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Men and the Prostitute
Prostitutes would not be in busi–
ness at all if it were not for the lusts
and carnal desires of millions of
men. Many of the men who consort
with prostitutes are already married
and have families.
Any man, married or otherwise,
who would patronize prostitutes is
not fulfilling bis societal role,
whether as husband, father, and
provider, or as an ordinary citizen.
Married men who cheat on their
wives weaken tbe fiber of the borne
by destroying what !ove they once
had for their mates. They jeopardize
the future of their children, who
need st rong moral support, mascu–
line influence and leadership.
Let's face facts. Prostitutes are
only one half the problem. The vast
numbers of men who use their ser–
vices are equally guilty. Single men
who patronize prostitutes show how
little they really value a future mar–
riage and wife to be. They show that
selfish lus t, not true !ove, is the
prime motivator of their lives!
Legalized Prostitution?
Most countries have laws forbid–
ding prosti tution - ye t these laws
are commonly unenforced. Authori–
ties look on prostitution with "be–
ni gn neglect. " In th e state of
Nevada, in the American West, the
decision to outlaw prostitution has
been left up to individual counties –
and three of them, led by Storey
County, bave opted for legalization
of brothels.
For this article, we interviewed
Sheritf Robert Del Cario of Storey
County, where the first step toward
legalization was made. Sberiff Del
Cario recounted tbe fact that in Vir–
ginia City just twenty years ago, five
houses of prostitution were located
just two blocks from the County
Courthouse, two blocks from a
church, and only two blocks from a
public school.
The sheriff explained tbat for
years, law enforcement officials had
attempted to prosecute prostitutes,
PLAIN TRUTH July-August 1973
but geography - the county has
many winding dirt roads - and a
limited staff made the job ex–
ceedingly difficult, if not impossible.
So, in January 1971, Storey
County legalized prostitution. The
Sheriff asserted that this step en–
abled autborities to regulate the ac–
tivities of the brothels, kee p
organized crime out, and see that
the girls received regular medica!
inspection for venereal disease.
Supporters of legalized prostitu–
tion elsewhere argue that such a
move would drive hookers off the
streets and into licensed , regulated
brothels, allowing medica! super–
vis ion.
But legalization of prostitution
has not driven "free-lance" (inde–
pendent) prostitutes off tbe streets.
Many of them believe that they can
make more money on their own.
Fur ther, legalization makes prost i–
tution a legitima te business and en–
courages its growth.
A case in point is Dayton , Ohio.
An ordinance prohibiting prosti–
tutes on downtown streets was ruled
unconstitutional by a local judge.
After the decision, the hookers de–
scended on the city center by the
hundreds, like plagues of locusts.
What, then, is the answer to
his–
tory's oldest racket?
The Solution to Prostitution
Societies have struggled with the
prostitution problem from time im–
memorial. In ancient Rome, prosti–
tution was regulated. The Roman
poet Seneca wrote of a young man:
"He has done no wrong. He !oves a
prostitute - a usual thing; wait , he
will improve and marry a wife."
In the Middle Ages, prostitution
was extremely widespread. Tbomas
Aquinas, a Catholic theologian, said
that prostitution was a necessary
condition of socia l morality, just as
a cess-pool is needed by a palace
(Taylor,
Sex in History,
p. 21).
Down through history, nations
have attempted regulation, prohibi–
tion, or licensing of prostitution. All
schemes have ultimately failed.
Consequently, many authorities feel
the problem is insoluble. As long as
there are clients, we are told, there
will be prosti tutes.
And that is the key to the whole
problem! Prostitution would cease if
there were no clients.
Any society whicb desires to
sa feguard public morality a nd
strengthen the home and the in–
stitution of marriage must abolish
the causes of
prostitutio~ -
ln ancient Israel, prostitution was,
in certa in periods, condemned and
severely punished . Jts baleful effect
on public moral ity was well under–
stood. And as long as the laws
against it were enforced, prostitu–
tion was very rare. But Iaw enforce–
ment alone is not the answer. Fines
and prison sentences do not solve
the problem.
The real solution líes in changing
the hearts and minds of both men
and women, as well as in eliminat–
ing the financia!
causes
of prostitu–
tion from socie ty. This solut ion
involves moral and spiritual reedu–
cation and a strengthening of the
institution of marriage.
A concerted reeducational reha–
bilitation prog ram is urgently
needed - a program which would
include spiritual instruction, as well
as vocational education. Prostitutes
and their clients need to Jearn about
the real purpose of human exis–
tence, the dignity and awesome po–
tential of human life. They need to
be encouraged to Jearn why im–
moral conduct is detrimental and
corrosive to living a truly balanced,
happy life.
Unfortunately, the history of
human experience indicates that
human society will not enter upon
such a program. These needed
changes can, therefore, only be ac–
complished by superhuman power
and effort - by the interposition of
the government o f God to rule man–
kind, and the addition of the Spirit
of God to change the hearts and
minds of mankind. That solution
will be achieved within our life–
times.
o
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