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Prostitution Initiative
Qualifies for November Ballot in
Initiative would Show Support for Statewide Decriminalization
On March 10th the Sex Workers Outreach Project began a signature gathering campaign to qualify Angel’s Initiative for the November 2004 ballot in Berkeley. “It has been very encouraging over the last three months. There is a surprising amount of support from the community, especially women,” said Robyn Few Executive Director of SWOP. “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.”
“We are excited about moving into the next phase of the campaign,” said campaign coordinator Michael Foley. “There is a wave of benevolent bipartisanism in the air. We have found that support crosses over from all groups. We have support from the religious community at the Pacific School of Religion as well as Berkeley N.O.W. I think that translates into broad support for the initiative. The concept of decriminalizing prostitution is embraced by the Green Party as well as the Libertarians. People can get behind our initiative because it starts the dialog for greater statewide change. It’s largely a gesture from the voters that we are tired of spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year in California< criminalizing prostitutes instead of helping them. Enforcement in Berkeley is complaint driven. Angel’s Initiative won’t change that.”
Who:The Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA, Starr School of Ministry’s Dr. Rita Brock, COYOTE Founder Margo St. James, Commissioner Avaren Ipsen from the Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women.
What: Press conference to announce qualifying for the November ballot in Berkeley.
Where: Steps of
When: 12:15 pm Wednesday June 23, 2004.