R&I – FS
Queens, New York, District Attorney Melinda Katz moved on Tuesday to dismiss nearly 700 cases against people charged with loitering for the purpose of prostitution.
The move came the same day New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed to decriminalize sex work.
The loitering for the purpose of prostitution law was repealed last month out of concern it too often targeted women, trans people and people of color based solely on their appearance.
“Historical data shows that enforcement of this statute had primarily been used to arrest people based on their gender or appearance,” Katz said. “Dismissing cases related to this unfair and now repealed statute frees members of our community from the collateral consequences of their arrests.”
The request came as prosecutors across the country are rethinking their views of prostitution. It is no longer viewed entirely as a crime, but often as a consequence of sex trafficking.
PragDem