Your support is helping fight legalization of the sex trade!
When you support SAFE you join an Alliance of
people, businesses, organizations, churches, law enforcement,
the justice system, and front-line nonprofits who believe
sexual exploitation must end.
But in order for it to end, we certainly can’t let it increase!
There is a push in WA state right now to
legalize all parts of the sex trade.
That means:
brothels will be considered legitimate businesses
and could pop up in your neighborhood;
pimping will be a protected job class; and
buying a human will be legal and as easy as buying a pizza.
Our state could become a sex tourism destination…
which means sexual exploitation would flourish, not end.
You can help stop that from happening by standing with SAFE
as we support WASE Forward, the SAFE partner that is fighting to
stop legalization of the sex trade.
Read on to learn how WASE Forward
is helping protect those who are most vulnerable
and keeping our state a great place to live! |
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How Your Donations are Fighting the Legalization Movement
WASE Forward is meeting with state legislators to educate them on the significant harms that come to vulnerable people if Washington legalizes prostitution. For that reason, and many others, they are urging legislators to vote against any legislation that legalizes (or decriminalizes) the sex trade. They are also urging legislators to vote FOR more services for victims who want to get out of the sex trade.
Survivors have told us they couldn’t get out,
or didn’t know how, or there weren’t services available…
so they stayed in the sex trade
and endured more and more abuse and exploitation.
To make sure that never happens again, and victims can get out of the sex trade anytime, WASE Forward is promoting legislation that will:“Create a network of healing and transition services for adult survivors of sex trafficking to be able to exit the commercial sex industry.
Services may include safety planning, housing, direct client assistance, substance use disorder treatment, medical and mental health services, legal advocacy, translation, education, job training, and employment opportunities.
We will prioritize culturally competent and gender-inclusive services for communities that are disproportionately impacted (Black and African American, Indigenous, LGBTQ2IA+, and Latino/a), and the parts of the state that lack services.
Sex trafficking survivor leadership will be involved in the service provision and funding process.”
Those services will help
end sexual exploitation
and you can make that happen by taking action! |
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Four ways you can take action
against legalizing sex work in Washington
- Contact your representative
Through WASE Forward you can send a letter to your representative that explains why victims of sexual exploitation must be provided services to get out of the sex trade.
- Join WASE Forward
You can advocate, join, and learn through WASE Forward in order to continue this movement and fight against legalization of sex work.
- Read the letter to the editor below, and let the Seattle PD know you agree.
- Support SAFE – we will send your funds along to WASE Forward as they work to protect our state from fueling the sex industry.
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Seattle Times Letter to the Editor
Sex crimes: ‘A big step backward’
It’s alarming to see the Seattle Police Department has stopped assigning detectives to new cases of adult sexual assault.
As a representative of Washington Against Sexual Exploitation, or WASE Forward, we are deeply concerned about a similar de-prioritization of sex trafficking investigations.
Seattle was once nationally recognized for progressive work to prevent sexual exploitation, but now the High-Risk Victims Unit investigating sex trafficking crimes is also understaffed. Sex traffickers and buyers are now operating with impunity due to lack of enforcement, and Aurora Avenue North has exploded into a place where oppressed and marginalized people are being sexually exploited, with little or no accountability or connection to services.
This change can have serious consequences for both sexual assault and sex trafficking victims in the future. Survivors may lose faith in receiving justice, and this can decrease the number of people who report their abusers, all while perpetrators are not held accountable. This is a big step backward.
The city of Seattle needs to re-prioritize investigating sex crimes and hold perpetrators accountable.
Chiyedza Mvundura, program coordinator, WASE Forward & Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking, Seattle
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| “Exiting the sex industry is a basic human right.”
– WASE FORWARD |
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| SAFE’s Phase SIX Strategy |
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Meet Critical Needs
The experts have told us what the most critical needs are
in the anti-trafficking movement this year. Those needs comprise SAFE’s Phase Six Strategy which you can find here. |
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| Help with Housing
There are many victims who want to get out of the life of sexual exploitation TODAY, but there aren’t enough short-term beds available because the current Emergency Receiving Center (ERC) is always full.
An ERC is the first stop for a victim to get safe, get healthy, and get out of the life of forced prostitution for good. We need another ERC as soon as possible so victims who want out, can get out.
Do you have any real-estate in the north Seattle area (or anywhere near there) that could be used for an ERC?
Could you put this need out to your network to see if someone has a space/facility/building/house available to meet this need?
Here are the ideal ERC specifics – enough space for:
- 7+ separate sleeping rooms – so victims can feel safe and have their own space
- Common kitchen – for joint meals to be prepared and groups to cook for the people at the ERC
- Front desk/check-in area by front door – to check in victims and monitor visitors to keep the victims safe
- Two offices for advocates/case managers to meet with victims – private office/meeting space is essential to help victims process their trauma and make plans/goals for their next steps
- Clothing closet for victims to get additional clothing – so many victims arrive with only what they’re wearing because they had to escape quickly
If you have space or know someone who might, please contact Heather and she can connect you with the SAFE partners who would build out the ERC. (heather@safeinwashington.com) |
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