Target: California Governor Jerry Brown
Goal: Applaud that children will no longer be arrested and jailed as sex workers and will instead be treated as victims of a crime.
Children in California will no longer be arrested and jailed for working as sex workers and will instead be treated as victims, thanks in part to petitions like ForceChange’s California: Stop Jailing Underage Sex Workers. Applaud the enactment of a bill that will protect children who are victims of child prostitution.
Every year, hundreds of children are arrested for child prostitution. There are many laws in place to protect children in other cases since children may not fully understand what they’re doing. When it comes to child prostitution, kids are often manipulated or forced into prostitution. Children in these cases are not criminals, they are victims, and they must be treated as such.
Thanks to SB 1322, otherwise known as the “No Such Thing” bill (as in there’s no such thing as a criminal child prostitute), children will no longer be further traumatized with arrest and jail time for something that was out of their control. Instead, child prostitution victims will receive the same services and support that other victims of child sexual abuse receive.
Applaud that children will now be protected rather than prosecuted for the crimes and abuse they’ve been subjected to.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Governor Brown,
You recently enacted SB 1322, a vital bill that declares there’s no such thing as criminal child prostitutes who deserve to be arrested and punished. Before, child prostitutes would be placed in handcuffs, arrested and jailed as punishment.
With this new bill, child prostitutes will be treated like the victims and survivors that they are and will receive important services and support to help them recover from such trauma as child abuse. Thank you for taking a stand for children across the state and making sure they are protected.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: houstondwiPhotos mp
they need school not sex work!