Prostitution policies and attitudes toward prostitutes

The present study examines whether regulatory attitudes toward prostitution are relatedto moral elements, such as agency attributed to prostitutes and moral outrage. A Spanishsample (N = 391, aged from 18 to 53 years old) completed a questionnaire that includedtwo separate parts. In the first part, participants answered a scale on regulatory attitudestoward prostitution; in the second part, after reading one of two scenarios, participantscompleted questions about agency and moral outrage. Results showed a differentpattern of moral perception of prostitutes depending on the regulation attitudes towardprostitution, and perception of prostitutes as victims of sexual slavery (Scenario 1) or aswomen who freely choose to prostitute themselves (Scenario 2). This study providesempirical evidence of how some regulatory attitudes toward prostitution have a strongmoral burden, depending on the type of prostitute who practices it. These findings makea fruitful contribution to our knowledge of attitudes towards prostitution, which couldinform future policy-making.