User:DiaEdie/Police abuse of sex workers in the United States/Bibliography

Street prostitution
Sex workers may engage in street prostitution for a multitude of reasons; one of the most intrinsic reasons is as a survival tool against poverty. Socialist feminists have cited "oppressive capitalistic processes for why women enter into street prostitution." Certain communities are more vulnerable to prostitution. In the United States there are many street prostitutes who are black or belong to another ethnic group and/or who may be uneducated and impoverished due to inequity and lack of resources due to factors such as race and class. Radical feminists have argued that the marginalization of poor women of color has made it more likely for them to be led into prostitution. Some critics have stated that police officers have dehumanized sex workers and Amnesty International has noted that in the past Los Angeles police officers would mark cases involving sex workers, especially black sex workers, as N.H.I. - "No Human Involved".

Scholar Jacquelyn Monroe has noted that prostitution laws are unevenly enforced and that sex workers engaging in street prostitution are more at risk of being arrested, while sex buyers are not. Research has also stated that there is a sex stigma named "whore-stigma" attached to street prostitution that reinforces hierarchies and dehumanizes street prostitutes and that harassment is pervasive. Sex workers have reported "experiencing verbal degradation, cursing, insults, and racial slurs from the police" and being harassed when engaging in non-criminal activities. They have also reported that they are reluctant to report crimes against them such as rape, as they state that there is a risk of them being ignored or receiving punishment such as fines, incarceration, or deportation instead.

Society's social construct of sex workers historically; been given the role of  social outcast someone to be ignored and dismissed. Because of this social construct it subconsciously legitimizes their "otherness" to society. With these perceptions society can stigmatize and dehumanize the prostitute. As stated earlier this is one of the contributing factors into "whore-stigma.

Decriminalizing sex work
There has been growing dissent among the international public health and human rights organizations to decriminalize sex work. By Decriminalizing; it allows sex workers to work in safe conditions; while improved access to legal and health systems. It can contribute to reduced stigma, discrimination, and marginalization that comes with being a sex worker. As well as curbing abuse against sex workers perpetrated by police officers. It must be noted that decriminalization does not immediately eliminate sex work stigma. It also does it remove the violence, substance use, or economic marginalizing  that characterizes the lives of sex workers. There must be concert efforts with in the government to decriminalize sex work. As well as making efforts to change policing practices when it comes to sex workers .Police have a responsibility to ensure public safety, including the safety of female sex workers. For many years Global Health Justice Partnership has worked together with the Sex Workers Project Of the Urban Justice Center to understand how the criminalization of prostitution impacts the lives of sex workers.

Some international public health and human rights organizations have pushed for the decriminalization of sex work, stating that it would allow sex workers to work in safe conditions while also improving access to legal and health systems. Proponents have also argued that it can contribute to reduced stigma, discrimination, and marginalization that comes with being a sex worker, as well as curbing the abuse experienced by police officers. There are also concerns that continued criminalization makes it more difficult for sex workers to escape the industry, as multiple fines, imprisonments, and criminal records make it difficult to find legal employment and resources, leaving the worker with few other avenues to make money. Organizations such as the Global Health Justice Partnership and Sex Workers Project Of the Urban Justice Center have performed research to understand how the criminalization of prostitution impacts the lives of sex workers.

Concerns with decriminalization is that this would not immediately eliminate sex work stigma or the violence, substance use, or economic marginalizing that can characterize the lives of sex workers. Jennifer Toller Erauquin has noted that the government must make a concentrated effort to decriminalize sex work and to change policing practices when it comes to sex workers, as police have a responsibility to ensure public safety, including the safety of female sex workers.

Officers using their badge to rape
Some officers while on duty use their badge to commit rape. One case that came to light was because someone came forward. If that had not happened he would continue his attacks on marginalized black women. Oklahoma City Officer Daniel Holtzclaw was accused and convicted of sexually assaulting 13 African-American women during routine traffic stops. Most of the women come from marginalize communities with previous drug or prostitution convictions. He targeted these women because they were poor black women that society looks down on and no one would of believed them. In the end he was convicted on 18 of 36 counts, including four counts of first-degree rape, and sentenced to 236 years in prison. While Holtzclaw was brought to justice. His behavior was repeated multiple times before the first woman came forward. As I stated earlier he would of continued his behavior. A lot of the victims knew that no one would believe them

Another example of how Police abuse is a case in San Fransisco, California involving an under age sex worker who used the pseudonym Celeste Guap  Involving San Francisco Bay area involves multiple officers from several departments in the San Fransisco Bay Area. Celeste Guap, alleged that she had sexual relationships with two dozen officers from the Oakland, Richmond, Livermore, and Contra Costa County departments. Which also included multiple allegations of sexual contact before she reached the legal age of consent. There is evidence that some of these officers tipped her off to police activity so she could avoid  getting arrested as long as she provided sexual favors. Many of the officers in these departments have been disciplined for their roles in abusing Celeste Guap. At least four have been fired. They were several criminal cases against officers that have fallen apart because Guap is unwilling to testify. She fears for her safety as she still resides in the Bay Area where these crimes against were committed. Three former officers have been convicted of their crimes relating to her sexual exploitation.