Another note: decriminalization is not the same as destigimatization.

Take for example the advent of 900 numbers. This has served as quite an outlet for unwanted telephone calls. The Internet and pay-for sites have also created outlets for uh, some relief of sexual tension or even the peeping tom.

Crimes of violence, however, are a different thing. They are more so a control issue with the violator. Rape is just that.

+Sugar+

Legalization, or not, is only one part of it.  In terms of legalalized sex for business, I believe (can't prove it right now) that in Holland they have a much lower "sex crime" ratio per capita than most.

However, they also have a much different take on sex and sexuality than our culture does!  American sexual attitudes, education levels, value systems are completely Victorian Age as compared to a lot of other places on this planet.  The end result is that in places like Holland they have a lot more folks with good mental health about sex and lot less psycho sadist rapist assholes, etc.

To me we will never see a resonably priced, legal, sex for hire business in this country until we first change our attitudes and solve the morality schizophrenia that pervades our society...

Wow, who put a quarter in me?

I think my view was that most sex crimes, particularly date rape, was more an issue of some guy being controlled by his crotch rather than his brain - over titilated and willing to use some force to get his rocks off.  

Though I knew that some were control/anger caused rather than crotch-caused I'd never guessed that the control aspect was as high (as a cause) as it apparently is.

Thanks for the input,

Launce

But I think that violence is a deeply ingrained trait. I think a lot of it is learned from family, and most of it stems from an inability to deal with frustration. Frustration turns into anger, anger to rage, rage to violence.

Is date rape a control thing? I think it depends on the circumstances. In many cases, I can see it as an assertion of control, where the agressor either doesn't believe the protestations of the victim, doesn't care, or can't understand that if *he* wants to, she may not want to. Or simply that she can change her mind.

Then there are those circumstances that IMHO trivialize the concept of date rape: the morning-after regret. You know, when she wakes up the next morning and realizes that during the night she had a little too much to drink and had carnal relations, and uses the excuse of alcohol or other social lubricants impairing her judgement, and cries "date rape". To me, this is abdication of responsibility.

So what were we talking about again?