Few of us know prostitution used to be legal, even encouraged, in the US. In our early days, there was often a lack of women, so you yourself may descend from a railway man or gold-miner who had kids with a prostitute – European, Asian, whoever was available. Prostitution didn’t become illegal until the 20th century. Why? Who were those prostitutes? What were the forces that called for criminalization? Did they want females back in the home? Has criminalization helped prostitutes? Has it given them recourse against those who abuse them? Has it protected kids who are being ensnared? Are poorer
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