Illinois is making moves to become the first state to decriminalize sex work.
Lawmakers will introduce legislation in partnership with Equality Illinois and the Sex Worker Advisory Group that would better serve sex workers, which encompasses prostitutes, strippers, and escorts, through protections and safer conditions.
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No other state has offered up protections like Illinois is aiming for, but places like Maine and Nevada have relaxed their laws surrounding sex work. That said, they have yet to fully decriminalize the industry.
Illinois is working to remove penalties for adult sex workers who consensually agree to the work. Additionally, the bill would remove prior arrests and criminal records, and establish a bill of rights for sex workers.
During the legislation meeting, Reyna Ortiz, who worked in the industry for two decades and is now part of the Sex Worker Advisory Group, recalled working in “fear” of violence while she was active.
“By passing this legislation, we will make Illinois a safer place for everyone, especially the most vulnerable in our communities,” she said, per The Chicago Sun-Times.
The threat of violence or retaliation is an issue actively plaguing the sex work industry; this bill is a step toward alleviating the problem. There’s also the criminal law element of it all, which makes working in the industry a difficult path to navigate. The current law says anyone caught as a prostitute could face up to a year in jail with fines.
“By decriminalizing sex work in Illinois, we send a message that sex workers deserve to be safe, and we will send a message that we will move forward and serve as a true beacon of bodily autonomy and freedom,” said Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois.
NBC Chicago cited a previous study in the American Journal of Public Health that said anywhere from 45 to 75 percent of sex workers in the state will experience violence while working.
