California Sex Workers Rally to Protect Decriminalization of Loitering

California Sex Workers Rally to Protect Decriminalization of Loitering

The ESPLER Project Inc via press release reported that California sex workers and harm reduction groups will rally today to speak out against three bills (AB 2034, AB 2646, and SB1219) currently in California state legislation that would reinstate the criminalization of "loitering in a public place with the intent to commit prostitution." The anti-loitering law was repealed in 2022 due to concerns that the law was being misused by law enforcement, akin to the "stop and frisk" law.

The proponents of these three bills believe that these criminal restrictions aid in the reduction of human trafficking. The ESPLER Project fired back: "There is absolutely no evidence that the repeal of the loitering law facilitated forced labor in the sex trade. There is no data whatsoever showing that those arrested for loitering were ever victims of
forced labor.”

Join us for our SW Cali Bad Law Rally, Tuesday, April 23rd on the capital steps in Sacramento 10:30am No on AB2034, AB 2646 & SB1219 @kristendiangelo @LASidewalk @JustinCasePnC @PROS_Collective @SwopSacramento @swopbehindbars @BAWSupport pic.twitter.com/WBTFfNjfJT

— esplerp (@esplerp) April 2, 2024

The vagueness of the anti-loitering legislation, specifically how it relates to "intent" to commit prostitution makes it easy to use the law to harass, detain, or arrest anyone - sex workers or not - for just walking around. This can be a dangerous grey area that can be used to justify any police activity. ESPLER reports that this type of law is on record as having been used to disproportionately target females and minorities. They also state that these types of laws discourage sex workers from carrying around condoms for fear that they serve as proof of intent to engage in prostitution. We know how crucial condom use is in sex work to reduce HIV and STD infections.

Details of the rally are as follows:

WHAT: Rally Against Re-Criminalizing Loitering With Intent to Commit Prostitution

WHO:

• Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education and Research Project
• The Sidewalk Project
• USPROStitutes Collective
• Strippers United
• Stoptheraids.org
• DecrimSexWorkCA

WHEN: 10:30 to 11:30am, Tuesday, April 23, 2024
WHERE: Northwest steps of the California State Capitol building, Sacramento, CA 95814

Are you familiar with ESPLER? ESPLER (Erotic Service Providers Legal Education and Research Project) is a registered non-profit with a mission to empower the erotic community and advance sexual privacy rights through legal advocacy, education, and research. The group, made up of community-based erotic service providers, affects community change, awareness, and protection via political and legislation routes, researches issues and provides data that affect the sex worker community, and provides education and training to empower and capacity build to fight discrimination and mistreatment of the sex provider community.

Are you a sex worker? What do you think of these anti-loitering bills?