Wednesday, May 19th, 2021

The sex trade, including prostitution, is a billion-dollar industry, characterized by violence, abuse, and exploitation of vulnerable individuals, and fueled by human trafficking and sex buyers. Lawmakers worldwide have taken different approaches to regulating the sex trade, ranging from criminalization, to legalization and regulation, to full decriminalization and de-regulation, to partial decriminalization of people in prostitution, also known as the Equality Model. In New York State, prostitution is currently criminalized, but this regulatory approach does not effectively address the sex trade or support people in and survivors of prostitution, who are victims of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and socio-economic coercion.

Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter and Senator Liz Krueger have introduced a bill, the Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act, which is based on the Equality Model legal framework, and takes a comprehensive and preventative approach to combating commercial sexual exploitation; keeping victims out of the legal system while continuing to hold sex buyers, pimps, and traffickers accountable for the harm they cause; connecting people in and survivors of prostitution with needed services and support; raising awareness of human trafficking and sexual exploitation; and reducing sex trafficking.

The Equality Model legal framework is an evidence-based approach that helps to shrink the sex trade, promotes social justice, provides resources for people in prostitution trying to exit the sex trade, and helps to prevent children and adults from being trafficked, forced, or coerced into providing sexual services.

Please join us to learn more about these important issues, the benefits of using an Equality Model approach to addressing the sex trade, and the Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act.

The Event Features:

- Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

- Cristian Eduardo, Survivor Leader & Co-Founder, United Immigrants of New York

- Ane Mathieson, Director, EMPOWER Center, Sanctuary for Families

- Mel Thompson, Youth Outreach Coordinator, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

Links Mentioned:

Shadow Report for the CEDAW Committee on New Zealand from: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women New Zealand - https://www.catwa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/New_Zealand_SR_CATWA.pdf

Mortality in a Long-term Open Cohort of Prostitute Women - https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/159/8/778/91471 

Deconstructing The Demand for Prostitution: Preliminary Insights From Interviews With Chicago Men Who Purchase Sex - https://humantraffickinghotline.org/sites/default/files/Deconstructing-the-Demand-for-Prostitution%20-%20CAASE.pdf  

Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking? - https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1986065