The Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) accepted a resolution written by Jenny Heineman, co-coordinator of the Sex Workers’ Outreach Project-Las Vegas (SWOP-LV), in support of the decriminalizating prostitution. Here’s a link to the resolution: http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/pageid/1516#R3Â .
Thank you, Jenny! This is so well written and addresses concerns about trafficking without conflating all prostitution with trafficking. This resolution really shows how being anti-trafficking doesn’t have to mean being anti-sex work. All too often, the issue of trafficking has been used against sex workers, which not only violates sex workers’ human rights, but also gets in the way of developing effective solutions to human trafficking.
In Aug. 2011 the SSSP honored the SWOP-LV for it’s social justice advocacy.
Thank you for this interesting post. I agree with you, the best way forward is to decriminalise prostitution. Resources should be concentrated on preventing forced prostitution rather than (as at present) attacking prostitution as a whole. Provided that prostitution involves consenting adults the individuals concerned (both clients and sex workers) should be left alone by the state and society.