Additionally, the legislation amends the penal code to reflect the diverse gender identities in the LGBTQ community. It also included a provision allowing sex workers and survivors of sex trafickon to apply for criminal record relief for their previous offenses.
In a statement, Salazar, said, “Sex work is work and should not be criminalized by the state. Our current policies only empower traffickers and others who benefit from keeping sex work in the shadows. New York State needs to listen to sex workers and make these common sense reforms to keep sex workers safe and empower sex workers in their workplaces.”
On the other hand, Sanchez, commented, “Decriminalizing sex work between consenting adults in New York will protect many of my neighbors — people who have found themselves in limited situations because of employment and housing discrimination. We will finally make strides against trafficking by empowering sex workers to report violence against them. Sex work is work and everyone has an inherent right to a safe workplace.
