Stop in The Name Of Love

It’s supposed to be about sex trafficking. In reality, it would allow state prosecutors to go after adult sites and performers across the country. This vote is Monday. The time to act is now.

SESTA-FOSTA is anti-trafficking legislation being considered by Congress. The bill is so poorly and broadly written, it will devastate protections for the sex worker community while doing nothing to prevent trafficking.

One of the most ignorant and egregious over-reaches of the law is that is doesn’t just apply to escorts, it could be applied to anyone employed in the adult industry — and the websites that promote them.

We are all against sex trafficking. However, this bill as written doesn’t punish the actual sex traffickers, it goes after sex workers of all kinds, porn lovers, and free speech.

In short, this is a massive step towards censoring the adult industry, any form of sexual content, minorities, sex education, etc.

That’s why in addition to the ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Transgender Center for Equality to name a few, even the Department of Justice, yes, this DOJ, has all come out in vehement opposition.

We are likely to see much greater restrictions placed on performer uploads on clips and cam sites, a new wave of banking closures, banned social media accounts, and the wholesale abandonment of places online where workers can congregate.

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has made it simple to understand and take action:

■SESTA-FOSTA makes websites liable for the content that users post. That means websites are likely to shut down comments area, forums, message boards, blogs, and chats. The danger is particularly acute for adult sites, sex educations sites, and social media sites.

■SESTA-FOSTA considers even consensual sex work to be sex trafficking — any site used by sex workers will now be criminally liable for trafficking. Sites, where sex workers advertise, warn each other about dangerous clients, discuss civil rights issues or fight harassment and violence, will be shut down.

■SESTA-FOSTA will force sex workers offline and underground — where actual sex trafficking thrives. Pushing sex work offline means that sex workers are more likely to face abuse, rape, harassment, theft and physical violence. If SESTA passes, sex workers will die.

Take Action Now!
The FSC has made it easy with a website set up just for this purpose.

This is not a money beg or some stealth reach for your dollars: what it does is provide you the information for you to call, email, tweet, or write your Senator with help on what to say. There is also very detailed information on the matter for those up for a deeper dive.

Please remember this:
The GOP has drunk Trump’s Kool-Aid. The Republican Senators support Trump because they need his base to hang onto and exert their power – think tax cuts. The evangelical community is part of the base. Given how “Stormy” things have been, this is just the kind of red meat that will keep them in the tent.

But not if we have anything to say about it.

The vote is scheduled for Monday, March 12th — the time to act is now. And tell your friends to get on board too — before none of us have any choice, or voice, on the matter.

 
 

Tags: SESTA