Measure Q

In 2004, SWOP-USA began a legal initiative to essentially decriminalize prostitution in Berkeley, CA.  The project started on March 10th, gathering signatures, and we successfully collected over 3,000 signatures Robyn Few the founder of SWOP said “It has been very encouraging over the last three months. There is a surprising amount of support from the community, especially women, We have gathered over 3,000 signatures. That’s talking to a lot of people.”.

“The public at this time wants the truth about everything,” said Margo St. James, prostitution rights activist and founder of the St. James Infirmary. “They are tired of the lies. After the public became aware of the violence caused by prohibiting alcohol, it only took twelve years to repeal it. It’s been almost 100 years since prohibition on commercial sex began. We are overdue in bringing an end to the violence against women that is directly caused by criminalizing prostitution. The public has always been 65-70% in favor of decriminalizing prostitution, sometimes
polling as high as 90 percent.”

What we asked for:

1) make enforcement of prostitution laws the lowest priority; 2) oppose state laws making prostitution a crime; and 3) require semi-annual reporting of prostitution-related Berkeley Police Department law enforcement activities.

We had broad support for the movement:

• Pacific School of Religion
• Berkeley N.O.W.
• Senator John Burton
• Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley
• Former San Francisco DA Terence Hallinan
• The Green Party of Alameda County
• East Bay Libertarian Party
• Libertarian Party of San Francisco
• Outright Libertarians of San Francisco
• Gloria Lockett, Executive Director California Prostitute Education Project (Cal-PEP)
• Delwin Brown, Vice President of Academic Affairs Pacific School of Religion 
• Dr. Rita Brock, Chair of the Common Global Ministries Board of the Christian Church, Starr King School of Ministries
• Jesse Townley,  Green Party Candidate for Berkeley City Council District 5, Disaster Council
• Beatrice Morris, physicians assistant, Masters of Divinity Pacific School of Religion
• Avaren Ipsen, Berkeley Commissioner on the Status of Women, PhD candidate Graduate Theological Union
• boona cheema, Executive Director Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, Berkeley
• CCAP, Citizen Coalition Against Prohibition
• Lois Rowan, retired union journalist, International Federation of Engineers (IFTPE) AFL-CIO, Berkeley 
• Jerry Threet, Former President Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Berkeley
• Carol Stuart, Co-Author, San Francisco's Equal Benefits Ordinance; Co-Founder, St. James Infirmary, Berkeley
• Richard Terry Koch, Attorney, Chair State Bar Commission
• Steven DeAngelo, San Pablo Avenue Business Owner, Berkeley
• Jeffrey D. Klausner, MD, MPH Director, STD Prevention San Francisco Dept Public Health
• Kelly Winter, San Francisco Dept. Public Health
• Deborah Cohan, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Researcher UCSF, Berkeley
• Barbara G. Brents, Associate Professor, Sociology University of Nevada
• Frank Lucido, MD, Berkeley Family Practitioner
• Bob Cronbach, MPA , Alameda Co. Dept. of Public Health Services Consultant
• Mike Bunyard, Outreach Worker Roseburg HIV Resource Center
• Lee Trampleasure Amosslee, Berkeley High Teacher 1996-2004, Berkeley 
• Robyn Few, Executive Director Sex Workers Outreach Project, Berkeley
• Michael Foley, Californians for Civil Liberties, Berkeley
• Jenn Clamen, International Union of Sex Workers
• Kristal Stetsko, Coalition for the Rights of Sex Workers, Montreal
• David Steinberg, Journalist
• Scarlot Harlot, sex worker artist
• Jane Maxwell, Mourning Mothers, Code Pink, Berkeley
• Haley Ausserer, student
• Sandy Malave, New York
• P.L. Newton, Florida
• Colleen Robinson, activist
• Erin Siegal, photographer Cathexis Press
• Eddy Lepp, owner Eddy's Medicinal Gardens
• Starchild, candidate for SF school board
• Gary Schubach, Ed.D., A.C.S. sex educator
• Edward Mendoza, California
• Joseph Oliver, California
• Shannon Bean, California
• Catherine La Croix, Founder COYOTE/Seattle, former courtesan and professional dominant
• Uriah Bailey, Lagos, Nigeria
• Melissa Sontag, Virginia, law student and activist
• Miguel Martinez, California, Accountant

SWOP got on the ballot called the 'Angels initiative'.  How did we do come November 2004 when the ballots were cast:

18,504 /36.5% Yes votes
32,208 /63.5% No votes

More information about the initiative can be found at the City of Berkeley and smartvoter.org websites.