SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

Prominent Democrats have increasingly supported decriminalizing prostitution, with some claiming "sex work" is a legitimate career path for women. Founder of Environmental Progress and author Michael Shellenberger says street prostitution increased after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that decriminalizes loitering for prostitution purposes.

San Francisco's Tenderloin district has become a haven for sex workers, with open solicitation and drug use rampant on the streets, according to residents and law enforcement officials. The surge in prostitution is largely attributed to legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2022, which decriminalized loitering for prostitution purposes.

SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

Critics of the law, including Michael Shellenberger, founder of Environmental Progress, argue that it has led to an increase in street prostitution and sex trafficking. Law enforcement agencies have reported an uptick in illegal activity, including drug dealing and violence, as a result of the prostitution rings.

"This law has been a disaster for our neighborhood," said one resident, who declined to be named. "The streets are filled with prostitutes and drug dealers, and it's not safe to walk around anymore."

SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

Another resident, who works in the area, said that the prostitution problem has gotten so bad that it's affecting businesses. "Customers don't want to come into our stores when they're surrounded by prostitutes," he said.

Law enforcement officials say they are doing what they can to crack down on prostitution, but their efforts are hampered by the decriminalization law. "We're seeing an increase in human trafficking activity, and it's a serious public safety issue," said Opal Singleton, president of the anti-trafficking group Million Kids.

SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

Efforts to undo the perceived damage caused by the decriminalization law have failed in the California legislature. A Democrat in the state senate said she was "done" with her colleagues after they failed to pass legislation to prosecute child prostitution as a felony.

"I'm done with us protecting people who would buy and abuse our children," said California Democrat state Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman. "This outcome is a failure on the part of legislative leadership who caved to political pressure and did not prioritize the safety of our children."

SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

In a historic first, Maine's Democratic governor, Janet Mills, decriminalized prostitution in 2023.

Prominent Democrats have increasingly signaled their support for decriminalizing prostitution, with some claiming "sex work" is a legitimate career path for women. New York State's public advocate, Jumanee Williams, has said that "sex work is work, period."

SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

Other prominent Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, have said they are studying the issue closely.

"I'm open to decriminalization," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

SF neighborhood overrun with sex workers after Gavin Newsom decrim law

The debate over the decriminalization of prostitution is a complex one, with strong arguments on both sides. However, there is no doubt that the problem of sex workers in San Francisco's Tenderloin district has worsened since the decriminalization law was signed.