San Francisco weighs decriminalizing prostitution (The Associated Press)

by Viviane on 10/22/2025

in sexwork

By EVELYN NIEVES

SAN FRANCISCO AP — In this live-and-let-live town, where medical marijuana clubs do business next to grocery stores and an annual fair celebrates sadomasochism, prostitutes could soon walk the streets without fear of arrest.

San Francisco would become the first major U.S. city to decriminalize prostitution if voters next month approve Proposition K — a measure that forbids local authorities from investigating, arresting or prosecuting anyone for selling sex.

The ballot question technically would not legalize prostitution since state law still prohibits it, but the measure would eliminate the power of local law enforcement officials to go after prostitutes.

Proponents say the measure will free up $11 million the police spend each year arresting prostitutes and allow them to form collectives.

“It will allow workers to organize for our rights and for our safety,” said Patricia West, 22, who said she has been selling sex for about a year by placing ads on the Internet. She moved to San Francisco in May from Texas to work on Proposition K.

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  • http://sanfranciscoissexy.com Kathryn

    This is such a tough issue! There is no denying that there are some major concerns regarding prostitution – the risks that the prostitutes are taking, the social reasons that they are engaged in this profession, the fact that there are people forced into this work who can’t get help if they aren’t found … And there are also some decent reasons that it shouldn’t be a crime. The article really points out some of the facts on both sides of the issue which I think is difficult to do when it’s such a loaded topic. Makes it hard to figure out what to actually do about it though.

  • http://sanfranciscoissexy.com/2008/10/26/sundays-sexy-sf-link-love-2/ San Francisco is Sexy » Blog Archive » Sunday’s Sexy SF Link Love

    [...] San Francisco Weighs Decriminalizing Prostitution. This Associated Press story was all over the news this week and with good reason – it’s all about the question of whether or not San Franciscans believe that we should decriminalize prostitution. There are arguments on both sides of the issue, of course, and the article discusses both sides. Basically, there’s no denying that there are hookers (of both and varied genders) working on the streets of San Francisco (in some neighborhoods in particular) and people aren’t sure whether it’s a good idea to let them do it without arresting them or not. [...]

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