It's Time to Decriminalize Sex Work
It's Time to Decriminalize Sex Work
The criminalization of sex work makes sex workers more vulnerable to violence on the job and less likely to report violence. It prevents sex workers from accessing health care and other critical services, feeds an out of control mass incarceration system, and further marginalizes some of society’s most vulnerable groups, such as trans women of color and immigrants.
Sex workers deserve the same legal protections as anybody else. They should be able to maintain their livelihood without fear of violence or arrest, access health care and other services without discrimination, and seek justice when they are harmed. Decriminalization would help bring sex workers out of the dangerous margins and into the light where people are protected — not targeted — by the law.
For key findings on the impacts of sex work criminalization and decriminalization models, read the full brief, “Is Sex Work Decriminalization the Answer? What the Research Tells Us.”
Last updated on July 3, 2023
What does decriminalization mean?
Decriminalization refers to the removal of criminal penalties for the buying and selling of sexual acts, specifically those categorized as prostitution. Decriminalization is not the same as legalization.
Legalization removes criminal penalties for certain incidents of buying and selling of sexual acts, i.e. prostitution, provided the participants comply with relevant regulations.
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LaLa Zannell, the ACLU's Trans Justice Campaign Manager, joins the At Liberty podcast to talk about the state of the movement for Black trans lives, and why decriminalizing sex work is a meaningful and concrete next step as we continue to fight for true equality.
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Advocating for sex work decriminalization means advocating for personal autonomy, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, decarceration, immigrants’ rights, racial justice, and equal access to the right to life and security. In addition to decriminalization, there are other steps that lawmakers, advocates, prosecutors, and researchers can take to protect the rights of sex workers.
