San Francisco vote a step towards legalising prostitution
Renowned for its liberal attitude, San Francisco would become the first US city to decriminalise street prostitutes if the vote goes in favour of the sex workers.
The measure on which the city’s inhabitants are voting, Proposition K, would forbid local authorities from investigating, arresting or prosecuting anyone for selling sex.
While ballot would not technically legalise prostitution since state law still prohibits it, the measure would eliminate the power of local law enforcement officials to go after prostitutes, all but legitimising their activity.
On the Yes on Proposition K website, Jeffrey D. Klausner, director of sexually transmitted disease control and prevention for the city’s health department, said San Francisco voters had an opportunity on election day to reduce violence against women and improve the health of sex workers and their clients.
“Voting yes on Proposition K to decriminalise prostitution — to prohibit the city from arresting prostitutes — will make it easier for sex workers to report violence to the police and improve public health.”
He claimed one in seven sex workers in San Francisco had been threatened with arrest by police officers unless they had sex with them, and a fifth reported police officers paid them for sex.
“Clearly, the policing of sex work is problematic. Spending city resources on education and health outreach to sex workers and linking them to the array of excellent services in our city would be a more humane and effective way to help sex workers,” he said.
However, mayor of the city Gavin Newsom campaigned hard for a no vote ahead of the ballot.
“Proposition K is a big mistake. We would be making a terrible decision if we moved in a direction that proponents of Proposition K would wish to see,” he said.
Mr Newsom referred to a raid on a spa which he had attended.
“It was one of the many ‘tours’ that we took over the course of a few months in San Francisco to understand what was happening inside these facilities.
“Not one human being would agree Prop K was a good thing if they saw what was inside — a larger guy with a wedding ring, when I opened the door, jumped up completely naked off a very young girl.
“I do not think people realise how many young girls are being trafficked into San Francisco, how many are being forced into sex slavery in our cities.
“This world will be encouraged if Prop K is passed. I cannot imagine San Franciscans passing it if they realised. This is not cute or fanciful. It is about human rights.”
