Police oppose bill meant to encourage sex workers to call 911 if they are victims of crime
(Photo: Ronda Churchill/Nevada Current)
A recent survey of sex workers in Nevada found nearly all lack confidence in the criminal legal system and feel law enforcement doesn't take sexual assault allegations seriously.
As a result, those engaging in sex work are often afraid to report crimes or come forward to get medical help, said UNLV sociology professor Barb Brent, who conducted the survey of 334 people.
Assembly Bill 209, sponsored by Democratic Assemblymember David Orentlicher, hopes to change that. The bill would grant sex workers immunity from criminal liability from prostitution-related offenses if they call 911 seeking medical assistance.
Orentlicher said sex workers are 'one of our most marginalized communities' and often 'face a significantly increased risk of rape and other physical violence.'
'Despite their elevated risk of grave harm, sex workers face a serious barrier to receiving medical care,' he continued. 'If they go to the hospital, police may be called in, and sex workers worry that, because they engage in prohibited conduct, they would be arrested.'
AB 209 passed out of the Assembly in April on a party-line vote and was heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. It must pass out of the committee by Friday or it will be declared dead.
The bill was originally broader and included protections for sex workers who called the police if they were victims or witnesses of crime, including assault or human trafficking. In an attempt to appease law enforcement, Orentlicher narrowed the bill specifically to protect sex workers seeking medical assistance.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Sheriffs' and Chiefs' Association, and the Nevada Association of District Attorneys still oppose the legislation.
Eve Hanan, a professor at UNLV's Boyd School of Law who presented alongside Orentlicher, said nine states have passed similar laws to offer some protections to sex workers who seek medical assistance or report crimes against them.
'This is not the type of bill that has met with opposition in the other states where it's passed and where it's being considered,' she told lawmakers.
Chris Ries, representing LVMPD, asked for examples of police arresting sex workers who seek medical help. Ries said the bill implies that officers would 'prioritize an arrest over addressing an emergency situation.'
'During discussions with the proponents, they were unable to provide an example of this,' Ries said. 'Bluntly, this does not happen. Perpetuating this inaccurate narrative exacerbates the mistrust.'
He encouraged sex workers to come forward without fear when seeking medical services and emergency assistance.
But proponents of the bill countered that part of the problem is that people aren't seeking medical help or reporting crimes out of fear of being arrested.
'This person who is engaging in sex work is incredibly vulnerable to sexual and other forms of assault while she's engaged in sex work, yet the costs of reporting a serious, violent crime committed against her, they're simply too high for her to risk reporting,' Hanan said. 'It's a problem of being unable to report out of fear of what the possible consequences would be.'
In a recent study published this year, Brent found 92% of the 334 people interviewed said they don't think 'police takes rape against sex workers seriously.'
Brent submitted written testimony from the people she interviewed. They described 'belligerently intoxicated and aggressive' encounters and 'predators posing as clients.'
'They count on you (the lawmakers) to keep it this way, so that they can prey on our vulnerability through the law,' wrote one anonymous worker.
While Ries said he didn't think the bill was needed and suggested people could seek assistance without fear, some Democratic lawmakers pushed back.
'Would you not believe that putting into law proactive and protective measures such as this bill might encourage those victims to come forward more fully because they feel more comfortable, because there are protections in law,' asked Democratic state Sen. Rochelle Nguyen.
Republican state Sen. Ira Hansen said the legislation seemed like a Band-Aid to a larger problem and questioned why Clark County didn't just legalize prostitution. He later clarified he would be against any measure to decriminalize sex work.
AB 209 is supported by the ACLU of Nevada, the Nevada Fines and Fees Justice Center, and both Clark and Washoe public defenders office
'By removing the fear of arrest by seeking emergency and medical care, we can reduce harm, save lives and build bridges between vulnerable individuals and the support systems that they so desperately need,' said Angela Knott with the Washoe County Public Defender's Office.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
20 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Los Angeles leaders impose curfew as protests against Trump's immigration crackdown continue
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles leaders set a downtown curfew Tuesday on the fifth day of protests against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown as his use of the National Guard escalated and the governor accused him of drawing a 'military dragnet' across the nation's second largest city. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom asked a court to put an emergency stop to the military helping federal immigration agents, with some guardsmen now standing in protection around agents as they carried out arrests. He said it would only heighten tensions and promote civil unrest. The judge chose not to rule immediately, giving the administration several days to continue those activities before a hearing Thursday. The change moves troops closer to engaging in law enforcement actions like deportations as Trump has promised as part of the administration's immigration crackdown . The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers but any arrests ultimately would be made by law enforcement. Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines over the objections of city and state leaders, though the Marines have not yet been spotted in Los Angeles and Guard troops have had limited engagement with protesters. They were originally deployed to protect federal buildings. As the curfew went into effect, a police helicopter flew over downtown federal buildings that have been the center of protests and ordered people to leave the area. As it approached, several groups had gathered downtown, with some saying they planned to ignore it and others chanting calls for the gathering to remain peaceful. Officials said the curfew was necessary to stop vandalism and theft by agitators looking to cause trouble. LA mayor puts curfew in place Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and said the curfew will run from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday. 'We reached a tipping point' after 23 businesses were looted, Bass said during a news conference. The curfew will be in place in a 1 square mile (2.59 square kilometer) section of downtown that includes the area where protests have occurred since Friday. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles (2,295 square kilometers). The curfew doesn't apply to residents who live in the designated area, people who are homeless, credentialed media or public safety and emergency officials, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. McDonnell said 'unlawful and dangerous behavior' had been escalating since Saturday. 'The curfew is a necessary measure to protect lives and safeguard property following several consecutive days of growing unrest throughout the city,' McDonnell said. Trump says he's open to using Insurrection Act Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the U.S. to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations. It's one of the most extreme emergency powers available to a U.S. president. 'If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We'll see,' he said from the Oval Office. Later the president called protesters 'animals' and 'a foreign enemy' in a speech at Fort Bragg ostensibly to recognize the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Trump has described Los Angeles in dire terms that Bass and Newsom say are nowhere close to the truth . The protests began Friday after federal immigration raids arrested dozens of workers in Los Angeles. Protesters blocked a major freeway and set cars on fire over the weekend, and police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades. The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown in the city of 4 million. Thousands of people have peacefully rallied outside City Hall and hundreds more protested outside a federal complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids. On Tuesday, a few dozen protesters gathered peacefully in front of the federal complex, which was quickly declared an unlawful assembly. Police issued a dispersal order and corralled the protesters, telling members of the media to stay out to avoid getting hurt. Officers with zip ties then started making arrests. McDonnell said that police had made 197 arrests on Tuesday, including 67 who were taken into custody for unlawfully occupying part of the 101 freeway. Several businesses were broken into Monday, though authorities didn't say if the looting was tied to the protests. The vast majority of arrests have been for failing to disperse, while a few others were for assault with a deadly weapon, looting, vandalism and attempted murder for tossing a Molotov cocktail. Seven police officers were reportedly injured, and at least two were taken to a hospital and released. Demonstrations have spread to other cities in the state and nationwide, including Dallas and Austin, Texas, Chicago and New York City, where a thousand people rallied and multiple arrests were made. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested Tuesday that the use of troops inside the U.S. will continue to expand . The Pentagon said deploying the National Guard and Marines costs $134 million. ___ Baldor and Copp reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Dorany Pineda and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Amy Taxin in Orange County, California, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and Greg Bull in Seal Beach, California, contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Military deployment in L.A. puts Trump's authority to use troops at home in the spotlight
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's move to send National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles amid unrest over his immigration policies has given new weight to a lingering question: How far can a president go in using the military to quell domestic disturbances? For now, the military has a limited role in Los Angeles, at least on paper, focused on protecting federal buildings and activities. But that hasn't stopped California's Democratic leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, from vehemently objecting to Trump's actions. Trump has not taken the more drastic step of invoking the Insurrection Act, the name given to a series of legal provisions that allows the president, in certain circumstances, to enlist the military to conduct civilian law enforcement activities. But Elizabeth Goiten, an expert on national security at the Brennan Center for Justice, noted that the memorandum Trump issued Saturday authorizing military involvement in support of immigration enforcement makes no reference to Los Angeles, meaning it applies nationwide. "That's just a red alert," she said. "If we have the military being pre-emptively deployed throughout the country to effectively police protests, that is the hallmark of authoritarian rule." Although the military's role may initially be limited to a protective function, Goiten said that could easily be expanded in certain situations to include use of force and detention of protesters even without invoking the Insurrection Act. She pointed to the response of federal agencies under Trump during protests in Portland and Washington, D.C., in 2020. Ilan Wurman, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said that to this point, Trump has acted within existing precedents that allow the president to use the military to assist with the enforcement of federal law. 'Federalizing the National Guard, using regular forces to restore order, is in my view well within the range of prior precedents,' he said. But, Wurman added, any attempt to invoke the Insurrection Act 'would be more problematic.' Generally, using the military to conduct broad law enforcement activities is forbidden under another law, the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act. But that statute contains many loopholes, of which the Insurrection Act is one. The Posse Comitatus Act was enacted at the tail end of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period, erecting a new barrier against military intervention in the South as it moved toward the Jim Crow era. The last time the Insurrection Act was invoked was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. President George H.W. Bush acted at the request of Tom Bradley, the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, and Pete Wilson, the state's Republican governor. Previously, the act was used to desegregate schools in the 1950s and '60s amid opposition from state and local leaders in the South. In calling in the National Guard, Trump invoked a different law that allows the president to do so when there is an invasion or a danger of invasion or a rebellion or a danger of rebellion or when "the president is unable to with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States." The law states that orders 'shall be issued through the governors of the states,' which has not happened in this case, as Newsom is adamantly opposed to Trump's move. California has filed a lawsuit that cites the skirting of Newsom's role under that provision as well as broader claims that Trump is infringing on California's sovereignty, among other things. "There is no invasion. There is no rebellion," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Monday. In a new court filing Tuesday, Bonta said there was a "substantial likelihood" that troops will "engage in quintessential law enforcement activity" in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act if a judge does not take immediate action. He cited plans for National Guard members to provide support for immigration operations by, for example, securing perimeters in communities where enforcement activities are taking place. NBC News has separately reported that Marines deployed to Los Angeles could be used to transport immigration officers to arrest locations. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said she fully backed Trump's actions. 'We are going to enforce the law regardless of what they do,' she said, referring to Newsom in a Fox News interview Monday. 'Look at it out there. It looks like a Third World country.' Chris Mirasola, a professor at the University of Houston Law Center, said the impact of Trump's current plan could be limited by practical considerations, including the number of military personnel available and the cost of paying National Guard troops on active duty. "This ends up becoming extremely expensive very quickly," he added. The cost of the Los Angeles deployment alone is about $134 million, a defense department official said Tuesday. Military personnel are also likely to have little training in how to approach a domestic protest. "This is not in their normal mission set. There's always risk of escalation," which would only be more pronounced if the Insurrection Act was used, Mirasola added. If the president invokes the Insurrection Act, troops would not be limited by law to protecting federal property and personnel. Instead, they could have a much more active role on the streets, with a greater possibility of encountering civilians. While troops may not be able to carry out all the functions of federal law enforcement officers, such as conducting immigration raids, they could assist without violating the law, Mirasola said. There are also questions about whether the judiciary would intervene if Trump sought to use the Insurrection Act — or even who would have legal standing to sue to stop Trump. Litigation in that scenario could mirror a legal fight that has already played out over the Trump administration's efforts to use a wartime law, the Alien Enemies Act, to swiftly deport certain immigrants without affording them due process. The Supreme Court said due process is required, that detainees be given a proper chance to raise legal objections before a federal judge. But the court also said such lawsuits must be brought via habeas corpus claims from the people affected, not under a federal law called the Administrative Procedure Act. Any attempt to use the Insurrection Act could be challenged, 'but what shape the challenge takes may depend on the basis for invocation, how it is implemented and how it is directly carried out on the ground,' a civil rights lawyer said. Although Trump and his allies have referred to protesters in Los Angeles as "insurrectionists," there is no plan at the moment to invoke the Insurrection Act, a White House official told NBC News. Speaking on Sunday about whether he would seek to use the law, Trump said there was not currently a reason to but did not rule it out in future. 'Depends on whether or not there's an insurrection," he said. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sarah Huckabee Sanders calls Gavin Newsom 'insane' for rejecting federal assistance during Los Angeles unrest
Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ripped into California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday over his response to President Donald Trump sending in the National Guard to quell the ongoing immigration riots in Los Angeles. Trump deployed the National Guard over the weekend without Newsom's approval after violent clashes broke out between law enforcement and protesters in response to coordinated Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across L.A. Newsom claims Trump's actions inflamed tensions and overstepped his authority. In a lawsuit against the Trump administration, the state of California called the move an "unprecedented power grab." During an appearance on "America's Newsroom" on Tuesday, Sanders criticized Newsom's leadership and his defiance of Trump. 'State Of Rebellion': Expert Weighs In On Newsom Challenge To Trump Deploying National Guard "We would never choose rioters and criminal illegals over American law enforcement [in Arkansas]," Sanders said. Read On The Fox News App She called Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' actions in resisting federal assistance "insane." "It's really clear: they can either choose normal vs. crazy or order vs. chaos," she continued. "The fact that they are allowing rioters to run their streets and are mad at the president for stopping it is insane." "They should be thanking Donald Trump for helping and assisting to bring order back to their city and state that they're frankly incapable of doing themselves. If they were doing a good job, Donald Trump wouldn't have to step in," Sanders added. Dems Walk Back Pro-cop, Law And Order Rhetoric From J6 Era In The Face Of Spiraling Immigration Riots The president's decision to deploy the National Guard drew support from Republicans but fierce opposition from Democrats. "I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command," Newsom wrote on X Sunday. "We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed." Sanders argued Trump was within his authority to send in troops to protect Americans. "They're certainly not going to see that with Gov. Newsom or Mayor Bass," Sanders said. "We've seen their failure already play out." Newsom's office did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for article source: Sarah Huckabee Sanders calls Gavin Newsom 'insane' for rejecting federal assistance during Los Angeles unrest
