Dear ex-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, congratulations on becoming both a national disgrace and the butt of every prostitution joke.

If you have been hibernating in your lofted bed for the past few weeks, let me fill you in on the Spitzer scandal. Spitzer was elected in 2006 on a platform of morality and honest ethics.

He vowed to bring down the evil and sinful prostitution rings in New York. Last month, the federal government began investigating phone calls and text messages sent by Spitzer, believing he may be involved in illegal campaign financing. What they found was something else entirely.

It seemed that Spitzer was a patron of a high-end call girl service. “Client No. 9,” as Spitzer was called, had apparently hired a prostitute, paying her $4,300 for two hours. Soon after the scandal broke, the governor stepped down from his position.

This scandal raised many issues, from extramarital affairs to wiretapping to crooked, lying politicians. But one question set apart from the rest: Why is prostitution illegal? It is not legally forbidden all over the world. Even some first-world European countries, like the Netherlands, have lawful prostitution. It is time that the United States legalizes prostitution.

Despite its illegal status, prostitution occurs all around the United States, expanding even further thanks to the internet. Since it is illegal, there are no regulations for the industry.

In other fields dealing with the human body, for example medicine or tattooing, numerous regulations exist to protect both the supplier and consumer of the service. Prostitution in the United States has no rules. If prostitution were legalized, the government could create regulations for the industry protecting call girls and their clients. After all, many who turn to prostitution, especially those in the lower-end rings, have very few other options in life. Shouldn’t these people be equally safe while trying to earn a living for themselves?

Furthermore, if prostitution was legalized, sex workers would have more control over their lives. Brothels are notorious for abuse and filthy conditions. But as things are currently, a woman beaten by a pimp could not go to the police because she could be arrested for prostitution. Her abuser may never be brought to justice and continue to batter other victims.

With legalization, prosecution of the real criminals and abusers can be conducted more easily. Violence toward prostitutes would likely decrease as well if the law was on their side.

Some fear legalized prostitution would lead to a greatly increased demand for such services, and thereby morally corrupt the country. However, such a scenario is highly unlikely. Take the rate of abortions, for example. After the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, the number of abortions did not skyrocket. Today, the United States has the lowest abortion rates since charting began.

Other first-world countries with legalized prostitution have not become cesspools. Life and the economy continue to flourish in Australia, the Netherlands and Germany, even with their red-light districts. Although it is a controversial policy, it has led to an 80 percent decrease in the arrests of prostitutes.

The U.S. government has repeatedly refused to legalize prostitution, citing that it would add to the human slave trade around the world. However, it would seem that by keeping prostitution illegal and therefore, unregulated, the United States is adding to the human slave trade. This long-existing profession may not always be the most respected, but sex workers deserve the same rights and regulations as every other working person.

Emily Houtler is a sophomore majoring in environmental science and math. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.