PROSTITUTION AND TURKISH CASE

“No one has a right to compel [another] to be happy in the peculiar way in whichhe may think the well-being of other men; but every one is entitled to seek his own happiness in the way that seem to him best ” 

                                                                                                                         Immanuel Kant

One or two week ago a news appeared in one of the newspapers and it was telling that the Greek Government offers Turkish Government to send some of the prostituttes to Greece. At first, the attitude of Greek Government made me angry; yet when I read the complete news I was shocked. As we know, Greece is the householder for the 2004 Olympics and according to the Olympic rules, which were prepared by the Commision of Olympics, Greek Government has to meet the demand of the sexual desires of people who are coming Greece to watch the Olympic games. Commission decided that in Athens, a number of prostitutes which is equal to one-third of the number of individuals must exist. Commission explains this order by stating that prostitution should be a service which is supplied to the individuals to meet their demand for sexual desires (Atina 1). In fact, commission’s decision clearifies a common problem which has been existing for a long time. Prostitution has been called the world’s oldest profession and for it has been presented throughout recorded history. Prostitution refers to the activity which involves sexual intercourse for money (Burford 5). It  has been called the world’s oldest profession, but it has been facing the strong reaction of society since its existence, because in general people are observing prostituton as an immoral activity. Although in society prostitution is accepted as immoral code, in real,  prostitution can be ethical if it is under governmental control and if it is restricted with formally legalized brothels, because state’s duty is to fulfill individuals’ demands with tolerance; but, not by disturbing other individuals. By restricting the circle of prostitution, goverments will achieve in preventing child prostitution, will gain tax revenue, will block underground economic activity, will cause to a decrease in sexual-crime rates and will prevent the prostitution which  happens outside of the brothels that brings negative effects to society.

Prostitution is known as the world’s oldest profesion, says Thomas Sullivan. According to him definition of prostitution is ‘the sexual activity which includes exchange for  money or goods in which the primary  motivation for the prostitute is neither sexual nor affectional’ (152). It is known as the oldest profession of the world and for centuries now people are constantly facing  problems which arise because of prostitution. The reason why they are still involving in such activity is too simple: economic conditions and erotic instincts. In my opinion, prostitution should be observed as a service and as a trade. This flesh trade is clearly thriving, and explanation of it is primarily economic: in this market there are some people willing to pay for the service and others are willing to supply them for a price. Prostitution has become a huge global trade, according to estimates the money generating each year is approximately 10 billion dollars only in USA (Sullivan 152). Another interesting example is Manukyan. Manukyan, who is also an old prostitute,  has become the top taxpayer of Turkey, also se is described as having built an extensive property empire, which includes several brothels. The other reason of involving in prostitution is the erotic instincts. For centuries now,  both sexes are serving each other to satisfy their sexual desires by prostitution, even if by exchanging money. According to the research of Anti-Slavery  International %71 of prostitutes in Ankara are voluntarily, chiefly working as prostitute because of economic reasons. The suppliers, females are participating for economic benefits, however the demanders, males are participating because of their erotic instincts.

Prostitution is observed as an immoral acitivity by society but some males are still participating this activity. The main reason of this participation is the basic sexual instincts which we are born with. According to John Macionis, sex is defined as an activity involving causing or experiencing pleasurable feelings in our body, usually centered on  penis or vagina, especially the activity of a man putting his penis into the vagina (224). This definition gives us a clear explanation about the topic of sex; but it is not enough to state all the psychological meanings for the human beings. According to Sigmund Freud, humans are born with two instincts: Eros (life instinct) and Thanatos (death instinct) (Myers 290). Thanatos includes every activity against life and Eros includes every activity like erotic instincts which are helpful to obtain a pleasurable life. According to Freud, sexual desires are instinctive because of Eros. Sex is an animal instinct which people are born with and because of Eros it is human-natured entertainment activity. The erotic instincts make the tendency of humans for sex with the opposite gender, these insticts are instinctive, thus it is very normal to have a sexual relationship for every individual, because this activity is human-oriented and it is the natural right of every individual.

People are born with sexual desires and these pleasurable needs have become a satisfaction gate and a kind of entertainment for the human beings for centuries. People have been trying to meet the demand of their desires with the help of some actions, like getting marry to have a sex, masturbating, raping or having sexual relationship with a prostitute. Nonetheless, everyone is lucky to provide satisfaction for desires and at this point some problems arise. According to Freud’s Hydraulic Theory, individuals’ emotions and desires should be expressed through sublimation, they will build up and cause negative outcomes if they are not expressed  (Myers 290). People have endless desires, they can provide satisfaction for some of them, yet sometimes they cannot. At that time, they try two ways: supressing that desire or expressing it in socially acceptable ways. If people supress their demands, these demands may accumulate and result in dangerous actions, nevertheless if they are expressed, this brings satisfaction to the individual and prevents dangerous results. To illustrate, people get angry sometimes. At this situation they can supress the aggression, but this suppression will cause worse results like fight, however if they express the aggression through swearing or hitting an object, not human, they can prevent the aggresion’s dangerous results.

People can avoid from the bad results of supressing feelings throughout expressing them. Similarly, people have sexual desires which are instinctive and again for these desires they try to expression or supression. If people supress these sexual feelings, this supression will cause worse outcomes like raping a woman, nevertheless if they express these emotions by masturbation or sexual intercourse throughout marriage or prostitution, they will satisfy themselves and they will hurt nobody. Some people assert that satisfying desires with the help of prostitution or pornography is immoral, yet they forget the dangerous results if they are not expressed. Everybody is not lucky enough to get marry, tehrefore in order not to cause worse outcomes, they apply the way of prostitution or masturbation. According to Baird and Rosenbaum, in many conservative countries such as Central America, Asia, Africa, there is practically no legally pornography and prostitution. In these regions, there is a great deal of sexism and violence against women. In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, where there are almost no restrictions for pornography, the rate of sex-related crime is much lower than those repressive countries because people can express their feelings throughout prostitution or pornography (114). I think sex is originated in human itself as a present of God, people should not be kept away from the satisfaction of these desires, because expressing the emotions throughout sublimation has lots of benefits for the society and individuals. 

In order not to cause greater harms, instead of suppression  people should choose the expression method as Freud claims. At this point, some duties for state occur, because states exist for the benefit of citizens. John Locke, a famous philosopher,  places sovereignty into the hands of the people and into the desires of people. Locke's fundamental argument is that people are equal and invested with natural rights in a state of nature in which they live free from outside rule. He states that ‘…state is built upon the natural rights common to a people who need and welcome an executive power to protect their property and liberties; the government exists for the people's benefit and can be replaced or overthrown if it ceases to function toward that primary end.’ (Second Treatise 2). State is for the benefit of individual and in order to prevent harm to the individuals, which is the result of humans’ endless desires, states should provide some protection to the individuals. As mentioned above, people have some erotic instincts and they try to satisfy themselves in some ways. They can get marry, masturbate, rape, or intercourse with a prostitute. For all these actions, states, governments should provide satisfaction to meet these demand. People try to express or supress their feelings, suppression gives harm to the society and to the individual, yet expression throughout sublimation gives satisfaction. At this point, states should supply some sources to the individulas like prostitution or pornography.

States exist for the benefit of the society and states or governments should work for the safety and happiness of citizens. As the example I gave at the beginning, the Greek Government tries to provide a source to meet the demand of  people’s sexual desires. Commission of Olympics observes such activities like prostitution as an official service which should be provided to the individuals in order not to supress feelings and cause worse outcomes. Millions people will exist in Athens during the olympic games, and as a result of creating a source for the satisfaction of individuals’ erotic instincts, they will prevent the negative effects of the supression of millions of people. According to NCPA Policy Report, in last ten years rape ratio in all over the world has decreased about %14 and this decrese is the result of the spread of the sources which are created to meet the demands of sexual desires      (“Pornography: Censorship vs.Autonomy” 2). As mentioned before, especially in Scandinavian countries, sex-crime rates are very low, because there is high level of freedom.

States should meet the demands of individuals, but some people assert that it is not acceptable in religious perspective. Firstly, states should be secular, states have no religion. They only exist for the benefit and safety of individuals, therefore they should consider individuals desires. Drinking alcohol is also forbidden by Islam, yet now in many muslim countries people are drinking alcohol freely. The golden rule in Scandinavian countries is ‘gedogen’. Gedogen means to be able to tolerate. Tolerance is, in fact, the main message of every religion therefore humans should learn how to be able to tolerate others. If prostitution is sin, only the people who are intercoursing should concern aboout that sin, not others. Some people choose the way to find pleasure in sexual intercourse with a prostitute without disturbing others, therefore we should tolerate them, and states should supply source to meet that demand, before they act in sexual daviance and before they rape like Greek Government does.

States should provide some sources to the individuals to satisfy their desires, but I do not mean that state should legalize all kinds of  prostitution. In my opinion government should open legalized brothels which are directly under governmetal control.If governments take prostitution under control and if they restrict it with officially brothels, society will gain a lot of benefits. These benefits will lead restricted prostitution to have a ethical code.Firstly, government will benefit from the economic situation of prostitution by taking its tax. As mentioned before, an old government allowed Manukyan to open legalized brothels, and as a result of this allowence government took huge taxes. Neither Sakıp Sabance nor Vehbi Koç, owners of the biggest business sectors in Turkey, could pass over Manukyan, and she became top taxpayer. Government couls have chance to receive the tax from manukyan and from others like Manukyan, and government achieved in preventing underground economic activity. What is more, as a result of restricting prostitution with officially brothels, government will prevent child prostitution (underage prostitution). According to Turkish Criminal Code, a female who is younger than 21 cannot be a prostitute. However some girls, who are younger than 21, are kidnapped and forced to be a prostitute. Joseph Gathia mentions a situation of a girl named Salma, who was kidnapped at the age of 9 and forced to be a protitute. She faced a painful life, instead of having her education and being near of her parents. As a result of the pains in the slave fleshmarket she died at the age of 15 (55). Like Salma, many girls are forced to be a prostitute in this fleshmarket and government can prevent this slave trade by restricted prostitution.

By restricting prostitution government will prevent child prostitution and will gain revenue, besides by restricting it, government will achieve in preventing the spread of  diseases. Some illnesses like AIDS and syphilis are spreading by sexual relationship. If prostitution is restricted with brothel women and men will be protected by condoms or by another instruments and using these instruments will be a must for intercourse. As a result of this obligation, spread of illnesses will be prevented. In addition to this, prostitutes will gain better life conditions while they are working in brothels. They will be receiving some social securities like unemployment compensation, life insurance and they will gain better working conditions like the obligation for men to use condom for the safety of that woman whom he is intercoursing.

Restricted prostitution will give benefits to the women who are working in the brothel but also restricted prostitution will give security for the other women. A representative survey  by Alliance Agaginst Sexual Coercion found that one-fourth of the adult women respondents had been raped at least once, and nearly half had experienced either an attepmt or a completed rape (3)  According to another research which was prepared in USA, the crime most feared by women  who live in cities is the rape (Sullivan 397). The interesting thing in this research is the result because a majority of women told that they fear from the rape most.  The majority did not answer that they fear most from death, being murdered or being robbed, they said rape. The importance of the topic can be understood from this. State is constructed for the benefit and security of the individuals, therefore stopping rape and meeting the demand of women, who are being afraid of rape, is state’s duty. State can make strict penalty codes but I think that providing extra resources like prostitution is a better way. As I told before, humans should express their emotions, otherwise if they supress this will cause greater problems, and rape is one of these greater problems. Males should express their erotic instincts by masturbating or intercoursing with a female who also wants to express her own desires or who does this work in exchange for money, otherwise males can try the way of rape. By providing legalized brothels, governments will supply a source to meet the demand of males and the rape rates will decrease.

Restricted prostitution gives many benefits to the society, but in fact, in my opinion the best way of solving this problem is education. Education is the key point in solving the problem of prostitution. There is a famous quote which says that one school makes one prison to be closed, and I claim  that one school for society, especially for girls, closes a brothel (Tarih Boyunca Genelevler 72). According to the report of Anti-Slavery International, in Tukish brothels which are located in Istanbul, Ankara and Adana, two percent of all prostitutes are graduated from a high school. One percent achieved an intermediate school diploma, and one percent of them had been a student at university, but non of them completed the course. As we observe from the statistics, if states make investments in educational sector more, they will have more chance to solve the problem of prostitution.

Prostitution has been a great immoral problem in society for many years, and it is not so easy to solve this problem because of humans’ endless desires. In order to solve this problem, states should give priority to the legalized brothels. Sexual desires are some of the endless desires of human beings. Sex is a human-natured entertainment activity and it is an animal instict which we are born with. I think sex is originated in human itself as a present of God, and its reflection as a satisfaction way in a form of entertainment named as prostitution, if it is restricted with legalized brothels, it has lots of benefits for the society and individuals. As a result of restricted prostitution, the underage prostitution will be prevented, rape rates will decrease, underground economic activity will be prevented, spread of diseases will slow down, and government will gain extra tax revenue. Therefore, restricted prostitution should be thought as a moral code and should not be censored.