Rhode Island Criminalizes Sex Work and the Consequences

Recently URI Professor Donna Hughes lead a successful campaign to criminalize indoor sex workers in Rhode Island. She and her allies championed this in the legislature as their great David Vs. Goliath battle and a resounding victory for women and trafficking victims.

However, this “victory” in actuality means that both consenting legal adult sex workers and trafficking victims are now subject to arrest where they weren’t before. Leading to a few thoughts.

1. The fear of arrest places the police and legal system out of reach for sex workers that were victimized by a crime.
2. How is the sex worker that was doing sex work to earn a living better off with an arrest and criminal record? How does this enhance her ability to get a job outside the sex industry? The anti rights activists so staunchly proclaim to be working toward giving options to sex workers wanting to leave the industry. Yet when does an arrest/criminal record enhance a job search? Never.

3. The non consenting trafficking victim now has to worry about being arrested and somehow being able to convince the police and justice system that she is a victim of trafficking in order to escape her trafficker. How often, realistically, are the police going to be open to that explanation? How often are the police going to ignore the trafficking victim’s arguments that they are a trafficking victim because they get an easy collar and the D.A gets an easy conviction?

Finally, Donna and her anti rights activist allies in Rhode Island portrayed their struggle as David vs. Goliath. With their cause and it’s activists being David. In reality, Donna Hughes and her anti rights activist allies had the support of the police in their efforts, the backing of the US Government via the abysmal Trafficking Victim’s Protection Act, and a mislead public pumped up on the fear mongering of Hughes, CAT and their allies. Meanwhile the alleged “Goliath” is an indoor based prostitute trying to earn a living in a society that virtually no one argues stigmatizes prostitutes.

Donna Hughes, CAT and their victory protect no one. They instead have done a great deal of harm. The only victory here is for the activist profiles of Donna Hughes and her allies as they can place a “victory” on their CV’s. Apparently their victory at the expense of many ruined lives is some morally superior fast track to them? To me it’s just corrupt opportunistic activist/academic career advancement for Ms. Hughes and her allies at a horrible price for many that are allegedly being protected, but instead pay a high price for the theatrics of Donna Hughes and her allies.