Local Research

RI H5250 Legislative Study Commission

On May 16th, 2024 we noticed that all the videos from the (H5250) Rhode Island Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals,   were no longer on the Commission Documents link.

Margery at Capital TV explained that they changed systems and she emailed the video downloads so we could archive them.  The new permanent links are below

Session 1 on 11-15-2021 Marginalized Individuals Study Commission- First session video link

Session 2 on 2-28-2022 Special Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals. Steve Brown RIACLU Video Link,  Steve Brown RI ACLU Written Testimony Link

Session 3 on 3-21-2022  DR Chan Video Special Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals (3-21-2022–Dr Chan Presentation–Final)

Session 4 on 4-25-2022 Special Legislative Commission / Marginalized Individuals Danielle Ozuna and Melissa Broude video Danielle Ozuna–CSEC 101 PowerPoint & 4-25-2022—Danielle Ozuna–Fact Sheet

We repeatedly asked for these to be removed because it’s full of false information, for instance, “the average age of entry into prostitution was 12-14. Rep Williams also apologized for the media coverage and insinuated that it was Bella’s fault.  The Boston Globe published an article about the outside interest group, and yet Rep Williams and the outside interest group were the only ones that spoke to them. COYOTE did not respond to the Boston Globes Media inquiry.

Session 5 on 5-23-2022 Special Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals  Video link 

Session 6 on 6-13-2022 Special Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals More from members of the outside interest group)  Video link

Session 7  on4-24-2023 Special Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals Video Link

Session 8 on 5-22-2023-  Last session: Special Legislative Commission to Study Ensuring Racial Equity and Optimizing Health and Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals Video Link

Last session, final recommendations. The study commission was told that they were not allowed to vote, and yet they claim there was a consensus. They ignore the community opposition. June 5th, 2023 press release. “Members of House Sex Work Commission critical of both process and final report”

The documents that were added to the commission document list had some false information and statistics so we requested they be removed because the public would think the information was true, yet the chair of the commission refused to remove them. They also refused to add COYOTE Policy recommendations that our research director emailed to Rep Ajello, who never opened the email.   Bella even brought copies to the last study commission session and emailed them to the study commission clerk.  Instead, they published the recommendations of an out-of-state interest group that wasn’t even on the study commission, yet they seemed to control it. The clerk of the study commission told us we were not allowed to vote and yet they told everyone telling people that there was a consensus.

The final report below was written by Melissa Broude, l who was not on the H5250 study, is a paid staff member of DSW the out if state interest group who is paying RI lobbyists 5,000 a month.   The 2 VT sex workers are not criminalized sex workers and they are on DSW payroll. Bella was the only criminalized sex worker and formerly incarcerated person on the study commission.  (Bella served 3 yrs FL DIOC and the  5 yrs FL DOC at Lowell CI in Florida in the 90s. She he was a victim of state sponsored violence as she was  sexual assaulted   by correctional officers.  DOJ finally investigated and wrote a report about the  systemic abuse that took place at Lowell CI for. in 2020)

Draft-Final-Report-Marginalized-Individuals-Commission-May-22-2023-RAM-Clean-5.18.23 (1) 

H5250 Study Commission that  Tara emailed Rep Ajello ad she did not read ro was it provided to the committee.  4/24/23 from COYOTE RII

We documented this on June 3rd, 2023. “Members of the House Sex Work Commission are critical of both the process and the final report “Link

Members of House Sex Work Commission critical of both process and final report Link

RI Commission Proposes Sweeping Reforms in Laws Affecting Sex Workers Link

RHODE ISLAND PROSTITUTION & SEXUAL ASSAULT  LAWS 

1. Chapter 37 RI sexual assault 
2. Crime Victim Compensation Program Rules & Regulations
3. Rhode Island Crime Victim Compensation Program Statutes
4. 1896 Prostitution
5. 1909 Prostitution
6. 1923 Prostitution
7. 1938 Prostitution
8. 1956 Prostitution
9. Coyote v. Roberts, 502 F. Supp. 1342 (D.R.I. 1980) case opinion from the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
10. Coyote v. Roberts, 523 F. Supp. 352 (D.R.I. 1981) case opinion from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island

11. State v. DeMagistris 1998

12. In Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S.844 (1997), the Supreme Court held in a unanimous decision that provisions of the 1996 Communications Decency Act (CDA) were an unconstitutional, content-based restriction of First Amendment free speech rights.

13. In Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S.844 (1997), the Supreme Court held in a unanimous decision that provisions of the 1996 Communications Decency Act (CDA) were an unconstitutional, content-based restriction of First Amendment free speech rights.

14. Overview of RI State Prostitution_Etc. Law Changes

15. Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union (2002

16. Overview of RI State Prostitution_Etc. Law Changes

17. Massage Licensing 2020
18. The History of Sex Work Law in Rhode Island
19. Rhode Island House considers creating a study commission to examine laws on sex work
20. WIKI: The History of Prostitution in Rhode Island-
21. AFTER FOSTA 2018 by Bella Robinson COYOTE RI
22. CoyoteRI AMICI FOSTA Appeal 2022
23. DSW Amicus Brief FOSTA APPEAL
24. Woodhull fosta us opposition
25. Woodhull reply brief 
26. Woodhull-v.-United-States July 7th, 2023

1. COYOTE v ROBERTS 502 F.Supp 1342-December 17, 1980
2. re Lamarine_ 527 A.2d 1133 Supreme Court of Rhode Island July 1, 1987
3. State v. DeMagistris,  1998
4. State v. Rome :: 1994 :: Louisiana Supreme Court Decisions
5. RI SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN ARCHAIC LAW WHICH DECLARED INMATES SERVING LIFE SENTENCES “CIVILLY DEAD” link
6. ACLU STATEMENT ON RI SUPREME COURT RULING IN REPRODUCTIVE PRIVACY ACT LAWSUIT link   ( Benson v. Raimondo 2019)
7. ACLU SUES PAWTUCKET OVER POLITICAL SIGN RESTRICTIONS; HEARING ON RESTRAINING ORDER SET FOR THURSDAY 7/28/22 link
8. ACLU SETTLES SUIT WITH PAWTUCKET OVER POLITICAL SIGN RESTRICTIONS link
9. ACLU CHALLENGES STATE’S “ABSURD” POSITION THAT “MARIO’S LAW,” ALLOWING FOR EARLY RELEASE OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS, DOESN’T APPLY TO MARIO LINK

US Supreme Court & Federal Courts

1. Shinn v. Martinez Ramirez,– “The court’s decision will leave many people who were convicted in violation of the Sixth Amendment to face incarceration or even execution without any meaningful chance to vindicate their right to counsel.”
   SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR
2. Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade link
3. Hoke V US 1913 link
4. The Supreme Court Effectively Overturned Your Miranda Rights link
5. Supreme Court Strikes Down N.Y. Concealed Carry Law—Could Lead To Rollbacks Nationwide link
6. Supreme Court Makes It Effectively Impossible To Sue Federal Cops, Smashing a 51-Year-Old Precedent  link
7. U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District: link
8. Supreme Court sides with Oklahoma in the battle over crimes on Native American territory link
9. Texas Loses Supreme Court Clash on Veteran Discrimination Suits (Torres v. Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S., No. 20-603.) link
10.  Supreme Court curbs EPA’s ability to fight climate change  link
11. A Radical Supreme Court Term in Review July 2022 link
12. NEW: SCOTUS agrees to take up NINE new cases, including Gonzalez v. Google, involving the scope of tech companies’ immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The order list is not yet posted on the court’s website, but here is a link
13. U.S. Supreme Court mulls anonymous jury case link
14. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES UNCONSTITUTIONAL STATE’S RESIDENCY RESTRICTION FOR SEX OFFENDERS Link
15. HIGH COURT EXTENDS CURB AGAINST BEATING PRISONERS Link
16.  United States v. Smith (S.D.N.Y. May 11, 2023), a district court judge in New York made history by being the first court to rule that a warrant is required for a cell phone search at the border, “absent exigent circumstances
17.   Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College & UNC
18. Gonzalez v Google LLC
19. 303 Creative v Elenis
20. Jones v Hendrix
21. Dance Lb llc v Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine
22. Allen v Milligan
23. Moore v Harper
24. Haaland v Brackeen

25. DONALD J. TRUMP (2004 )  V. UNITED STATES. No 23-939

OTHER COURTS

1. New Orleans short-term rental rule struck down by court link
2. STATE OF IDAHO SETTLES ACLU LAWSUIT CHALLENGING IDAHO’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL USE OF ITS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY (As Judge Winmill ruled last year, our clients have demonstrated irreparable harm: the State of Idaho has ruined their lives by labeling them as ‘sex offenders’ for engaging in consensual sex) link

3. Oral Arguments, in Lacey/Larkin Appeal (#backpage) in the 9th district court of appeals, around the 1 hr and 34-minute link.

4. State of TX VS IQBAL JIVANI. pdf
5. Canadian Supreme Court hears case on Canada’s prostitution lawsThe Supreme Court of Canada is currently hearing arguments about the constitutionality of Canada’s prostitution laws. The case, R v. Kloubakov, is the first time Canada’s highest court will consider whether Canada’s legislation on prostitution complies with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  The case centres on two men who were convicted in 2021 of benefitting financially from sexual services.  The evidence and arguments in the case reveal two very different approaches to addressing inequality in the commercial sex industry. The Supreme Court’s decision will reveal whether Parliament’s response to inequality must prioritize individual liberty

LITIGATION:  CASES INVOLVING PROSTITUTION OR TRAFFICKING 

1. Amicus Brief of Floor64 d/b/a The Copia Institute, Engine Advocacy & Reddit. 2/20/19 link

2. WOODHULL FREEDOM FOUNDATION, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, ERIC KOSZYK, JESSE MALEY a/k/a ALEX ANDREWS, and THE INTERNET ARCHIVE. “Appellants opening brief” filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit   2022-09-06 Appellants Opening Brief

3. Woodhull fosta us opposition
4. Woodhull reply brief 
5. Woodhull-v.-United-States July 7th, 2023

COYOTE PUBLICATIONS & PODCASTS

1. What is Sex Trafficking [link]
2. Student Testimonies H5254 (2019) [link]
3. COYOTE RI SEX WORKER RIGHTS TRAINING- FREE HER FELLOWSHIP 2022 [link]
4. After FOSTA Impact Report [link]
5. FourYearsOfFosta
6. The New Virtual Crackdown on Sex Workers’ Rights: Perspectives from the United States (2018) link
7. Global Implications Of FOSTA [link]
8. Texas Christian University Presentation- [link] Sept 2018
9. How Abolition gets Trafficked 2 [link]Sept 2018
10. The Effects of Polaris Project in Rhode Island [link]
11. Sex Trafficking and the Sex Industry in the United States- [link]2017
12. “We Don’t Need Your Pity, We Need Our Rights:” Understanding the Experiences of Sex Workers within the HIV Continuum of Care in the United States
13. Policing Modern-Day
14. Slavery [link] 2014-2016
15. 10 Years After Re-Criminalization [link]
16. Decriminalize Now [link]
17. Decarceral alliances in the fight to decriminalize sex work [link]
18. Royce Presentation  Transnational  Sex Workers Justice by Yanhoo Cho [link]
19. COYOTES project, tracking the trafficking funding. [link]
20. What Are Your COVID Rules? [link]
21. A Brief History of Prostitution – Geisha Diaries [link]
22. Bella Robinson and Naomi Blech- Storycorps [link]
23. Prostitution Raids Demonstrate how Anti-Prostitution Rhetoric Harms Victims [link]
24. COYOTE RI’s Sex Worker Story Telling Series Podcasts [link]
25. 2021 COYOTE RI IDTEVASW Memorial List
26. How Many Sex Trafficking Headlines are Bogus? Lots of them! [link]
27.  Important facts on monkeypox- link
28. Interventions to improve health and the determinants of health among sex workers in high-income countries: a systematic review
29. Empowered Path Re-Entry 2023
30. Community-Based Research With Criminalized Sex Workers and Sex Trafficking Survivors at Amnesty International 2023 VAC Conference
31. Empowered Path 2024

COYOTE TRAINING MATERIALS

1. Sex Workers Perspectives on MonkeyPox
2. RI ACI Re-Entry Training
3. Know your Rights Cards (English)
4. Know Your Rights Cards (Korean)
5. Know Your Rights Cards (Mandarin Chinese)
6. Know Your Rights Cards -Portuguese
7. How To Be An Ally to Sex Workers (English)
8. How to be an Ally to Sex Workers (Korean)
9. How to be an Ally to Sex Workers (Mandarin Chinese)
10. Best Practices for Connecting “People in the Sex Industry” with Services (English)
11. Best Practices for Connecting “People in the Sex Industry” with Services (Mandarin Chinese)
12. Best Practices for Connecting “People in the Sex Industry” with Services (Korean) 
13. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS – Enforcement at the Airport
14. An Activists Guide to Online Safety and Privacy
15. NERC Amnesty Decrim Policy 2019 presentation

OUT-OF-STATE RESEARCH & DOJ Reports

DOJ Report on Lowell CI (FL)

Trans Women in Hawaii’s Sex Industry

SUGGESTED READING