EDITORIAL: San Francisco prostitutes could be off the hook

‘ ‘ ‘ If the proponents of San Francisco’s Proposition K get their way, prostitutes might soon… ‘ ‘ ‘ If the proponents of San Francisco’s Proposition K get their way, prostitutes might soon be able to walk the city’s streets freely. The measure aims to forbid local authorities from investigating, arresting or prosecuting people for selling sex, according to an article published by the Associated Press yesterday. ‘ ‘ ‘ The measure does not fully legalize prostitution, as it’s still prohibited by California law. But it would effectively decriminalize the activity by making it impossible for authorities to enforce the law in the city. ‘ ‘ ‘ Prostitution is legal in other cities and countries around the world. For instance, in the Netherlands all sex workers are licensed and can join unions, pay income taxes and are allowed to take part in many health and social services. ‘ ‘ ‘ Brothels are legal in some rural counties in Nevada, and Rhode Island allows consenting adults to exchange money for sex behind closed doors. ‘ ‘ ‘ The difference between these measures and Proposition K is the level of regulation, which is not a provision in the San Francisco measure. The initiative would simply decriminalize prostitution across the board, which could only increase the problems facing prostitutes currently. ‘ ‘ ‘ If the people of San Francisco pass Proposition K, they need to be sure to pass accompanying regulation to make sure that the industry they endorse doesn’t run amok in the aftermath. Regulating prostitution is the only viable way to legalize the activity; otherwise, the dangers to women and the negative social aspects could be too great. ‘ ‘ ‘ But in the event that San Francisco does regulate the sex industry, it could be a boon for those who work in it. The prospect of safe, legalized working environments and the ability to report abuse or bad behavior on the part of a client could eliminate many of the problems prostitutes face, such as aggressive pimping and substance abuse. ‘ ‘ ‘ Proposition K is obviously a controversial measure, and there are a large number of unknown aspects to the legislation. For example, some people oppose the measure based on the idea that decriminalizing prostitution will increase the rate at which people take part in it, as well as the number of prostitutes on the streets. ‘ ‘ ‘ Other opposition criticizes the lack of accompanying regulation and the idea that it might empower pimps and human traffickers because they would not have to fear retribution from the police. ‘ ‘ ‘ It is evident that there are problems with Proposition K as it currently stands, and that other cities or states would probably be remiss in proposing similar legislation. However, the concept of decriminalization could potentially help sex workers if it’s accompanied by regulation and licensing. ‘ ‘ ‘ The idea of prostitution is a difficult moral issue for many people, especially when considering aspects such as sexual slavery and drug addiction. But judging from the records of other countries and states where forms of prostitution have been decriminalized, regulation is a better alternative than illegal activity in nearly all cases. Proposition K doesn’t provide for that regulation, but it is a step in that direction.