Women's Rights

Why San Francisco Should Decriminalize Prostitution

by Jen Nedeau

Published October 30, 2008 @ 02:38PM PST

Karly Kirchner, who worked for eight years in San Francisco's sex industry, guest blogs over at Matt Kelly's Criminal Justice Blog about Proposition K and why it should be passed on November 4th. I gave the feminist perspective on the ballot initiative earlier this week, but I encourage everyone interested to read her post as well.

Here's one of the excerpts I found most compelling:

Prop K will reduce violence. Predators target sex workers because they believe that nobody cares about this criminal class of women. Both legal and social alienation of sex workers makes them easy targets for those who wish to do harm.  More often than not, violence is committed against sex workers by those who do not want to pay them and/or those who want to take money away from them, including law enforcement officers. Prop K allows for safer communication between workers and safe clients, minimizing exposure to danger.

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Jen N. Jen N.
Washington, DC

Jen is a recovering journalist and new media consultant who has written for the Washingtonpost.com and Stateline.org. She participates with various women and technology groups and also sits on the D.C. Advisory Board for the New Leaders Council.

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