NY Considers Bills Decriminalizing Prostitution [POLL]

Bills that would decriminalize prostitution in the state of New York were introduced in both the state Senate and Assembly recently. Sponsors said the general idea of the bills were to repeal statutes that criminalize sex work between consenting adults, but keep laws on the books relating to minors or trafficking.

They would also provide criminal record relief for people who have been convicted of crimes repealed under the bills.

Both the Senate version — S6419 — and the Assembly version — A8230 — were introduced and are now in committee. Whether or not any movement on them happens this legislative session is anyone's guess, because the lawmakers' last work day is June 19.

The Senate version's sponsors are Democrats Jessica Ramos, from Queens, and Julia Salazar, from Brooklyn.

Salazar, who campaigned on decriminalization when she ran for office last year, said the issue has gotten more attention and gained more support in recent months, the New York Times said.

She said it took years for sex workers fighting discrimination and abuse while advocating for their rights to get to this point.

Decrim NY, which advocates and organizes to shape policy and public opinion around people in sex trades, helped to introduce the legislation in Albany.

Organizers said it was the first statewide bill of its kind in the nation's history, according to information on the group's website.

Nevada has only 10 counties where prostitution is allowed. State law bans licensed brothels in counties with populations of 700,000 or more, which includes Las Vegas, thenevadaindependent.com said.

Decrim NY cited statistics that found Democratic voters support decriminalizing sex work by a 3-to-1 margin.

Assembly Health Committee Chairman Richard N. Gottfried, a Democrat from Manhattan, sponsored his body's bill.

He said that trying to stop sex work between consenting adults should not be the business of the criminal justice system, adding that it hasn't worked throughout history and makes things worse.

"Working in an underground illegal environment means sex workers face increased violence, abuse and exploitation," Gottfried said in a statement posted on the Decrim NY website.

"Sex workers should have better access to legal assistance, health care and rights as working people," he said.

In addition, "keeping sex work criminalized makes it harder to enforce laws against human trafficking and sex with minors," Gottfried said.

However, a nonprofit group that advocates for sex trafficking victims, Sanctuary for Families, said that while they support a lot of what Decrim NY supports, decriminalizing prostitution would have an adverse effect, cbsnews.com said.

Rebecca Zipkin, an attorney for the organization, said legalizing sex work often increases sex trafficking.

"If you legalize, you are condoning brothels to become businesses and pimps to become business managers," she said to cbsnews.com.

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the issue. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell what you think in the comments.