Manhattan district attorney says city will no longer prosecute prostitution and unlicensed massages

[PoliticAverse]

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. on Wednesday announced that the New York City borough would no longer prosecute sex workers on charges of prostitution and of unauthorized practice of a profession in the context of unlicensed massage.

"Over the last decade we've learned from those with lived experience, and from our own experience on the ground: criminally prosecuting prostitution does not make us safer, and too often, achieves the opposite result by further marginalizing vulnerable New Yorkers," Vance said in a statement Wednesday.

In addition to dismissing more than 900 open cases related to prostitution and unlicensed massage, Vance also Wednesday dismissed more than 5,000 outstanding Loitering for the Purpose of Prostitution cases after the state earlier this year repealed a law known as the "Walking While Trans" statute.

Read the rest at: https://www.businessinsider.com/manhattan-district-attorneys-will-no-longer-prosecute-prostitution-2021-4?op=1