Politics | 10/22/2008 9:00 am
Sexually Liberal San Francisco Trying to Decriminalize Prostitution

Prostitution – the world’s oldest profession – has long been an institution in San Francisco.
Now, the sexually liberal city may well be the first major U.S. metropolitan area to decriminalize the practice.
If voters next month approve Proposition K, a measure that forbids local authorities from investigating, arresting or prosecuting anyone for selling sex, prostitution wouldn’t exactly be legalized, but ladies of the night couldn’t be chased down.
Proponents say the measure will free up $11 million the police spend each year arresting prostitutes and allow them to form collectives, the Associated Press reports.
"It will allow workers to organize for our rights and for our safety," said Patricia West, 22, who sells sex with ads on the Internet. She moved to San Francisco in May to help get Proposition K passed.
Despite the fact that the city has a sadomasochism fair that draws thousands of tourists and a pornographic video company in a former armory, the measure faces an uphill political battle.
Supporters say the measure will cut crime and protect prostitutes from assault and rape because they could report crimes without fear of being arrested. They also say it would eliminate the need for women to rely on pimps for protections. But opponents argue Proposition K would embolden pimps who trap drug addicts into prostitution.
If the proposal passes, "we wouldn’t be able to investigate prostitution, and it’s going to be pretty difficult for us to locate these folks who are victims of trafficking otherwise," Capt. Al Pardini, head of the police department’s vice unit, told the AP. "It’s pretty rare that we get a call that says, ‘I’m a victim of human trafficking’ or ‘I suspect human trafficking in my neighborhood.’"
Brothels are allowed in rural counties in Nevada, while Rhode Island allows the sale of sex behind closed doors between consenting adults, but prohibits street prostitution and brothels.























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