Let's talk about sex work in San Francisco & those who engage in it. #KamalaHarris is apparently solely responsible 4 the dangers sex workers face by cracking down on Backpage .com, a site also used by violent thugs 2 traffic children & adults against their will.
sex workers found backpage a convenient platform to advertise their services safely. the problem is that sex traffickers of children and adults also found it convenient. given the choice who to please, law enforcement will choose to stop violent traffickers every time.
violent sex traffickers also use their victims 2 create porn--a good amount of it child porn. law enforcement will use its limited toolkit 2 crack down on these egregious crimes wherever possible. #KamalaHarris used her power as Atty Gen 2 slap backpage w/ trafficking charges.
as for those that willingly engage in sex work, they've organized themselves to push for decriminalization and local DA's are beginning 2 recognize the distinction between trafficked persons & voluntary sex workers and offer services accordingly & not charge trafficked persons.
prostitution is illegal in California and the effort to decriminalize prostitution through referendum failed in San Francisco in 2008. 42% of San Franciscans voted to decriminalize prostitution, but Hoteps will tell you that's Kamala's fault. it isn't. 
As a member of the Senate, #KamalaHarris has concentrated on legislation closing loopholes that enable online sex trafficking and frustrated her efforts to hold backpage accountable for its crimes against children and adults trafficked against their will.
nobody is immune to sexual violence. states and localities have generally done a poor job of prosecuting it, but for those who engage in sex work, the risk of violence is higher and getting justice for them is complicated by the criminalization of the work they do.
sex workers themselves are often charged harshly when they act aggressively in self-defense. we saw the miscarriage of justice perpetrated on #CyntoiaBrown who was a trafficked minor in Tennessee bought for sex by an adult nearly three decades her senior.
#CyntoiaBrown killed a man who scared and threatened her and was harshly charged as an adult to more than 51 years in prison. she wasn't seen as a victim, and a child, but as a Black whore to be punished. the critics of #KamalaHarris project the same hate onto her. it isn't true.
Lastly, #KamalaHarris and a coalition of others created a safe house for girls looking for a way out of prostitution where they could attend school and receive counseling. She did that in 2005 as DA. Those persons repeating the meme "Kamala's-a-cop" choose propaganda over truth.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
