decriminalization

Dear Allies, friends, SWOP-ees around the world,

We are so proud to announce that we SUCCEEDED in our efforts to secure the endorsement of the Democratic Party! Due to our hard work and lobbying (which was truly a culmination of many years of sex workers working directly with city politicians and politicos) the Democratic party endorsed us! Am I dreaming?

We were very fortunate to have remarkable allies such as Greg Shaw, former president of the Harvey Milk Club, who initiated, explained and helped coordinate the strategy, as well as Slava Osowska, a queer activist and member of Industrial Workers of The World, who did much of the physical work of actually getting the 12,745 signatures needed. Slava has helped write the materials and works tirelessly.

About 40 (or maybe more?) sex workers and supporters showed up and most testified, the majority identifying as sex workers. Long time allies from the HIV prevention/harm reduction movements and from the medical marijuana movement were instrumental in their support.

The Prostitution law review committee of the Ministry of Justice in NZ has recently released their 5 year review of the decriminalization of prostitutioni (.PDF HERE). They have some interesting findings, after what is now 5 years of legal prostitutioni:
Some quotes from the Associate Justice Minister Lianne Dalziel:

“The report indicates that the numbers have remained more or less the same since the Act came into force and that most sex workers are better off under the PRA than they were previously, which was the intention of the Act.

Time Out Chicago / Issue 126: July 26–August 1, 2007