Prompt Cast
The Impact of New Laws on Sex Workers and Sex Trafficking
TLDR A new law called FASTA-SESTA removes the legal protection for websites like Backpage.com, which sex workers argue will harm them instead of targeting sex trafficking. The law is likely to result in the deaths of sex workers who are forced to work on the streets without the ability to screen clients, and it has a broader impact than just targeting sex trafficking.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Nicole S. testifies in front of a Senate subcommittee about her daughter being sold for sex on Backpage.com.
03:38
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, known as the Safe Harbor provision, protected websites like Backpage from legal responsibility for user-posted content, but after a bipartisan effort, a new law called FASTA-SESTA was passed to remove this protection and target sex trafficking, although sex workers argue that it will harm them instead.
06:34
Katie Simon, co-editor of Kits and Sass and a sex worker, discusses her experience in the industry and the importance of websites like Backpage for sex workers.
09:35
The introduction of Craigslist's erotic services resulted in a 17% decrease in female homicide rates in cities where it was available.
12:36
The new law that holds websites criminally liable for facilitating prostitution is likely to result in the deaths of sex workers who are forced to work on the streets without the ability to screen clients.
16:02
The new law criminalizing websites that facilitate prostitution has a much broader impact than just targeting sex trafficking, and while some argue that it will protect children, others believe it will eliminate safety measures for sex workers and potentially benefit sex traffickers.
19:41
The conversation continues with different perspectives on the law, including the need for more support for sex workers rather than criminalization, and the underlying vulnerabilities that lead individuals to engage in sex work.
23:23
The new law scapegoats backpage.com for the exploitation of vulnerable young people, while ignoring the underlying issues of child abuse, neglect, and lack of resources for homeless youth.
Categories:
Technology
Society & Culture
