An undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania is advocating for the legalization of prostitution, making her case this week in an op-ed published by the school's student-run newspaper.
For her story in the Daily Pennsylvanian , Sophomore Isabella Simonetti spoke on the record with two sex workers and a massage parlor owner who shared their experiences with prostitution in the Philadelphia area. All three believe that a change in policy would empower women, safely meet an economic demand and improve public health.
Despite a long and complicated history of legal prostitution in the United States, certified brothels in Nevada are now the only places in the country where this sex trade can be legally practiced. Simonetti and editor Harry Trustman worked together to reach out to escorts who advertise services discreetly at lesser-known websites. Few were willing to talk at all and those who did generally did not agree to go on the record. Trustman often had to handle interviews because the women wouldn't see or speak with Simonetti.
Writing the piece was actually quite difficult for me. It felt pertinent that I piece together these narratives in a way that does justice to voices that often go unheard. Beyond the realm of research and public debate, little has been done in the U. Groups such as Amnesty International and even a United Nations commission have openly supported decriminalization of consensual sex work, but there is no imminent legislation intended to change the status quo.
Simonetti spoke with a year-old, divorced mother of two, who began working as a prostitute in Philadelphia after moving here earlier this year. Jara Krys, a Wharton student and well-known trans sex worker , also provided insight into how prostitution helped her complete her transition during a leave of absence from the university.
