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Is prostitution entirely bad?
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On June 28 in Quang Ninh, at a conference on anti-prostitution program 2011-2015, deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong said: “[Prostitution] should be considered as a phenomenon rather than a social evil.”


This can be regarded as a positive sign in the change of government perspectives on prostitution. Up to now, the society and community still prejudice prostitution as going against traditional ethics. Those who use their flesh to earn a living are stigmatized with bad names.

Negative conception and behavior by the community towards prostitutes are supported when the authorities regard it as a kind of social evil. Women involved in this career are seized by police and brought to re-education centers. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social affairs used to have an anti-social evil office to administrate these centers.

Such social behaviors and the fear to be arrested and prejudiced make prostitutes hesitate to approach prevention services like tests, treatment aids, and condom provision. The victims then feel isolated and insulted. Their self-respect is lowered and they become tired of living. The girls living by this career become more careless and dangerous.

Many of them have a tendency to revenge life and become a factor that disseminate risks and spread sexual diseases including HIV/AIDS. According to statistics, the ratio of HIV/AIDS among prostitutes in Hai Phong city is 23 percent. In Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the figure is 20 and 16 percent respectively.

Changing perspectives on prostitutes will contribute to the diminution of prejudice and make it favorable for them to approach sexual health care service and practice safe sex.

When prostitution is no longer regarded as a social evil, the government should propagandize the change so that the community will be aware and treat prostitutes as normal human beings. In our opinions, besides prostitution, other phenomenon such as drug addiction, gambling, alcoholism should not be considered as social evils. We should regard them as social issues that need to be solved. Many countries in the world also hardly regard these as social evils.

At the conference, Mr. Truong Vinh Trong viewed this new issue from a new perspective: “The world avoids sending women into re-education centers as such administrative compulsory method has become ineffective. In Vietnam, people have taken a more positive look on those with HIV/AIDS as well as prostitutes.”

In reality, social problems always exist and they increase or decrease depending on socio-economic situation, management potential throughout different eras.

Issues like prostitutions, gambling, drugs have existed for years in history. Like a demand-supply rule, no nation is exempt from these issues. No nation can eradicate totally prostitution, gambling or drugs. The point is that there should be a social method to limit the growth and prevent bad affects of these social issues.

Hoang Ba Thinh (professor at University of Social Science and Humanities in Hanoi)