Full transcript
0:00PROSTITUTION. A GROUP IS LOOKING TO FULLY
0:02A GROUP IS LOOKING TO FULLY DECRIMINALIZE IT.
0:05DECRIMINALIZE IT. OTHERS SAYING IT’S A TERRIBLE
0:09OTHERS SAYING IT’S A TERRIBLE IDEA.
0:09IDEA. >> ONCE IN THE SHADOWS, NOW IN
0:12>> ONCE IN THE SHADOWS, NOW IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
0:13THE SPOTLIGHT. MARCHES DRAWING SUPPORT FROM THE
0:15MARCHES DRAWING SUPPORT FROM THE PROGRESSIVE WING.
0:16PROGRESSIVE WING. >> FOR ME IT’S ABOUT JUST MAKING
0:18>> FOR ME IT’S ABOUT JUST MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO
0:22SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING, BUT I JENNY
0:24PREVENT TRAFFICKING, BUT I JENNY AM OF THE VIEW THAT PEOPLE HAVE
0:26AM OF THE VIEW THAT PEOPLE HAVE DOMINION OVER THEIR OWN BODY.
0:29DOMINION OVER THEIR OWN BODY. >> Reporter: ELIZABETH WARREN
0:29>> Reporter: ELIZABETH WARREN AND BERNIE SANDERS BOTH SAY
0:30AND BERNIE SANDERS BOTH SAY THEY’RE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF
0:31THEY’RE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF MAKING A BIG CHANGE, LISTING
0:34MAKING A BIG CHANGE, LISTING CRIMINAL PENALTIES ON ANYONE WHO
0:36CRIMINAL PENALTIES ON ANYONE WHO SELLS SEX, PIMPS WHO MANAGE
0:38SELLS SEX, PIMPS WHO MANAGE THOSE SELLERS OR PEOPLE WHO BUY
0:40THOSE SELLERS OR PEOPLE WHO BUY SEX.
0:41SEX. IT’S CALLED FULL
0:44IT’S CALLED FULL DECRIMINALIZATION.
0:44DECRIMINALIZATION. >> SEX WORK IS WORK.
0:45>> SEX WORK IS WORK. >> Reporter: LAST FALL THE ISSUE
0:46>> Reporter: LAST FALL THE ISSUE WAS AT THE CENTER OF AN
0:48WAS AT THE CENTER OF AN EMOTIONAL HEARING IN WASHINGTON,
0:49EMOTIONAL HEARING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH SUPPORTERS MAKING
0:50D.C. WITH SUPPORTERS MAKING THEIR CASE TO LAWMAKERS.
0:53THEIR CASE TO LAWMAKERS. >> THESE LAWS HAVE DONE ENOUGH
0:55>> THESE LAWS HAVE DONE ENOUGH HURT AND HARM TO LAST SEVERAL
0:57HURT AND HARM TO LAST SEVERAL LIFE TIMES.
0:58LIFE TIMES. IT’S TIME TO BRING AN END TO IT.
1:00IT’S TIME TO BRING AN END TO IT. >> Reporter: OTHERS SAYING IT’S
1:01>> Reporter: OTHERS SAYING IT’S A BAD IDEA.
1:02A BAD IDEA. >> DECRIMINALIZING AND
1:03>> DECRIMINALIZING AND EMPOWERING THOSE WHO EXPLOIT
1:04EMPOWERING THOSE WHO EXPLOIT THEM IS A MISGUIDED AND
1:07THEM IS A MISGUIDED AND DANGEROUS POLICY.
1:07DANGEROUS POLICY. >> Reporter: KAYA LYNN DESCRIBES
1:09>> Reporter: KAYA LYNN DESCRIBES HERSELF AS A FULL-TIME SEX
1:12HERSELF AS A FULL-TIME SEX WORKER, HIGH-PRICED ESCORT FOR
1:13WORKER, HIGH-PRICED ESCORT FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
1:14THE PAST FIVE YEARS. >> SOME PEOPLE DO IT BECAUSE OF
1:16>> SOME PEOPLE DO IT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THEY
1:17WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND WHAT THEY WANT TO
1:20WANT TO DO AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO TO MAKE A LIVING.
1:21DO TO MAKE A LIVING. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE
1:25>> Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE STARTED WHEN SHE WAS 18 AND
1:27STARTED WHEN SHE WAS 18 AND SUPPORTS FULL DECRIMINALIZATION.
1:29SUPPORTS FULL DECRIMINALIZATION. >> WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR YOU IF
1:31>> WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR YOU IF YOUR INDUSTRY WAS COMPLETELY
1:34YOUR INDUSTRY WAS COMPLETELY DECRIMINALIZED?
1:34DECRIMINALIZED? >> I THINK PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A
1:35>> I THINK PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A LOT MORE ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO
1:36LOT MORE ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO COME FORWARD ABOUT THINGS THAT
1:38COME FORWARD ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO THEM.
1:39HAVE HAPPENED TO THEM. >> DANGEROUS SITUATIONS?
1:40>> DANGEROUS SITUATIONS? >> YES.
1:41>> YES. LET’S SAY SOMEONE HAS BEEN
1:43LET’S SAY SOMEONE HAS BEEN ASSAULTED WHILE OUT ON A JOB,
1:46ASSAULTED WHILE OUT ON A JOB, SEX WORK IS DECRIMINALIZED, THEY
1:48SEX WORK IS DECRIMINALIZED, THEY FEEL MORE FINANCIAL TALKING TO
1:50FEEL MORE FINANCIAL TALKING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT THAT.
1:50LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT THAT. >> YOU WANT IT TO BE TREATED
1:52>> YOU WANT IT TO BE TREATED LIKE ANY OTHER JOB?
1:54LIKE ANY OTHER JOB? >> I DO, YEAH.
1:54>> I DO, YEAH. >> Reporter: NOT EVERYONE SEES
1:56>> Reporter: NOT EVERYONE SEES THINGS THE WAY KAYA DOES.
1:58THINGS THE WAY KAYA DOES. PROSTITUTION IS OFTEN NOT A
1:59PROSTITUTION IS OFTEN NOT A CHOICE.
2:00CHOICE. >> THEY’RE TARGETING PEOPLE THAT
2:01>> THEY’RE TARGETING PEOPLE THAT ARE VULNERABLE, PEOPLE THAT
2:03ARE VULNERABLE, PEOPLE THAT DON’T HAVE SUPPORT, PEOPLE THAT
2:05DON’T HAVE SUPPORT, PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE STRUGGLING, HOMELESS
2:09ARE MAYBE STRUGGLING, HOMELESS YOUTH OVERWHELMINGLY REPRESENTED
2:12YOUTH OVERWHELMINGLY REPRESENTED IN THE SEX TRADE.
2:13IN THE SEX TRADE. >> NICKIE BELL WHO GOT OUT OF
2:15>> NICKIE BELL WHO GOT OUT OF WHAT SHE CALLS THE LIFE FIVE
2:16WHAT SHE CALLS THE LIFE FIVE YEARS AGO HAD A DIFFICULT TIME
2:17YEARS AGO HAD A DIFFICULT TIME AT HOM AND STARTED USING DRUGS
2:19AT HOM AND STARTED USING DRUGS AT A TIME.
2:21AT A TIME. >> SEEING AN OLDER MAN THAT AT
2:23>> SEEING AN OLDER MAN THAT AT THE TIME I THOUGHT WAS MY
2:25THE TIME I THOUGHT WAS MY BOYFRIEND AND FALLING IN LOVE
2:27BOYFRIEND AND FALLING IN LOVE WITH THIS GUY.
2:29WITH THIS GUY. IN REALITY HE WAS RECRUITING ME.
2:31IN REALITY HE WAS RECRUITING ME. >> DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CLOSE
2:32>> DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CLOSE TO DO ANY OF THIS WHEN YOU WERE
2:34TO DO ANY OF THIS WHEN YOU WERE 16?
2:3516? >> NO.
2:35>> NO. AS AN ADULT I DIDN’T EITHER.
2:39AS AN ADULT I DIDN’T EITHER. >> Reporter: SHE AND OTHER
2:39>> Reporter: SHE AND OTHER CRITICS SAY THE MOVEMENT FOR
2:40CRITICS SAY THE MOVEMENT FOR FULL DECRIMINALIZATION WOULD
2:41FULL DECRIMINALIZATION WOULD ACTUALLY LEAD TO MORE
2:43ACTUALLY LEAD TO MORE EXPLOITATION.
2:43EXPLOITATION. >> BUYERS WILL FLOOD THE MARKET.
2:47>> BUYERS WILL FLOOD THE MARKET. THERE’S NEVER ENOUGH WILLING
2:48THERE’S NEVER ENOUGH WILLING PARTICIPANTS TO MEET THE DEMAND
2:51PARTICIPANTS TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR THE COMMERCIAL SEX THAT
2:52FOR THE COMMERCIAL SEX THAT EXISTS PERFECTLY.
2:53EXISTS PERFECTLY. >> PEOPLE WILL BE TRAFFICKED YOU
2:55>> PEOPLE WILL BE TRAFFICKED YOU FEAR?
2:55FEAR? >> ABSOLUTELY.
2:56>> ABSOLUTELY. >> Reporter: NICKIE IS PUSHING
2:57>> Reporter: NICKIE IS PUSHING FOR A DIFFERENT VERSION KNOWN AS
2:59FOR A DIFFERENT VERSION KNOWN AS PARTIAL DECRIMINALIZATION WHERE
3:01PARTIAL DECRIMINALIZATION WHERE PROSTITUTES WOULD NOT BE PROS
3:03PROSTITUTES WOULD NOT BE PROS CAN YOU TELLED BUT BUYERS AND
3:04CAN YOU TELLED BUT BUYERS AND PIMPS COULD STILL BE ARRESTED.
3:06PIMPS COULD STILL BE ARRESTED. >> SO WHY WOULD YOUR CHANGE MAKE
3:09>> SO WHY WOULD YOUR CHANGE MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?
3:10ANY DIFFERENCE? >> RIGHT NOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH
3:11>> RIGHT NOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THEY GO AFTER
3:13LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THEY GO AFTER THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT.
3:15THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT. BUYERS ARE THESE WHITE MEN WITH
3:17BUYERS ARE THESE WHITE MEN WITH DISPOSABLE INCOME THAT HAVE THE
3:19DISPOSABLE INCOME THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO FIGHT THESE CASES IN
3:20ABILITY TO FIGHT THESE CASES IN COURT.
3:21COURT. PEOPLE IN PROSTITUTION ARE
3:23PEOPLE IN PROSTITUTION ARE ARRESTED AND CRIMINALIZED EVERY
3:24ARRESTED AND CRIMINALIZED EVERY DAY.
3:24DAY. WHY IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS
3:26WHY IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS BECAUSE IT WILL FORCE LAW
3:27BECAUSE IT WILL FORCE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO AFTER WHAT IS