Why decriminalize prostitution now? |
By C.W. Nevius When ultra-liberal San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly put together a slate of like-minded people to run for membership in the Democratic County Central Committee this summer, the intention was to make a splash in local politics. They have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. But the real showstopper was a vote - 18-12 with three abstentions and one member absent - to endorse Supervisor Jake McGoldrick's Measure K, which would decriminalize prostitution and prohibit the city from spending money on sex-traffic investigations that involve racial profiling. But who asked for this? Where is the upsurge in interest in decriminalizing prostitution? Four years ago a similar measure was rolled out in freethinking Berkeley, to much national ballyhoo, and it lost by 63 percent. Why would anyone think it would be popular in San Francisco now? The measure, and the vote in favor of it, has already proved so unpopular that - amid reports of fundraising resistance from dependable donors - there was talk that the committee might hold a revote."I heard rumors of that," said David Chiu, a committee member and supervisorial candidate in District Three, who voted against the measure. "But the issue never came up." No worries. It will. "I think this was a real litmus test across the city on where these guys want to go," said political consultant David Latterman, who is advising several moderate campaigns and is working for Claudine Cheng's supervisorial run in District Three and Emily Murase's bid for school board. "This is what they stand for. It shows how incredibly out of touch they are." Certainly there is nothing wrong with the concept. This is San Francisco, after all, and it probably wouldn't be difficult to get support for a measure that would allow prostitutes to report crimes like assault or rape without fear of prosecution. "I don't think any of us wants to see sex workers put in jail," said Scott Wiener, a past president and current member of the DCCC. "And I don't have any problem with the Democratic Party getting out in front of a controversial issue. This is just a bad idea. For one thing, it could jeopardize investigations into human trafficking and pimping." Better get used to that politically loaded term, "human trafficking." Proponents of the measure, like District Nine supervisor candidate David Campos, a member of the committee who voted for K, disagree with the characterization. (McGoldrick's office, on vacation, did not respond to a request for comment.) "In no way was I condoning human trafficking," said Campos, a member of the police commission. "My understanding is that they are two different issues." But the measure clearly states that law enforcement agencies are not to use funds to target traffickers if there is any use of racial profiling. It also demands that the city not support any program that "forces sex workers into re-education programs." So Measure K proponents believe that racial profiling is the greatest concern when women are being forced into prostitution? That re-education programs should be discouraged, not encouraged? When San Franciscans are deeply concerned about violent crime, a measure that seeks to decriminalize prostitution doesn't sound like a winner. That may be one reason why the newly elected chairman of the DCCC, Aaron Peskin, voted against the measure. (Peskin was out of town and unavailable for comment.) And why candidates like Eric Mar, who is running for supervisor in McGoldrick's district, wasn't able to spare a moment to comment on his vote in favor of K. "He's extremely busy today," said Mar's brother, Gordon. "He won't be able to get back to you." Even Measure K opponents recognize it's a loaded issue. "Personally, I strongly believe consenting adults can do what they want to do," Chiu said. "But as a former prosecutor, I know that in sex trafficking there are unconsenting adults and minors, and there is not enough protection for them." I predict those who voted for K will find it very hard to argue with that. If they didn't get the message before, it should be sinking in now. This is the kind of touchstone issue that can make - or break - an election. Clarification: The above column incorrectly reported that Supervisor Jake McGoldrick is the sponsor of Measure K, a Nov. 4 ballot initiative that would decriminalize prostitution in San Francisco. McGoldrick supports the measure, but it is being primarily advocated by the Erotic Service Providers Union. C.W. Nevius' column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail him at cwnevius@sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/30/BAE812K5PU.DTL |
Opponents of Prop K
Groups Voting NO on Prop K
African American Democratic Club
Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
Asian Pacific Democratic Club
Asian Week
Bay Area Reporter
Black Women Organized for Political Action
Chinese American Democratic Club
City Democratic Club
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Coalition for SF Neighborhoods
Community Leadership Alliance
Democratic Women's Forum
District 11 Democratic Club
ECPAT-USA
Irish American Democratic Club
Not for Sale
Raoul Wallenberg Democratic Club
The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco Labor Council
San Francisco Women’s Political Caucus
The Senior Action Network
SPUR (San Francisco Planning & Urban Research)
Soroptimist International of El Cerrito
Students & Artists Fighting to End Human Slavery
Tenant Associations Coalition PAC
The following individuals oppose San Francisco Proposition K
San Francisco Elected Officials
District Attorney Kamala Harris
Mayor Gavin Newsom
Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, District 2
Supervisor Carmen Chu, District 4
Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, District 7
Supervisor Bevan Dufty, District 8
Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, District 10
Dr. Natalie Berg, Trustee SF Community College Board
Bay Area Elected Officials
Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, District 14
Berkeley City Councilmember Linda Maio, District 1
Berkeley City Councilmember Darryl Moore, District 2
Candidates Endorse No on K
Barry Hermanson
Candidate for US Congress, District 8
Dana Walsh
Candidate for US Congress, District 8
Conchita Applegate
CA Assembly Candidate, District 12
Harmeet Dhillion
CA Assembly Candidate, District 13
Nancy Skinner
CA Assembly Candidate District 14
Sue Lee
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 1
Alicia Wang
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 1
Joe Alioto, Jr.
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 3
Claudine Cheng
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 3
David Chiu
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 3
Mike De Nunzio
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 3
Lynn Jefferson
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 3
Ron Dudum
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 4
Owen O'Donnell
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 5
Eva Royale
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 9
John Avalos
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 11
Ahsha Safaí
SF Supervisorial Candidate, District 11
Steve Ngo
Candidate for SF Community College Board
Marigrace Cohen
Candidate for SF Board of Education
Janyry Mak
Candidate for SF Board of Education
Rachel Norton
Candidate for SF Board of Education
Community Leaders (Partial List)
Michael Antonini
Citizens for a Better San Francisco
Andrea Bass
Elizabeth F. Boardman
Writer & Peace Activist
Alicia Boccellari, Ph.D.
Trauma Recovery Center, UCSF
Christopher L. Bowman
VC - Precinct Operations
Francine Braae, Co-Interim Executive Director
SAGE Project
Janet Campbell
VC-Special Events
Frank Cannata, VP
MPNA
Marybeth Carter
former Executive Director, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) and Past President, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV)
Wendy Collins,
Mission Merchants Association
Sharon W. Cooper, MD FAAP
Consultant, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Ms. Libby Denebeim
Former President of San Francisco School Board
Doreen Der-McLeod
Cameron House
Jennifer Dinh
Carol Dippel, President
Soroptimist International of El Cerrito
Tania Docarmo, U.S. Office Coordinator
Chab Dai Coalition
Catherine Dodd, Ph.D., RN
Former director of NOW
Judith L. Doherty
Retired Executive
Matthew R. Dorozenski, Advisory Board Member
The Barnaba Institute and Founding Member, End Internet Trafficking Coalition
Rachel Durchslag, Director
Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation
Barbara B. Elliott, BSN, RN
Nursing Educator
Howard Epstein, Chairman
Walter Armer, VC Political Affairs
Melissa Farley, Ph.D. & Director
Prostitution Research & Education, San Francisco
Laurie Fields, Ph.D.
Dept. of Psychiatry UCSF
Theresa L. Flores, LSW, MSW
American Survivor of Human Trafficking, Author & Speaker
Norman Fong
Chinatown Community Development Corporation
Kenneth Franzblau, Trafficking Campaign Director
Equality Now
Annie Fukushima, Ph.D. Candidate
Ethnic Studies & Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender & Sexuality UC Berkeley
Roma Guy, MSW
Former Health Commissioner City County SF
Barry Hermanson
Green for Congress
Aileen Hernandez
Chair Emerita, California Women's Agenda
Reverend Glenda Hope, Executive Director
San Francisco Network Ministries
Norma Hotaling, Executive Director
SAGE Project
Donna M. Hughes, Ph.D
Professor & Carlson Endowed Chair Women's Studies Program, University of Rhode Island
Eriko Ikehara
B. Julie Johnson, Ph.D., MPH
Prostitution Survivor, Independent Scholar
Yasmin Kaderali
Students & Artists Fighting to End Human Slavery
Peter Keane
Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law Golden Gate University School of Law
Amelia W. Korangy, Development and Outreach Officer
FAIR Fund, Inc
Leo Lacayo
Alexis Taylor Litos, Executive Director
The Barnaba Institute
Kathy Lipscomb
Retired, SEIU UHCW-W
Pamela D. LoPinto
San Franciscans United for Safety for Women, Safety for Neighborhoods
Heidi Machen, Attorney
Fmr. SF Dept Head
Kathy Maskell, U.S. Advocacy Director
Love146
Catharine A. MacKinnon, J.D., Ph.D.
Robin Morgan
Rosario Navarrette, Associate Director,
30th Street Senior Center
Maritza Penagos, MSW MSPH
HIV Services Activist
Edward Poole
Citizens for a Better San Francisco
Greg Rohrbough, Executive Director
Justice Like Lightning
Diana E. H. Russell, Ph.D.
Emerita Professor of Sociology at Mills College, Co-founder of Women Against Sexual Slavery, Berkeley
Donna Sabella, M.Ed., MSN, Ph.D. , RN
Program Director, Dawn's Place, Philadelphia, PA and Director, Project Phoenix, West Chester, PA
Marie De Santis, Executive Director Women’s Justice Center
Santa Rosa, CA
Aida F. Santos
women's development, education, productivity & research organization (wedpro), inc, Philippines
Jen Sheehan, Outreach Director
The Barnaba Institute
Mimi Silbert, Ph.D., President and CEO
Delancey Street Foundation
Ann Singer
Jewish Coalition to End Human Trafficking
Gloria Steinem
Karen Stauss, Managing Attorney and Policy Counsel
Polaris Project
Jordanna Thigpen, Executive Director
San Francisco Taxi Commission
Dawn Trennert
President, Middle Polk Neighborhood Assoc.
Allen Wilson
American Civil Liberties Union
Ann Winslow, Assoc Director
SF Network Ministries
Susie Wong, Former Pres.,
Wu Yee Children's Service
Titles listed for identification purposes only.
10/30/08