Legislation

Senate prostitution repeal bill introduced

A Senate bill introduced on March 14 would legalize prostitution in the State of Vermont.

S.125 would “repeal the prostitution laws that currently prohibit ‘indiscriminate sexual intercourse’ and consensual engagement in sex work for hire by adults while retaining strict prohibitions and felony criminal penalties for human trafficking of persons who are compelled through force, fraud, or coercion to engage in sex work.”

The bill also cites a 2018 analysis of studies that show that current sex work laws and policing practices negatively impact sex workers’ safety, health, and access to services. The analysis concludes that, “There is an urgent need to reform sex-work-related laws and institutional practices so as to reduce harms and barriers to the realization of health.” The bill, rather than seek the recommended “reform,” seeks to repeal these laws entirely, in cases of adult, “voluntary” prostitution.

The bill was sponsored by ten senators, led by Rebecca White (D-White River Junction) and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill comes less than a month after a similar bill, H. 372, was introduced into the House.

Categories: Legislation, Video

36 replies »

  1. With the repeal the members of the State senate and House are safe since most seem to fit the description of a prostitute…………

  2. Prostitution is: UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
    It is within Vermont’s Constitution.
    Once again, these hedonistic, unlawful misogynists are disregarding the VT Constitution & passing bills which are illegal.

    • Whether constitutional or not, this bill is a distraction. Carefully introduced mid- session to distract from other more desired prog goals, think S.5, S.40 and scores of other liberal goals for this year. baruth and krowinski can cave on this easily, to further distract while pushing harder on more immediate goals. The gaslighting will continue.
      Perhaps a well equipped and well funded group could challenge this bill, should it become law, using Article 18.

      • Yes, it totally violates 2632 re: prostitution within the State of VT.

  3. “Kathleen J Gaffney” “Unconstitutional” does not mean “whatever I don’t like”. Stop acting like a gun control advocate.

      • Awwwwww….it’s so “hard” to locate clause-2632 in the Vermont Constitution for him though……

    • READ IT THERE YOURSELF – It’s right online. BTW, this nation was FOUNDED upon belief in God, self-governance, rule of law based upon Judeo-Christian mores – NOT a “whatever I like” governance. Try a read of the founding documents as well; also online.

    • The nations founders were all christian. They would not have even conscieved of a country that permits prostitution.

      The original intent of the founders was not to promote prostitution so it is unconstitutional.

      • Sandy, it is ALSO explicitly written within our Vermont Constitution & this bill violates it. Take a read online Section 2632.

  4. Several years ago, pre internet, a club in WRJ hosted magazine featured strippers. Including a Jugs Magazine covergirl. Speaking with a couple of the gals was told they had never made so much tip money. That Vermont men were so infatuated with the novelty of glamorous women it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Point in this being, promoting prostitution in Vermont will unleash an influx of beautiful women Vermont men will be helpless to say “no” to. Dating and marriage would forever change. Think this is a joke? Pursue Vegas sites for the thousands of tantalizing private escorts. This would be Vermont’s future.

    • Glamorous women are not the usual prostitutes looking for business patrons. Usually, women (or men) are needy, druggies, sickly beings hanging on public street corners, soliciting at bars, around areas where young men congregate, college hangouts, entertainment spots! Parents will be asked, “What is that woman doing by that car, Dad (or Mom)? Great atmosphere to subject your family! Of course, young coeds, away from home at University, could also be providing their merchandise. Great place to send your youngster to college! I resent the reference to “Vermont Men” being like fish in a barrel! More likely the attraction would be to crowds of men of doubtful character to restaurants, bars and cruising the streets! Why would those, representing our residents in the Legislature, be interested in promoting this personality to our communities??

    • Yes, Males cannot “control” themselves sexually at all. They must all be deemed hapless & helpless by all accounts when in the company of a person with a cervix. We very much need to go back in time to the days when it was the “woman’s fault” for being raped, sexually assaulted, & sexually tortured, after all – what was SHE wearing & who let her out past dark? People with penises are innocent, pitiable creature’s incapable of self-control & mores.

      Wow. Terrifying. Just terrifying.

    • And yet again according to the FBI/DOJ’s stats re: prostitution, including Nevada’s “legal” prostitutes – according to research/arresting documents/etc. – over EIGHTY percent of “johns” who participate in this trade are THEMSELVES addicts, drug abusers, persons with criminal backgrounds, and/or those who struggle with mental health illness(es). They are NOT typically, by any means, average married men deciding to engage in anti-social, amoral, hedonistic activities.

      Amoral? How so? YES. Because HUMAN BEINGS are not COMMODITIES to be bought & sold & traded as if chattel. Hence, slavery in this nation was outlawed & also deemed amoral, Godless, and intrinsically wrong.

      Godless though? YES. Because the United States was a nation founded upon the basic principles within the Jewish & Christian faiths as per the Ten Commandments.

      Biblically wrong? YES. Because as per the Christian Bible within numerous verses/parables of the varied Gospels – Jesus directed BOTH sexes, which HE created in HIS own image, to be chaste & maintain fidelity and to ALWAYS live a sexually moral life – this was NEVER, not once, directed at females alone, despite God creating sexuality & both sexes as sexual beings.

      And once again – according to the FBI/DOJ, one third of all those engaged in this “trade” are: MALES.

      Enjoy all the “pleasures” of perversity we shall all be experiencing thanks to a twisted group of sexist anti-women legislators.

      • What already exists? Besides, I don’t personally frequent pornographic sites, nor should anyone, IMO. When I lived in NYC, I saw sex workers – females & males – strung out on the streets all the time. Many barely able to walk, subsisting on using their own bodies and souls in exchange for money – the complete & total opposite of the “glamour” the poster above bought into believing. The females in particular often seemed to be under-aged (though young boys are definitely used in the same manner of course) and the females were particularly vulnerable to the brutal beatings, rapes, and coerced addiction to drugs which their “pimps” physically forced upon them.

        An investigation on the net on how legalizing or decriminalizing this horrific “occupation” changes NOTHING for these poor souls is easy to do. Legalizing this trade within various nations worldwide has been PROVEN repeatedly to actually INCREASE sex crimes, increase general violent crime, and increase drug trade in the areas where this has been done. The women in the specific counties in Nevada fare NO better – and well over NINETY percent of the females involved want assist in removing themselves from their situation & surroundings.

        AND THE STATE LEGISLATORS KNOW THIS ALL WELL.

        Yes, very “glamorous” indeed.

    • I assume these “glamorous women” will also be coming from out of state. They would almost have to for this scenario. Imagine all those sex worker sites filled with VT women in their sweet Skida hats and Patagonia jackets….

      • You think men without consciences will prefer the drug-addled & glazed-over eyes of the brutally beaten gals from NYC or the men yanked from drug dens with thousands of needle marks from head to toe? I think Patagonia seems more “glamorous” any ol’ day. Or………men can use their free will to obey God’s directives & save their souls! Now there’s an idea!!!

  5. They won’t even allow strip clubs but let’s encourage prostitution, how does that make sense?

    So let me get this straight. We did a study of an illegal activity and then determined that the police cause issues for the people doing the illegal activity?

    Shaking my head, all these people need Jesus.

  6. Weed, hookers, minimal prosecution for violent crimes… at least for the right folx. 😉

    Burlington’s gonna be awesome!

  7. Are there consumer protection laws in place if a customer should encounter unethical business practices such as bait and switch? Dude look like a lady!

    • Dude “looks” like a lady? Dude very likely IS a dude. According to the FBI/DOJ crime stats re: prostitution, approximately one third of all people who sell their bodies in exchange for cash or drugs are: MEN.

      Though exact numbers are difficult to pinpoint as males remain reticent to proclaim that they are involved in such activities, be prepared to witness 33% or so of all “sex workers” walking the streets to be males.

      Enjoy all hedonists! Pay to play ain’t just for women.

  8. This bill is unconstitutional. Period. It is in violation of the Vermont Constitution. The legislators believe, mistakenly, that this can be executed by claiming it “protects” against sex trafficking.

    It neither prevents sex trafficking nor encourages prostitutes to report it or other related abuses – it enables prostitution & makes the CRIME of prostitution ineligible for prosecution. Thereby, it VIOLATES this State’s Constitution & we can merely TRUST that a legal entity will file a complaint.

    If not, to hell with the entire Constitution & the rule of law – which is PRECISELY what this misogynistic, Godless, amoral, & completely unsuitable-for-public-office, treasonous louts desire.

  9. Currently, Marxist Woke labels prostitutes as “oppressed”. Therefore, any attempt to curb excesses, and genuinely address exploitation are labeled as further “oppression”.

  10. And for those who believe “it has long existed” so why not “legalize” it?

    Child abuse has always existed.
    Domestic violence has always existed.
    Murder has always existed.
    Since the advent of automobiles, reckless driving & speeding has always existed.
    SLAVERY has always existed.
    Let’s “legalize” it all then, correct?
    I mean, the legislators think that is all a good idea……….

  11. The guiding rational here is to stop intruding into the lives of citizens…let them follow their own path?…Right? Is there a silver lining here? Have they seen the light? Could this be the start of a reawakening? Individual liberty will be reborn… NoNoNo silly me. They’re just stickin it to the conventional sensible types. Adolescents driving the boat.

  12. I view this as another means to sheild those involved in human trafficking to avoid prosecution. I view this as a means to decriminalize an activity that does involve minors. The dirty money involved in nearly every aspect of a Vermont elected official is the motivation to legislate or appeal any law involving sexual perversion, the drug trade, and crimes against humanity. The criminals are in hyperdrive to cover their involvement and connections, including the judiciary.

    • Doesn’t God step in here kinda soon? I’m hoping so. These legislators are unhinged, aka: schizoid.

      Does anyone have any connections to production companies by any chance? Seriously, I bet “Unhinged Vermont” would make quite a popular reality show…..that is, if viewers would buy into the part of this all actually BEING our present reality.

  13. The Vermont Constitution does not mention prostitution. The law referred to above is a statute enacted by the Legislature and just as easily repealed. More interesting, however, is the new Constitutional amendment guaranteeing an “individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy.” Does this include prostitution? No one knows. The courts will have to decide. Eighty percent of the voters approved this, ostensibly to preserve a woman’s right to abortion. I suspect its reach will be far longer.

    • Correct, it’s a current law, not repealed, a statute. My error. How ’bout Article 40? Or even Art. 6? Never the mind though, as whether law via legislature or Constitutional law – those in charge presently adhere to neither. And then there’s the US Constitution which trumps VT law(s), and the US Supreme Court rendering decisions on the interpretation of these Constitutional laws…..I’m thinking, as another example, that undermining or usurping the will/responsibility/rights of parents by school teachers will not fly based upon previous similar Supreme Court decisions. But in the interim, until cases are brought & appealed & head up the judiciary ladder, schools can have a whole lotta fun messing with your kids.

    • Finally someone who ties in “reproductive autonomy” which has no age restrictions. Opens things up to high-school kids.

  14. This is idiotic but look at the people pushing it forward. How do they think by making it legal that it will stop human sex trafficking? If anything it will increase it because there is no fear of arrest.

  15. The prostitutes will probably get the most work at the Legislators residences.

  16. Another blunder from the left. But hey maybe they see a taxing stream in the cracked crystal ball they use so much. All I can say is PROTECT THE CHILDREN… oh wait yeah, it may be too late. Just think about all those confused children coming forth and that in their sadness and confusion turn to drugs and prostitution. What an attraction for the Green Mountain State. Maybe the left sees a financial boon in all of their madness. Please take note on how many women are in charge of these ills in Montpelier. BTW there is nothing new here… they just keep watching the west coast and copying it and always are on a mission to out crazy the crazy. Justification of existence.