Legalizing prostitution would increase the physical and mental abuse of women in the industry. In the article “Preface to ‘How Should Society View Prostitution?’", Louise Gerdes states, “Stigmatized by identity cards and medical inspections, prostituted women are even more marginalized and tightly locked into the system of organized sexual exploitation while the state, now an official party to the exploitation, has become the biggest pimp of all” (Gerdes par. 3). In saying this, Gerdes means that legalizing prostitution has not ended the abusive exploitation of women but has increased it while the state takes advantage of the profit. Furthermore, pimps take almost all of the profit, leaving prostitutes poor and dependent on the pimps, who often beat women when they are uncooperative (“Prostitution” par. 7). While prostitutes may try to work without a pimp, their situations still become violent. The argument that prostitution legalization increases abuse is further validated by statistical proof. Even when prostitutes take precautionary measure like using the internet to set up dates, 36 percent of prostitutes reported that they encountered abusive clients (“Sex, Lies and Statistics; The Economics of Prostitution” par. 6). In fact, prostitution can even be deadly, which is exemplified in the 2009 case where a women had advertised her services on Craigslist and then was murdered by her client who answered the advertisement (“Prostitution” par. 15). This shows that no matter the means a prostitute may try to work, they are left with unguaranteed safety. Often times, prostitutes must suffer the consequences of emotional and physical damage. According to the article “Prostitution” published in Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, “It damages women emotionally as well as physically. Street prostitutes experience levels of post-traumatic stress disorder that are similar to levels among battered women, rape survivors, and survivors of torture. They also experience high levels of anxiety and depression" (“Prostitution” par. 20). The essence of this argument is that prostitutes undergo critical abuse that may cause deleterious effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder. These cases of abuse are not unwonted. One study published in Opposing Viewpoints in Context found that 80 percent of the 146 interviewed women who were victims of trafficking said they had endured physical violence inflicted by pimps and clients (Raymond par. 18). Despite the facts, opposition disagrees. Opposition believes that legalizing prostitution would decrease physical and mental abuse. Adversaries believe legalizing prostitution would remove street prostitutes. Street prostitutes are more likely to be raped because they are less protected, but legalizing prostitution would remove street prostitutes, therefore decreasing rape (“Prostitution” par. 19). Also, a canadian research team found that sex workers are less likely to report crimes to the police because law enforcement is often excessively forceful towards prostitutes (Bass 106). This excessive force is due to a general stigma against prostitutes. Law enforcement has established a stigma against prostitutes that interferes with the protection of prostitutes. The stigma would be removed if prostitution became legal, so prostitutes would be more likely to see help if they encounter abuse (“Prostitution par. 18). Those in favor of prostitution legalization want to make prostitution legal because they believe it will provide protection to prostitutes. National and international laws could be used to protect prostitutes from abuse (Gerdes par. 2). When prostitution is viewed as a crime, however, prostitutes are denied laws that protect other civilians. Jo Bindman of Anti-Slavery International maintains, “This social exclusion renders the prostitute vulnerable to exploitation. Their predicament is made much worse. . . by the stigma and criminal charges widely attached to prostitution, which allow police and other officials to harass them without ever intervening to uphold their most elementary rights” (Gerdes par. 2). By focusing on social exclusion, Bindman overlooks the deeper problem of women being physically and mentally abused by pimps and buyers, not by police and other officials. Additionally, laws will not be able to fully protect prostitutes, as illegal prostitution is copious even in countries that have legalized prostitution.