Let's legalize it in Massachussetts

We should make an effort to make prostitution legal in Massachusetts. This is a state with 'direct democracy,' which means that citizens can create initiative petitions which are placed on the ballot during elections and voted on. It's unlikely that any elected official would ever soil his reputation by introducing legislation to legalize prostitution. However, in other states, groups have successfully used ballot initiatives to legalize a different vice, marijuana, which similarly would never have been touched by a politician. Let's follow this method and make prostitution legal here. I sincerely believe that, if it was put to a vote, it would pass.

It is too late to get it on the ballot for the 2016 election. However, we can still get started planning for the next one. Here is some information about the process:

[URL]http://www.mass.gov/ago/government-resources/initiatives-and-other-ballot-questions/initiative-petition-process.html[/URL]

There are many details to work out:

We need to hash out exactly what the wording of the initiative will be and how it will work. I have a lot of ideas for this. We might also need a lawyer to turn it into real 'legal-ese. '.

We need someone who isn't afraid of having their name attached to the initiative to be the public point of contact and have their name listed on the attorney general's website (see this for some examples: [URL]http://www.mass.gov/ago/government-resources/initiatives-and-other-ballot-questions/current-petitions-filed.html[/URL]).

We also need 10 people to be the 'original voters' on the initiative, and also have their name attached to the petition.

After doing this, we need people to gather up about 70,000 signatures. This means getting people to sign the petition, in person. Now, the names of the signature-gatherers are not public, but it does mean that people will see you collecting signatures and will associate you with the initiative. So you if you volunteer for it, you may want to do the signature collection in an area far from where you live if you are squeamish about your reputation.

There's much more that could happen, but these are enough thoughts to start the discussion.

That's just me. I believe in the least government interference in our lives the better. I'm not certain, but I think that in the Nevada desert where sex work is legal, a woman isn't able to be an independent. Correct me if I'm wrong. It seems like the escorts need to work in brothels. I don't want to work in a brothel. I doubt a brothel would even hire me. I would't like the government to have a ton of rules and regulations on how to run my business. There are too many rules and regulations we have to live by anyway. Who needs more of them?

[QUOTE=TheBoobHound;2695302]We should make an effort to make prostitution legal in Massachusetts. This is a state with 'direct democracy,' which means that citizens can create initiative petitions which are placed on the ballot during elections and voted on. It's unlikely that any elected official would ever soil his reputation by introducing legislation to legalize prostitution. However, in other states, groups have successfully used ballot initiatives to legalize a different vice, marijuana, which similarly would never have been touched by a politician. Let's follow this method and make prostitution legal here. I sincerely believe that, if it was put to a vote, it would pass.[/QUOTE]First off, before talking about "making it legal," <b <I there's an important distinction between legalization and decriminalization</ I </ b . The former means strict government regulation; Nevada, where only brothels in remote counties are allowed, is an example of this. Decriminalization, on the other hand, means removing consensual commercial sex from criminal law altogether, and treating like any other transaction / profession under business, labor, and consumer protection laws; this is the model preferred by SW rights organizations, and is working in New South Wales (Australia) and New Zealand.

As to the feasibility. You currently have an alliance of social conservatives and radical feminists spreading misinformation that "all prostitution is forced" and therefore "sex trafficking". This means that, before you even have a chance of getting something on the ballot and / or before the legislature, there needs to be a lot of educational work done to counteract this, plus support and advocacy for SW clients as well as SWs themselves (SWs have their own organizations, but there is nothing specifically representing clients).

Another avenue, however, is filing a lawsuit or appealing a conviction, bringing it to the Mass SJC. This is currently being attempted in California, but the consensus is that it doesn't have much chance of succeeding right now. Why? Because judges are as much influenced by public opinion as anyone else, and with that "unholy alliance" I mentioned, public opinion tends to favor the strategy of enforcing current laws to "fight trafficking" and "end demand".

<b Bottom line: If you want to decriminalize commercial sex, you'll need to do a great deal of work educating the public and dispelling the myths set up by opponents of prostitution. </ b Which I'm certainly willing to do, <I with help</ I .

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