I agree it would bring all kinds of competition and attention on San Francisco and that’s the last thing we need. If it just had said that cops could not arrest sex workers it would have been so much better. But it was a real mess and seemed to say that the cops had to leave pimps alone too and THAT is dangerous as hell in this town.

Hooray for Obama by the way!

Peace Out

Peridot Ash: Yea I had considered the same thing about San Francisco being known as the place to get a prostitute, but hadn’t written it in the entry. Oops forgot that part. I think a lot of people are getting some idea that they are legalizing prostitution (idiots) and can’t see the line between decriminalizing and making it legal all together. I’d hate to see San Francisco borrow our motto of “what happens here stays here” but I really can’t see the demographic and touristy aspects of the city turning that way. I think San Fran is a city of its own and will remain ahead with its own individuality (with the gay scene and womens rights)and probably wouldn’t become the next Vegas for the sex trade. I could see the fear though…

As a working girl I welcome the idea of not having to fear getting busted for doing my own thing, as well as knowing that pimps and traffickers won’t be off the hook. But somebody working at my level (independent BDSM, no sex–technically, very discreet) is pretty much left alone in San Francisco as it is. So one of my concerns with Prop K is pure, selfish protection of my own affairs. I wonder if Prop K passes, if more women from outside will flock to the city as a safe haven to do their biz more openly, driving my own rates down and compelling me to put myself more out in the open in order to attract business.

Also, as a city resident, I’m concerned about attracting that certain yahoo element from the outside: “Whoo-hooo, hookers just got legal in ‘San Fran!’ Party time!” That element is a demand that can’t get it’s needs met legally almost everywhere else, and that demand might attract more supply, not to mention all the drinking, drugging, puking, and littering that arrive from the kind of people who over-indulge themselves because nobody from “home” can see them. As a Vegas resident yourself, you probably know exactly the character I’m talking about.

I’m also wondering if Prop K will gain San Francisco a reputation, deserved or not, for being the place to go for S-E-X. Yes, I KNOW that Prop K isn’t about setting up legalized brothels on every street corner and letting pimps run rampant in the night, but I do wonder about how “the elements” (to put it nicely) that buzz around the sex industry will affect my city if this prop passes. Comment #2 on this thread is an example already: People outside of the issue and this city may or may not understand what exactly it’s about. Not to mention the very many people who will only remember the “SEX” part of “decriminializing sex work” and spread the word that San Francisco is one, great big red light district and a great place to drive in for your bachelor party. I do not want to have my San Francisco nights populated with hordes of sex-seeking out-of-towners who may or may not share the other woman and gay-friendly values that make this city special.

Still undecided on how I’ll vote at this moment.

The theory is that decriminalization might actually work to get some people off the streets, into safer places to work.

Any idea how Prop K will relate to brothels? It seems to me that, based on your experience and those of other Nevada bloggers the legal framework there, as in Australia, is that brothel owners get to keep their workers over a barrel.

Related question, possibly for a different post: What about escort booking agencies? Except for maybe managing credit card transactions they seem to charge extortionate percentages for next to no service for you. What impact do you expect legalization would have on their line of virtual pimping?

Thanks,

figleaf