Iran Considering Brothels

September 16, 2002 AP article summary While prostitutes are considered a terrible vice punishable by death, many are calling for brothels to be legalized, monitored and be done in accordance with Islam via temporary marriages - which can be for just a few hours. The difference between a terrible immoral vice vs. legitimate moral sexual encounter is the man saying about two sentences declaring his marriage for a specific time period.

There has been a huge rise in illegal, immoral prostitution especially by young girls fleeing to the streets or organized in private homes. The monthly magazine Zanan (Women) quoted two 15 year olds as saying they became prostitutes after they fled their homes where they were beaten. One said her conservative father tortured her after seeing her chatting with a boy.

Iran's strict Islamic rules allow little socializing between the sexes, and young Iranians have been jailed and flogged for dancing with the opposite sex at birth day parties. Young girls who flee their homes often have to be prostitutes to survive.

More than half of Iran's estimated 70 million people are younger than 25. The unemployment rate is close to 30%.

The rise is prostitution has led to suggestions that brothels be legalized and run by Islamic rules, such as the Shiite Muslim tradition of temporary marriages. Brothel women would be monitored for HIV and others STD's, "and the rest of the society will live in peace without women afraid of being molested or wrongly approached by customers in the street."

Dave notes there is no adultery issues, since a man can have as many wives as he wishes, including temporary wives. Under Islam 4 wives is considered ideal but there are no restrictions as to number. This is very similar to biblical times when many wives, concubines was common and never wrong, nor "common" prostitution.