ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1980s, the debate about how to address prostitution legally has become a subject of legislative action. Some countries in Europe, most notably the Netherlands and Germany among others, have legalized and/or decriminalized systems of prostitution, which includes decriminalizing pimps, brothels and buyers, also known as “customers or johns.” Other governments, such as Thailand, legally prohibit prostitution activities and enterprises but in reality tolerate brothels and the buying of women for commercial sexual exploitation, especially in its sex tourism industry. Sweden, has taken a different legal approach-penalizing the buyers while at the same time decriminalizing the women in prostitution.
