The Impact of Decriminalizing Prostitution
“One person’s ‘right’ to sell their body cannot supersede someone else’s right to not have to.”
--Alisa Bernard: Survivor, Advocate, Deputy Director of World Without Exploitation
Victim. Prostitute. Sex worker. Survivor.
While each of these terms carries slightly different meanings and stigmas, they each have something in common: all of the women represented by these terms sell their bodies for sex and someone else gains from it. We can all but guarantee that as young girls, they did not dream of having sex for money when they grew up (or quite frankly, often before they grew up). But when poverty, addiction, childhood abuse, trauma, and other underlying vulnerabilities are met with power, control, and coercion…life can take a turn. The Illinois bill decriminalizing sex work and prostitution only continues this cycle of exploitation, and survivors state-wide need comprehensive, trauma-informed, faith-based services to overcome it. Naomi’s House is here to walk alongside them as they begin their healing journey.
Illinois is ranked 8th in the country as having the most comprehensive response to sex trafficking and currently operates under a “full criminalization” policy. This means that sellers/traffickers/pimps/, purchasers/johns/customers, and victims/survivors are all being criminalized for their roles in this exchange of sex for money. Criminalizing the victim for crimes she was forced to commit because of her trafficking experience often leads to further vulnerabilities and exploitation. While sellers and purchasers of sex must be held accountable, victims need to be connected to services, not required to serve sentences.
What has recently been proposed in Illinois is on the opposite end of this spectrum, known as “full decriminalization”-- meaning victims will not be prosecuted, but neither will the sellers and purchasers because much of the exploitation taking place will be legalized. The narrative around this is that it will lead to protections and regulations for those who are choosing to engage in sex work. But, when New Zealand passed this bill in 2003, studies actually showed that violence did not decrease, and sex workers did not feel safer. While sex trafficking would remain illegal under this bill, the ability to enforce laws and identify survivors is severely diminished. Since the passing of this bill in NZ in 2003, not one single victim of sex trafficking has been identified. Not because it’s not happening, but because there are no longer guardrails to protect them.
What we know is that 84% of those involved in prostitution are under third-party control—they do not have full agency over their bodies. This bill is focused on the other 16%--at the cost of the 84%. Like Alisa Bernard says, “Someone’s ‘right’ to sell their body cannot supersede someone else’s right to not have to.” The full decriminalization model has been implemented in several other countries and has dramatically increased sex buying every time, while also dramatically decreasing the identification and protection of sex trafficking survivors. Sex trafficking will not stop until the demand does.
The public-facing advocates for this legislation are primarily sex workers. But the fuel and funding behind this bill are high-status, well-known sex buyers. They have the most to gain from this bill being passed! When accountability is decreased, demand will only increase. When demand is increased, supply will only increase. More than 24,300 people are already being sex trafficked in Illinois every year…how many more will be exploited to meet the demands of those who can sell and purchase sex any time they want with no accountability?
So…what now?
Another bill known as the “partial decriminalization” model has also been proposed, which continues to hold (and actually increases) accountability for sellers and purchasers, while also providing opportunities for survivors to leave their life of exploitation and begin their healing journey. This model, also known as the Equality Model, Survivor Model, and Nordic Model, has been implemented in several other countries and has proven to be the most effective approach to decreasing both the demand and supply of sex, decreasing prostitution by an average of 50% within two years. The decriminalization bill and the Survivor Model bill are fighting to become law. Join us in advocating for the Survivor Model in Illinois!
Naomi’s House served 253 survivors last year and will serve 350 this year. The need continues to increase, and Naomi’s House will continue to be there to walk alongside every survivor who is bravely choosing to begin her healing journey. A survivor’s history of trauma and vulnerabilities creates obstacle after obstacle for her to leave her life of exploitation. We must help her have every opportunity possible to take those first steps of freedom—from trauma-informed legislation to trauma-informed services. We want every single survivor to find the hope and healing she deserves, and that wouldn’t be possible without your partnership.
Thank you for making healing possible!