The passing of Fosta (Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act) is a hate crime. Congress is trying to kill Sex Workers!
Following the passage of SESTA, a sex worker-led organization COYOTE-RI conducted an impact survey and documented 260 responses (and growing). The data is still being collected and analyzed, but we have some clear takeaways that must be shared:
Of the 260 sex workers who responded to the survey…
– 77% (201 people) reported sex work as their sole income
– 75% (197 people) are supporting between 1-3 dependents
Within 2 Weeks of Backpage Shutting Down…
– Over 65% of participants report earning less income
– 25% (65 people) reported being unable to support themselves or their dependant’s because their source of income was gone.
– 30% of participants report having stopped screening clients or having lowered their safety standards.
– 60% (156 people) report having taken sessions with less safe clients, out of financial desperation
– Between 6-10% of participants were evicted
We are still processing the data to illustrate how many sex workers are being approached by pimps, who see this new environment as ripe for taking control. With online advertising, sex workers have been able to work independently, but now that this tool is gone, the pimps are starting to harass newly vulnerable sex workers.
We are aware of one death linked to a young woman going out onto the streets to work, as a result of having nowhere online to advertise. We are aware of one suicide linked to the overwhelming stress SESTA has caused. These are only the incidents we know of.
CRIMINALIZATION KILLS.
It’s like HUNGER GAMES on sex workers
Internet sites allow sex workers to screen potential clients, stay informed & to be safer. Why don’t you actually listen to the data or to the sex workers themselves? Who do you think will step in if sex workers can’t independently use the internet to find clients?
Thank You to SWOP Seattle for helping to analyze the data and creating the images.
There is a solution, Backpage RI is gone. Try Crockor.nz
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