There is also a 4th view regarding the legalization of prostitution that might arise out of a belief that it is morally wrong and also exploitive. That is the view that I *think* is what takes place in Sweden from the brief blog ientry that Maggie linked to much earlier. In that situation, it is not illegal to offer sex for sale, but it is illegal to solicit sex for sale. The customer commits a legally criminal act but the prostitute is deemed to not have done so. In this instance, the prostitute does have some protection and is able to seek out appropriate medical care and file police reports when abused without fear of arrest. It may make it less likely that a customer will be physically abusive, though I certainly don't have any information to know that one way or another.