HYDERABAD: Hollywood actor Richard Gere favours legalising prostitution in India. "That is one way of preventing the spread of sexually transmitting diseases. Thailand has legalised prostitution and measures were taken to get the safe sex message across. The same can be done in India," Gere told The Times of India in an interview here on Saturday. Gere was in the city participating in a programme organised with South India film stars to gets the Aids message across.
While supporting the idea of legalising prostitution, the 'Pretty Woman' hero, said trafficking of women for prostitution should not be allowed and prevented.
Asked if legalising prostitution did not amount to encouraging promiscuous behaviour, Gere said: "Sex is part of life. One has to understand reality. But use of condoms should be promoted." Richard Gere, however, was cautious when asked if commercial movies were not responsible for encouraging 'loose behaviour'. "In all my films, I see that nothing like that is encouraged. I cannot comment about other films." While the focus of attention in giving the safe sex message is mainly prostitutes or truck drivers in the country, Gere said it was more important that children be educated about safe sex. "I would rather that they be targetted first. Children should get the message," he said.