New Yorkers for the Equality Model

#StandWithSurvivors! The NYS bill introduction for the Equality Model is happening. We call for the decriminalization of people in the sex trade and the implementation of comprehensive services and exit strategies for them. Learn more at equalitymodelny.org

Today is the first day of Black History month, a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans throughout US history. It is also a time to recognize the structural inequalities present in our society that keep systems of oppression in place, like the sex trade.

The Victims Protection and Child Sex Buyer Accountability Act is a key piece of legislation that will enable felony charges for adults who pay for sex with a 15, 16 or 17-year-old.

Listen to @rights4girls Yasmin Vafa's full interview with @nationalccaw in the "It's Not 'The Oldest Profession': The real causes and consequences of sex work" episode.

Would you be able to recognize human trafficking? For #HumanTraffickingPreventionMonth, Sanctuary's Anti-Trafficking Initiative (ATI) Senior Director dispels a common misconception about human trafficking. Learn about Sanctuary’s ATI at bit.ly/3vpTPLe #WeAreSanctuary

This human trafficking month, we must recognize that sex trafficking impacts even young children. We must insist on justice and safety for all trafficked and exploited girls, while working to prevent this violence from afflicting others!

MYTH: Prostitution stops men raping women “Do we really accept that men can’t control themselves? Do we believe that when a man sees a woman or a girl, he can’t control himself and he has to rape her? Do we really accept that? No of course we don’t believe that. That is infantilising men. It is insulting their humanity. Like rape, prostitution is not only about sex. It is also about power and men using sex to gain personal power. Punters tell us this in their own words on websites such as punternet where they can rate the women they buy. It is chilling and disturbing to read their accounts and to see each punter’s lack of awareness that the prostituted woman is a human being with the same needs and hopes and dreams as he has; to see how he never questions his right to expect and demand that she should be ready to satisfy his every whim regardless of her own feelings. This is what prostitution teaches punters. It feeds their narcissism. Prostitution survivors tell us the same story. In her powerful speech at Feminism in London 2015, prostitution survivor Rebecca Mott said that punters think their violence is not real violence because “they view the prostituted as sub-human sexual goods. IT IS NOTHING HAPPENING TO NOTHING.” Where do the punters go when they leave the prostituted woman at the side of the road or they walk out of the brothel? They go back to their homes and jobs and leisure activities, carrying their prostitution-inflated sense of narcissistic entitlement with them. Along with their sense that women are other, sub-human. Together these attitudes make it more likely that they will harass, abuse or rape the other women they meet in their lives. Not less likely. So it is not true that prostitution stops men raping women. In fact the opposite is true. Prostitution makes the rape and sexual abuse of women and children MORE LIKELY.” Link to full article with further information in the next tweet.

Sex Trafficking on OnlyFans A Reuters investigation into OnlyFans found stories of women who had been enslaved or trafficked into filming content for the platform. Since most accounts are hidden behind a subscription-based paywall, it’s impossible to know the true number of individuals currently being exploited. Help stop the demand for exploitation on OnlyFans by saying no to porn! buff.ly/NsNAFPc

Human trafficking is not only a crime. It can also be a serious violation of human rights. On #HumanRightsDay and every day, the rights of trafficked persons must be respected and fulfilled!

This #HumanRightsDay we affirm that young girls in the US have the right to live out their childhoods without fear of violence and exploitation. Without being sexualized by adult men or media personalities. And without predatory tech companies preying on their vulnerabilities.

Girls around the world are vulnerable to human trafficking. They endure unimaginable harm at the hands of ruthless criminals, leaving lasting scars on their lives. 6 out of 10 trafficked girls are sexually exploited. #16Days

Today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It’s a call to action for all of us to build a world where every woman and girl—locally and globally—can live in safety, dignity, and freedom. #NoExcuse

More than 90% of victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation are women and girls. On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — and every day — we must protect them. There’s #NoExcuse! 🔗 bit.ly/3JU9Gwd

In recent years, more than 25,000 children around the world have been identified as victims of human trafficking. They are exploited for forced labor, begging, sexual abuse, and forced marriage. Watch the video to learn more 👇 #WorldChildrensDay

Tomorrow marks #TransDayofRemembrance, a day to honor the lives lost to senseless violence, especially our trans sisters in the sex trade. We hold space for their memory & reaffirm our commitment to building a world where everyone can live safely and freely.

BIEN-AIMÉ: The Epstein case and the indomitable spirit of Virginia Giuffre… politicsny.com/2025/11/19/op-…

The #sextrade cannot be made less harmful – these effects cannot be regulated or deregulated away. The only sustainable, viable option is the #EqualityModel, or the #STSJEA here in #NYS.

Survivors of prostitution and sex trafficking testify that the traumatic scars of the physical and psychological harm experienced at the hands of pimps & traffickers, brothel owners and sex buyers are lifelong.

➡️requires trauma-informed training for law enforcement and creates standardized referral pathways for survivors identified in hospitals, shelters or youth programs Learn more: equalitymodelny.org/bill-overview

➡️offers survivors trauma-informed services, such as housing, medical & mental health care, and legal aid ➡️applies mandatory fines for patronizing – scaled to income – which finances the Victims of Sexual Exploitation Fund

The #STSJEA: ➡️Ends the wrongful arrests & incarceration of people in prostitution and expunges all past prostitution convictions so survivors can access social services, find employment, and seek aid from law enforcement w/o fear of arrest, judgement or past criminal records.