Safe Sex Work VT is a group of individuals and organizations deeply concerned about the health and safety of sex workers, survivors of trafficking, and Vermont communities. Led by sex workers and their allies, we are advocating for the decriminalization of consensual adult sex work. Sex work is work and no one benefits from criminalizing consensual acts between adults. Safe Sex Work VT aims to protect the dignity, autonomy, and safety of sex workers and victims of exploitation through decriminalization. Sex work is neither inherently violent nor exploitative — the prohibition of sex work, which has led to an “illicit market” increases the risk of exploitation for sex workers and others. Evidence unequivocally shows that where sex work has been decriminalized, human trafficking decreases and public health and safety increases. Decriminalizing sex work will keep communities safer and allow police to focus on violent crime and serious threats to public safety. Our hope is that all Vermonters will join us in encouraging our elected officials to decriminalize consensual adult sex work.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the World Health Organization (WHO), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other national and international organizations recognize that decriminalizing consensual adult sex work increases public health and safety, decreases exploitation and has numerous other benefits for individuals and communities.