"Stand-In" Against the Arrest of Sex Workers

Why are the police spending time going after sex workers and non-violent clients and not catching rapists and other violent men? Did you know that since January 1, 36 women and 15 men have been arrested for soliciting? Are you concerned about the impact on sex workers’ safety of police crackdowns like this? Come hear how stepped up arrests push sex workers into more isolated and dangerous areas, and make it harder for people to report violence for fear of arrest. Politicians blame sex workers for an increase in prostitution. Have they forgotten the economic recession? 70% of sex workers are mothers trying to support their loved ones. If the $11.4 million (or more!) currently spent on prostitution enforcement went to provide housing, welfare and other resources, if there were jobs that paid a living wage, then women, young people and men, wouldn’t be pushed out on the street to survive. Let the new Chief of Police know that we don’t want mug shots of clients posted online. What a waste of police resources to go after men for consenting sex when rapists go free. Speak out against the racism in prostitution arrests: Black women are seven times more likely to be arrested; immigrant women are routinely targeted for arrest and deportation using the pretext of trafficking; 40% of men arrested are men of color. Stand with San Franciscans who call for the safety and protection of sex workers to come first. New Zealand has decriminalized prostitution and sex workers are safer and more able to leave prostitution. We want to know, why not here? For info: US PROStitutes Collective: uspros@allwomencount.net 415-626-4114