Decriminalisation increases sex workers’ safety and well-being. New Zealand decriminalised sex work in 2003 with verifiable success. Over 90% of sex workers said they had additional employment, legal, health and safety rights. One important measure of this is that prior to decriminalisation 47% of brothel workers had refused to see a client in the previous 12 months, after decriminalisation 68% of brothel workers had done this. 70% said they were more likely to report incidents of violence to the police.
For more information see our briefing Why Decriminalisation? and report Decriminalisation of Prostitution: the Evidence.
OPINION Why would a Christian minister support Proposition K, the November ballot initiative that would decriminalize prostitution in San Francisco?There are many reasons. Prop. K would allow sex workers to organize for their rights and safety. It would enable them to report abuse in the industry without fear of prosecution. It would improve their chances […]
On The Issues Magazine – Fall 2008Rachel WestOn election day many hope for a transformation away from the politics of war, greed and repression. Many San Franciscans also hope for a transformation for sex workers and our families, away from violence and criminalization.Proposition K on the San Francisco ballot calls for the decriminalization of consenting […]
Margaret Prescod, Every Mother is a Working Mother and Black Coalition Fighting Back Seriel Murders”Racist implementation of the law means that for sex workers on the street it is Black and Brown women who will be first arrested.There is an economic crisis going on in this country and the millions of dollars going into criminalising […]
Jeffrey D. Klausner San Francisco voters have an opportunity on election day to reduce violence against women and improve the health of sex workers and their clients. Voting yes on Proposition K to decriminalize prostitution – to prohibit the city from arresting prostitutes – will make it easier for sex workers to report violence to […]
The police, DA and the diversion program with the misleading name of Standing Against Global Exploitation (SAGE) as well as so-called anti-trafficking feminists.How do they make money from criminalizing sex workers?- The police working the lucrative vice squad make money on hundreds of hours of overtime pay, paid for by you the tax payer, as they hound and […]
On November 4th, day of the US presidential election, another historic vote is taking place. The people of San Francisco will vote on Proposition K. Decriminalizing sex work – Prioritizing sex workers’ safety & rights. US PROStitutes Collective (US PROS) is part of a coalition supporting Proposition K. Five days before the election, we are […]
by DENISE WILLIAMS | PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICASex work should be decriminalised and regulated by the same labour legislation as other sectors of the economy, an Institute for Security Studies report recommended on Thursday.Senior ISS researcher Chandre Gould told media in Pretoria at the launch of the Selling Sex in Cape Town study that the only “rational” […]
Decriminalise prostitution – Five years ago, New Zealand stopped arresting sex workers. Their lives have improved and the UK should now adopt the same approachCatherine Healy What can the UK learn from New Zealand’s approach to sex workers? Quite a lot, actually. On Wednesday June 25, sex workers and brothel operators mingled in parliament with a […]
PRESS RELEASE From SAFETY FIRST – A coalition to decriminalise sex work and prioritise safety. Wednesday 25 June 2008: New Zealand marks five years of successful decriminalisation of prostitution. On the fifth anniversary of the introduction of the New Zealand Prostitution Reform Act (PRA), the NZ government has published a detailed evaluation report which confirms the positive […]
The Suffolk Murders of 2006 have yet again highlighted the problem of how to deal with ‘the oldest profession’. The government’s Criminal Justice & Immigration Bill is again reviewing the law on prostitution, but some say it doesn’t go far enough.The Criminal Justice & Immigration Bill is passing through the Houses of Parliament and it […]