Please vote yes on H7307 and no on H7165.

I was working for an agency that send me on a residential Incall. When I arrived the man was really high and had a plate of cocaine laying on the coffee table. As he led me into the bedroom, I saw a women tied up who had bruises all over her face. I was able to trick the man into going into the bathroom, and I was able to locked him in. I untied the woman and helped her escape. We did not report this to the police because we knew the police would be more interested in the fact that we were escorts, then the violence this man committed against this women. I believe that the man could have been a serial killer.  - Anonymous Rhode Island Sex Worker

88% of Rhode Island sex workers report that they have been the victim or witness of a serious crime that they did not report to police. When they did report, 6% said they were arrested, 12% said they were threatened with arrest, 6% said police wouldn't take their report, and only 6% said that police did take their report.

80% of Rhode Island sex workers said they would report serious crimes to police if there were an immunity law in place to protect them.

Any serious attempt to promote public safety or end sex trafficking must include allowing ALL sex workers, sex trafficking survivors, and our clients (who are first responders in most cases of sex trafficking) to report violence without being charged with prostitution or massaging without a license. H7307 accomplishes this.

H7165 does not include immunity for massage without a license, even though 13 out of 16 prostitution related misdemeanors in 2021 were for massage without a license and the war on Rhode Island sex workers has targeted Asian spa workers for the last several years. Please vote no on this racist bill.

H7165 would give bad actors another tool with which to coerce and extort sex workers by allowing them to report sex workers for prostitution and receive immunity themselves by making the report. An immunity law should not make sex workers less safe!

Please vote yes on H7307 and no on H7165.

I got a hotel room to meet with a bouncer of a local club that requested a 2 hour incall. The session went fine until we were getting dressed and he pulled out a gun and robbed me. He took all my cash, my phone and my clothes, even my coat. I was left in the hotel with just my bra and pantries. I knew if I called the police I would probably get arrested. - Anonymous Rhode Island Sex Worker