I think I remember that episode! And it did have the aspect of the square Christian dude trying not to be shocked, at least at the beginning, and then the former president recovered rather nicely.
And as Jimmy has said in his slow southern cadence, Our first task is to show persons currently involved in the sex trade as human beings, before we talk about reforms and better alternatives.
Then there was that news magazine with the particularly well-written article which asked, Why doesn't Carter only focus on the bad cases of human trafficking? And they answered their own question this way: because then people shut it out and stop listening. Instead, by showing about two-thirds of people who choose sex work admittedly often due to lack of jobs, and one-third of the bad cases, Carter lets the audience conclude for themselves that trafficking is not a given. He therefore engages his audience in looking for real improvement.
Okay, so President Carter has successfully raised awareness, but how much tangible improvement has this really led to?
I know the California House voted 40% to decriminalization prostitution and finance spot inspections of adult-oriented businesses.
I myself might lean toward that answer, but I don't know for sure. I mean, the California package didn't address middle-class jobs, nor immigration in any kind of substantial way. It purports to be realistic. And maybe it is in some ways, but not so much in others.