Other
The Flawed Analysis of Decriminalized Prostitution in Rhode Island by Cunningham and Shaw
(2014)
Abstract
The Cunningham and Shah analysis of decriminalized prostitution contains many conceptual
and data flaws. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
A more detailed and in depth analysis of this paper is needed. The assumptions and findings
need to be compared to more recent research, such as the empirical study (Cho et al. 2012)
entitled “Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking?” The researchers conclude
that “On average, countries where prostitution is legal experience larger reported human
trafficking inflows.” This bulletin is our quick response to the most significant claims made by Cunningham and
Shah. In 2009, Rhode Island recriminalized prostitution, as well as passing a comprehensive
human trafficking law and a law banning minors from working in adult entertainment
establishments. While criminalization of prostitution has problems associated with it, most
specifically, the continuing law enforcement practice of arresting women sellers of sex instead
of the male buyers of sex, it still appears to be in the best interest of a state and women as a
whole to ban the legal operation of the sex industry. When prostitution is prohibited, pimps,
traffickers, and property owners who rent to pimps and traffickers are criminalized.
[Cunningham and Shah] give a very old fashioned misogynous view that a subset of women and girls should be
set aside from the general population to be sexually used by men and that society as a whole
benefits from the sexual exploitation of this subset of the population. The health, well-being,
and freedom of this group of women and girls is always ignored. They are supposed to absorb
the violence of some men for the benefit of other women.
Keywords
- decriminalized prostitution,
- Rhode Island,
- flawed analysis,
- rape,
- gonorrhea
Disciplines
Publication Date
July 16, 2014
Citation Information
Brooks, Margaret and Hughes, Donna M. (2014, July 16). The flawed analysis of decriminalized prostitution in Rhode Island by Cunningham and Shah. Citizens Against Trafficking.
Creative Commons license
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