While the term victimless crime is widely used, many
people object to the notion that there is no victim other
than the offender in such crimes. Excessive drinking,
compulsive gambling, and illegal drug use contribute to
an enormous amount of personal and property damage.
And feminist sociologists contend that the so-called victimless
crime of prostitution, as well as the more disturbing
aspects of pornography, reinforce the
misconception that women are “toys” who can be treated
as objects rather than people (J. Flavin 1998; A. Jolin
1994).