A prostituição no Brasil no século XXI: razões para sua regulamentação

Abstract

Since early times prostitution has been in demand and exploited by society. Despite intensive and immemorial use of the sexual services rendered by these women, this social phenomenon is still treated as taboo in the 21st century. The world is divided between countries that do not tolerate prostitution, and criminalize the behavior of prostitutes, clients and those who economically exploit the activity (prohibitionism); countries that consider the activity as degrading for women and seek to abolish it, criminalizing the behavior of those that economically exploit the activity and/or clients, but not that of the prostitute (abolitionism); and countries that regard it as a legitimate activity, with or without moral questionings, and regulate it. The present work attempts to diagnose the treatment of prostitution conferred by the Brazilian state, build a contemporary profile of the activity, research on the current legal regimes existent in several countries, analyze the practical results stemming from each of these regimes, comment on the relevant international judicial decisions and, finally, discuss the arguments involved in the intense controversy surrounding prostitution in order to find answers for the following questions: 1. From a philosophical and constitutional standpoint, is it possible to prevent adults, who are entitled to choose based on their own free will, from committing prostitution, soliciting prostitution or developing economic activities related to sexual services? 2. Is it possible to demand from the state any action in terms of prostitution? This study revealed that in all countries, except those in which the profession is regulated, prostitutes are treated as second-class citizens, are deprived of the most basic rights, lack recognition, are stigmatized, and are pushed into the social underworld. The inexistence of legislation that will guarantee their rights not only exposes them to crime, health risks, hazardous environments, but also increases the stigma they are subject to. The empirical factors analyzed crime, health, labor conditions and taxation some of which by recommendation of UN-related international organisms, such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, all indicate the need for regulation of the activity. On the other hand, according to the political philosophy advocated in this work -- liberal egalitarianism -- state interference in the woman s decision to become a prostitute and to pursue this activity is strictly forbidden, since it implies treating the prostitute as less than an equal moral subject. Finally, from a constitutional perspective, the intervention and omission of the abolitionist state violate the fundamental rights of prostitutes to personal autonomy, equality, and human dignity. Besides, since the choice of exercising prostitution is a morally self-regarding issue, it should be withdrawn from the democratic process, as otherwise violating the basic principle of democracy. Based on the answers obtained for the above-mentioned questions, and on the reasons that lead up to them, this study will present arguments for the regulation of prostitution in Brazil