Legalize prostitution?

(Baonghean) - In recent years, it seems that prostitution has become increasingly "hot" in many localities across the country. If in the past, prostitution only existed in urban areas and tourist areas, now it also exists in some rural and mountainous areas. If in the past, most of the people involved in prostitution were "unlucky" people with low education, now there are all kinds of people, high and low, noble and humble jobs. If in the past, only women were prostitutes, now there are also men, even men from Africa...; there are cases of buying and selling for up to "thousands of dollars"...

It can be said that, unlike drugs and AIDS, prostitution has recently had many conflicting public opinions. Some people believe that prostitution is an “industry” that has existed since ancient times according to the law of supply and demand. Therefore, we should learn from some countries that accept prostitution, consider it a profession, especially establish “red light districts” as “entertainment” areas for easy management, medical examination and treatment for both sellers and buyers, and tax. If our country did the same, it would be better than the current situation. Not to mention attracting tourists who want sex.

Therefore, whether we like it or not, we have to accept that not-so-good reality. On the contrary, many people strongly oppose it, considering the legalization of prostitution as an insult to Vietnamese family ethics, Vietnamese personality, and a corruption of our good social ethics. That is not to mention the fact that up to now, Vietnamese culture in particular, and Eastern culture in general, have never accepted prostitution, considering prostitution as a "profession".

Meanwhile, the Party committees and authorities of some localities believe that although prostitution is a social evil that needs to be prevented, its existence has not killed anyone! The problem is to focus on socio-economic development. That concept can explain the phenomenon of prostitution operating openly in many places such as Do Son (Hai Phong), Binh Thanh (Ho Chi Minh City), Giao Thuy (Nam Dinh) that the press has mentioned but no agency has intervened. Is it possible that the press knows, many people know but the local authorities and agencies do not know? Obviously, the authorities and agencies in many places have been vague about prostitution, leading to laxity in preventing and combating this evil.

Faced with the above situation, recently, on July 8, at the National Online Conference to review the work of the beginning of 2013 of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested that localities seriously review the leaders and police chiefs of Binh Thanh District (Ho Chi Minh City), Do Son Town (Hai Phong), and Giao Thuy District (Nam Dinh) for their lax management, allowing prostitution to operate openly in the area, causing public outrage. Previously, the Deputy Prime Minister requested Hanoi and the three above provinces and cities to report on the current situation of prostitution as well as make recommendations on the implementation of prevention and control of the above social evils in the coming time.

Although it is not a “hot” locality for prostitution like some other provinces and cities, it does not mean that our province does not have problems with this social evil. A few months ago, a kindergarten teacher in Con Cuong was discovered and arrested for prostitution brokerage; last August, Anh Son police also discovered a former district official harboring prostitution at her motel. And, every year in our province, there are several dozen cases of harboring, brokerage, and prostitution activities discovered and arrested.

The above resolute attitude of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shows that our State is determined to fight, prevent, reduce and eventually eliminate social evils, including prostitution, from social life. That clear and decisive attitude also shows that ambiguous public opinions about prostitution and proposals to legalize prostitution are unacceptable!

Viet Long