Decriminalize Sex Work

Sex work has been a reality of society since before recorded history and is better acknowledged than stigmatized and criminalized. Sex workers and their clients are commonly engaging in activity that is consensual and nonviolent which should not be subjected to hard criminal penalties. It is also an unnecessary waste of resources from our law enforcement and legal systems which would be better focused on the actual harmful crimes of human trafficking, pimping, and sexual exploitation.

Sex workers are both people and workers and should entitled to the same legal and labor rights as any others. While the specifics of how to best achieve this as a matter of public policy is up for debate, decriminalization should be seen as an essential step forward which will help us begin to understand how to best regulate sex work and address its underlying causes.