Jul 306 min read

Dear Kamala,

Updated: Aug 8

We come to you from the trenches of providing services and support to our community to ask you to hear us. We stand at a pivotal moment. This coming November, we have the chance to elect our first female President of the United States. However, there are some concerns we need to address before stepping into the voting booth and checking the box next to your name.

FOSTA/SESTA devastated us

Sex work is work. For many of us, it is a chosen profession, a means to support our families, and a pathway to financial independence. Yet, despite the legitimacy of our work, we face relentless stigma, discrimination, and criminalization. These systemic injustices not only undermine our safety and dignity but also perpetuate cycles of poverty and marginalization. And FOSTA/SESTA hurt us. You not only voted for it, you helped craft the damn thing.

We acknowledge your vote for FOSTA-SESTA was likely intended to combat sex trafficking, a goal we all share. However, the implementation of these laws has had severe unintended consequences for consensual adult sex workers. Research shows that FOSTA-SESTA has pushed sex workers into more dangerous situations, leading to increased violence and exploitation. Studies and testimonies from sex workers reveal the significant loss of income and safety due to the shutdown of online platforms that allowed them to work more securely. FOSTA/SESTA did not reduce trafficking. It just drove it deeper and made it harder to see. Sex workers are with you in this fight against the exploitation of our labor. We won’t use it to join the fight against the stigma and the discrimination that we face for the most basic of human rights.

Unintended Consequenses

The “unintended consequences” caused many of us to lose our income, our bank accounts and our ability to communicate with each other for safety and community. These laws have negatively impacted our lives in ways you can’t imagine. Without online platforms, sex workers lost crucial safety mechanisms, like the ability to screen clients and share information about dangerous individuals. Many sex workers have lost their primary source of income due to the shutdown of platforms that facilitated safer transactions. This has forced some into more precarious and dangerous situations. And when income is lost, we lose whatever stability we might have enjoyed before.

Its important to highlight that consensual adult sex work and sex trafficking are distinct issues. Policies designed to combat trafficking should not harm sex workers or trafficking victims and survivors. People who trade sex should be able to report violence to police without fear and that includes reporting if we are being exploited! We legitimately fear police interaction because oftentimes they ignore us or fail to take our calls for help seriously. Worse yet, they are often directly perpetuating harm against us without consequence.

But you already know this is a problem.

Remember Celeste Guap?

There was a significant controversy involving the Oakland Police Department while you were the Attorney General of California. The case exposed significant misconduct and corruption within several Bay Area police departments. Investigations revealed that over two dozen officers from various departments were involved and some officers were found to have exchanged information and protection for sexual favors, and others attempted to cover up the misconduct. Celeste had tried to report multiple police officers, some of whom she claimed had sex with her while she was a minor and you did not take enough action to investigate or hold the involved officers accountable. This scandal implicated officers from several Bay Area police departments, including Oakland.

The state of California failed to keep her safe, so the task was left to sex workers to keep her safe. Many of our advocacy groups and organizations played a crucial role in supporting her during and after her ordeal through legal, financial, emotional means as well as policy advocacy. They helped her navigate the challenges she faced and worked to ensure that her case led to meaningful changes in the treatment and protection of sex workers. Their efforts underscored the importance of solidarity and advocacy in the fight for justice and systemic reform, and those types of efforts are hindered by legislation like SESTA/FOSTA.

The revelations of law enforcement officers engaging in illegal activities with a vulnerable young woman is representative of our urgent need for systemic reforms and better oversight within law enforcement. We need to create a climate where victims can feel safe coming forward and know that their humanity will be respected.

The case is a significant example of the potential for abuse of power and the importance of accountability and transparency in policing but you have never made a public statement about it and that is troubling. We need to know that our lives matter to you and that you are committed to learning from past missteps.

We want you to prioritize reforms that will keep sex workers and survivors safe.

There are an estimated 2 million criminalized sex workers and another estimated 2 million online content creators (Thats a lot of votes!) who need to know that you are going to be inclusive and respectful regarding their safety and dignity. Madam Vice President. We see you coming so close to supporting our bodily autonomy - but we'd like to help you frame your narrative to ensure we make forward progress on this very important issue.

Police reform is a lofty goal and as president you will have the opportunity to make changes and allow for broader discussions about police misconduct, abuse of power, and the need for reforms to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by those in positions of authority.

Consensual adult sex work and trafficking are distinct issues. Policies aimed at protecting trafficking victims should not harm those engaging in consensual sex work. We urge you to consider alternatives that focus on the decriminalization of sex work, ensuring safety and human rights for all individuals. By working together, we can create solutions that protect trafficking victims without endangering the lives and livelihoods of consensual sex workers.

Here are some totally reasonable things for your administration to support.

Full Decriminalization of Sex Work: The criminalization of adult consensual sex work pushes us into the shadows, making us vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and human rights abuses. We need comprehensive legal reform that fully decriminalizes consensual adult sex work for a single buyer and a single seller and distinguishes it from trafficking and exploitation. Full Decriminalization would enable us to access legal protections, healthcare, and support services without fear of arrest or harassment. Full decriminalization is a safer option than partial decriminalization models (eg, End Demand Models). Criminalizing buyers still increases potential harms to sex workers and leaves them at risk of being arrested for adjacent crimes.
Protection from Violence and Exploitation: Sex workers are often victims of violence, both from clients and law enforcement. We need policies that protect us from violence and hold perpetrators accountable. This includes training for law enforcement on the rights and safety of sex workers and creating safe avenues for reporting abuse without fear of retribution.
Access to Healthcare and Social Services: Stigma and discrimination often prevent sex workers from accessing essential healthcare services. We need policies that ensure our right to health, including non-judgmental and inclusive healthcare, mental health support, and social services. This includes addressing the specific needs of transgender sex workers, who face additional layers of marginalization and health disparities.
Economic Justice and Labor Rights: Many sex workers turn to this work due to lack of economic opportunities and systemic inequalities. We need robust economic policies that address these root causes, including access to education, job training, housing, and financial services. Recognizing sex work as legitimate labor also means ensuring our labor rights, including the right to organize, unionize, and work under fair conditions.
Eradicating Stigma and Discrimination: The pervasive stigma surrounding sex work fuels discrimination and violence against us. We call for public education campaigns and policies that challenge these harmful narratives and promote respect and dignity for all workers, regardless of their profession.

Vice President Harris, your future administration has the power to create meaningful change. We ask you to listen to the voices of sex workers and our allies, to engage with our communities, include us in the creation of policies and programs that impact us and to prioritize our rights and safety in your agendas.