Mariah Grant, advocacy director for the Sex Workers Project (SWP) at the Urban Justice Center, a New York City based law clinic has instituted the Decrim Work Campaign in Oregon from her New York office.

“By decriminalizing sex work," Grant explained. "Oregon will become the first state to fully respect the rights, dignity, and safety of sex workers.”

The New York SWP invested $1.2 million to expand beyond New York into Oregon.

That donation came from Aaron Boonshoft, a Portland resident, according to Willamette Week.

Representative Rob Nosse (D-Portland) sponsored HB 3088 in 2021 at the request of the SWP.

They used Oregon’s liberal legislature as a test case.

After HB 3088 failed to pass, a Sex Workers Human Rights Commission was formed in Portland on July 15, 2021. Rep. Nosse co- chaired with Executive Director/co-founder of SWOP Behind Bars and Board member of SWOP, Alex Andrews of Florida.

Others on the committee from Oregon are: Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, and Elle Stanger, a certified sex educator (CSE). Others represent Nevada, New York and California.

The Committee’s report clearly indicates sex workers is not limited to traditional prostitution. Attempting to fit into the equity agenda, racial disparities, LGBTQ people of color, LGBTQ immigrants, and transgender people are the focus of many adverse activities.

Alex Andrew, a Florida resident and board member of Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA) is a left-of-center activist organization which supports the decriminalization of prostitution and other forms of “sex work.” The organization is based in Berkeley, California.

The organization has expanded, adding chapters nationwide. In 2004, SWOP tried to pass Measure Q in Berkley making enforcement of all prostitution laws the lowest priority of Berkeley’s police department. Opponent said prostitution is not a "victimless crime" -- it victimizes the community, local women harassed by johns and escort agencies, as well as the entrapment of the sex workers.

SWOP isn’t just about work recognition of prostitutes.

The SWOP website mission statement says SWOP is committed to the safety, autonomy, and human rights of people in the sex trade, and stands in solidarity with the many social justice movements intersectional to our own, including but not limited to Black Lives Matter, disability rights, drug and immigration reform, gender equality and the LGBTQ movement, and the rights of the working class.

Chapters are required to promote local LGBTIQQ Pride, and Transgender Day of Remembrance. Oregon doesn’t have a chapter, which is another indication of out-of-state forces trying to influence Oregon.

Aaron Boonshoft, a philanthropist funding SWP and son of wealthy Ohio commodities trader Oscar Boonshoft, launched Compassionate Action Team in 2020 to advocate for human rights. In November 2021 he filed Oregon Initiative 42, the “Sex Worker Rights Act.” After comments were received, Initiative 42 was withdrawn and refiled as Initiative 51 for the November 8, 2022 ballot.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Some of the revisions have to do with clearly stating to voters what the measure does, such as the work constitutes a contract between “sex workers” and sex buyers as binding. Other comments claimed it violated the single- subject rule by making changes to numerous statues that are unrelated such as child custody matters.

The 67-page Initiative 51 states under Findings and Policy, “It is the policy of the State of Oregon that sex workers are entitled to their human rights, and consensual, adult behavior that does not cause harm should not be criminalized.” It attempts to differentiate sex workers from unlawful activities of sex trafficking, sex abuse or sex involving a minor.

They want their privacy rights while still wanting equal labor rights. They suggest their tax contributions will be convincing to voters.

Initiative 51 does not address all the concerns that were expressed. It now awaits a certified ballot title and approval to circulate. Then they have until July 8 to collect 112,020 verified signatures.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-03-30 17:16:33

Last Update: 2022-03-30 17:43:12