SAN FRANCISCO — Sex workers, their supporters and local residents on Monday at noon will gather to demand that San Francisco’s police department in the Mission District prioritize sex workers’ safety.
The protest, organized by Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education and Research Project (ESPLERP) and US PROStitutes Collective (US PROS) and endorsed by Rad Mission Neighbors, is part of an observance from around the world for the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers.
The San Francisco Police Department and the city’s District Attorney announced a policy on Jan. 11 that is supposed to protect the city’s sex workers from being arrested or prosecuted for prostitution if they report being victim to or witnessing violent crime, the groups said.
But Rachel West (US PROS), who was part of the working group which won the policy, said that the formation of the Mission District police captain’s Sex Work Abatement Unit to aggressively arrest sex workers, clients and others associated with sex workers contradicts San Francisco’s recent prioritizing safety for sex workers Policy.
“Police crackdowns create a hostile and dangerous climate for sex workers who will be much less likely to report violence, rendering the policy useless,” West said. “Women of color, trans and migrant women are being particularly targeted for arrest.”
Doogan of ESPLERP said: “Though Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill, AB 2243, put forward by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, that provides immunity from prosecution for prostitution to sex workers who come forward to report serious crimes, it’s restricted to extortion, stalking or a violent felony, which falls short. There are a whole host of crimes that we’re victims of, nonviolent felonies like theft, that should be covered.”
Monday’s protest will be held at 630 Valencia St., San Francisco, Calif.
