New York introduces country's first state bill decriminalizing sex work
New York lawmakers introduced a state-wide bill to decriminalize sex work on Monday — the first proposed legislation of its kind in the country.
The Stop Violence in the Sex Trade Acts is a package of bills that seeks to amend state statues in order to decriminalize sex work between consenting adults while upholding existing anti-trafficking laws.
“Sex work is work and should not be criminalized by the state," said state Sen. Julia Salazar (D), a lead sponsor of the bill, in a Decrim NY press release.
The bill is backed by Decrim NY, a coalition of more than 30 organizations across LGBTQ, racial justice and immigrant rights. Decrim NY launched in February and lobbied in Albany in May for the decriminalization of sex work.
Salazar added that the state's current policies empower traffickers, "keeping sex work in the shadows."
Other sponsors on the bill are state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D), and Democratic Assembly members Richard Gottfried and Yuh-Line Niou.
"We will finally make strides against trafficking by empowering sex workers to report violence against them. Sex work is work and everyone has an inherent right to a safe workplace," Ramos said in the release.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/447764-new-york-introduces-first-state-wide-sex-work-decriminalization-bill?__twitter_impression=true