Like a flood, where there's one fight for SW rights, there's another. With so much centering around SWers and their rights, groups have been coming out of the blue to make sure they are heard through all the noise. Just a few days ago I wrote about legal courtesans fighting for more equality as independent workers. A couple of days before that, I spoke on Colorado doing what they can to decriminalize sex work in certain areas of the state, making it legal to provide. Today, Alaska is looking to do the same thing as a nonprofit is filing a lawsuit against Alaska and its prostitution statute.
The nonprofit starting the lawsuit is called
Community United for Safety and Protection (CUSP). They are like many other groups in America who are run by former sex workers and trafficking survivors, making sure others like themselves are safe in the state of Alaska. This group believes that the Alaskan constitution is being violated, as the right to privacy interferes with the Alaskan people's private choices and what happens between two consensual adults. Unlike other states and countries that penalize the clients, the law only criminalizes the provider if caught in the act, deeming it unfair.
What to take into account is that CUSP is not trying to legalize SW. A sex work advocate of CUSP said in an interview, “Legalization creates all of these different things that people have to kind of sign up for. You have to work for someone, you have to be licensed, you know there’s different aspects to legalization, whereas decriminalization would just take the whole aspect of the prostitution code out.” The advocate is basically saying they don't want to be another form of Nevada. They are already going through issues there, and dealing with that seems like more of a hassle than what it's worth. CUSP just wants independent providers to be able to work without the fear of being criminalized for something they are doing consensually.
I had no idea that Alaska had such a rich history of providing. There are talks of a red-light district at one time when SW was supposedly accepted in Alaska. It would make sense given you're in one of the toughest places to live in the world, and a little relief would calm anyone down. I have noticed more providers making their way to Alaska last year, so maybe there's a possibility that if this law were to pass, more would be inclined to make their way over. As far and unappealing as some make Alaska out to be, decriminalization of providing is a very enticing reason to visit the cold state.
Like any other group fighting for SWer rights, this is going to take time. CUSP has filed the lawsuit, but the state says they haven't received it yet. Whether they have or not, I can tell this is going to be drawn out for a long time. The same is happening on just about every coast of America, with groups fighting for more rights for SWers. As a client, I can't help but root for the nonprofits fighting for their rights, as many other groups have done throughout history. This would be a big win for SWers and advocates alike.
Here's the full
article for those interested.
