DSW Advocates Testify Around the Country
DSW Advocates Testify Around the Country
April 4, 2024 Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) advocates testified in front of the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee in support of four bills critical to improving health and safety for sex workers and survivors of...
DSW Advocates Testify on Crucial Bills in RI
DSW Advocates Testify on Crucial Bills in RI
March 20, 2024 Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) staff members are busier than ever. Within the span of just a few weeks, staff members testified at three different hearings in front of the Rhode Island House...
Sex Work, Decriminalization & Strange bedfellows | Meet the Press Reports | NBC News
Sex Work, Decriminalization & Strange bedfellows | Meet the Press Reports | NBC News
Sex work decriminalization efforts leave workers, advocates and survivors divided | Meet the Press
Sex work decriminalization efforts leave workers, advocates and survivors divided | Meet the Press
December 9, 2023 NBC’s Meet the Press covers Maine’s misguided decision to implement the Entrapment Model of governing sex work. Melissa Broudo shares why decriminalization is the only way to ensure the rights and safety...
The Victims on Gilgo Beach | The Brian Lehrer Show on New York Public Radio
The Victims on Gilgo Beach | The Brian Lehrer Show on New York Public Radio
July 18, 2023 New York Public Radio’s “The Brian Lehrer Show” covers the lives of the victims found on Gilgo Beach and includes an interview with Crystal DeBoise. Listen here.
DSW Advocates Instrumental in VT’s Enactment of Country’s Most Comprehensive Police Sexual Violence Law
DSW Advocates Instrumental in VT’s Enactment of Country’s Most Comprehensive Police Sexual Violence Law
June 7, 2023 Governor Phil Scott signed S. 33, an act relating to miscellaneous judiciary procedures, amending 13 V.S.A. § 3259, which prohibits a law-enforcement officer from engaging in sexual contact with an individual who...
Voice of Maine’s ‘GHRT Rewinds’ Hosts DSW’s Ariela Moscowitz
Voice of Maine’s ‘GHRT Rewinds’ Hosts DSW’s Ariela Moscowitz
June 7, 2023 WVOM’s George Hale & Rick Tyler interview DSW’s Ariela Moscowitz on Voice of Maine’s “GHRT Rewinds” for June 7, 2023. Listen here or download it here.
DSW Collaborates With Allies To Advocate for Decriminalization
DSW Collaborates With Allies To Advocate for Decriminalization
November 15-16, 2022 Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) is proud to regularly partner with Equality New York (EQNY),a statewide advocacy organization working to advance equality and justice for LGBTQI New Yorkers and their families and to...
DSW Attends APHA 2022 Annual Meeting & Expo
DSW Attends APHA 2022 Annual Meeting & Expo
November 6, 2022 DSW Legal Director Melissa Broudo, Staff Attorney Rebecca Cleary, and Volunteer Attorney Allison Kolins attended the American Public Health Association’s (APHA’s) annual meeting and expo in Boston early this November. According to...
DSW Presents at the National Harm Reduction Coalition’s Biennial Conference
DSW Presents at the National Harm Reduction Coalition’s Biennial Conference
October 13, 2022 DSW Legal Director Melissa Broudo and Staff Attorney Becca Cleary traveled to Puerto Rico to participate in the 13th biennial conference hosted by the National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC). The NHRC describes...
The Crime Report’s Isidoro Rodriguez interviews Ariela Moscowitz
The Crime Report’s Isidoro Rodriguez interviews Ariela Moscowitz
September 23, 2022 The Crime Report’s Isidoro Rodriguez interviews Ariela Moscowitz.
Listen to Melissa Broudo on The Christian Libertarian podcast.
Listen to Melissa Broudo on The Christian Libertarian podcast.
September 16, 2022 Listen to Melissa Broudo on The Christian Libertarian podcast.
Fighting the good fight with Melissa Sontag Broudo | Sidekick
Fighting the good fight with Melissa Sontag Broudo | Sidekick
August 25, 2022 DSW’s Melissa Broudo is featured in Morning Brew’s Sidekick.
DSW Staff Attend Key Conferences Around the World
DSW Staff Attend Key Conferences Around the World
August 12, 2022 It was a busy and productive summer for DSW staff as they traveled to multiple influential conferences to discuss the critical need to decriminalize consensual adult sex work. Staff had the opportunity...
DSW Research and Project Manager Testifies at Legislative Study Commission
DSW Research and Project Manager Testifies at Legislative Study Commission
June 13, 2022 DSW Research and Project Manager J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly presented on the intersection of LGBTQIA individuals and sex workers’ rights at the June 13 meeting of a legislative study commission in Rhode Island. Oshiro-Brantly...
DSW Staff Share Their Expertise
DSW Staff Share Their Expertise
May 2, 2022 Throughout the month of May, DSW staff participated in a number of panels and discussions highlighting the harms of criminalization, pending legislation on sex work, and reminding sex workers of their rights!...
DSW Legal Director Testifies During Legislative Study Commission
DSW Legal Director Testifies During Legislative Study Commission
April 25, 2022 DSW Legal Director Melissa Broudo presented on the differences and distinctions between human trafficking and consensual adult sex work at the April 25 meeting of a legislative study commission in Rhode Island....
DSW Testified on Important Sex Work Bills in RI
DSW Testified on Important Sex Work Bills in RI
April 5, 2022 DSW’s legal director, Melissa Broudo, and staff attorney, Rebecca Cleary, traveled to Rhode Island to testify in support of three important bills making their way through the Rhode Island legislature. As DSW...
HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver looks at sex work
HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver looks at sex work
DSW Staff Attorney Rebecca Cleary and Legal Director Melissa Broudo provided background to the producers of HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and the resulting 25-minute segment on sex work, which aired on February...
Shifting the state’s perspective on sex work | The Capitol Pressroom
Shifting the state’s perspective on sex work | The Capitol Pressroom
February 8, 2022 DSW’s Melissa Broudo is featured on today’s edition of The Capitol Pressroom podcast.
“What will we do if we get infected?” a qualitative interview-based study of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the health and safety of sex workers in the United States
“What will we do if we get infected?” a qualitative interview-based study of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the health and safety of sex workers in the United States
DSW Research and Project Manager J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly co-authored and participated in all aspects of the study “What will we do if we get infected?” a qualitative interview-based study of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects...
Beyond Sex Work Decriminalization: Possibilities and Priorities for Marginalized Sex Workers
Beyond Sex Work Decriminalization: Possibilities and Priorities for Marginalized Sex Workers
DSW Community Engagement Consultant Joaquin Remora participated in Beyond Sex Work Decriminalization: Possibilities and Priorities for Marginalized Sex Workers, a panel discussion by the Oregon Sex Workers’ Committee (OSWC) presented by Woodhull’s Human Rights Commissions (December 7,...
Sex workers in Vermont discuss why they are seeking decriminalization | Burlington Free Press
Sex workers in Vermont discuss why they are seeking decriminalization | Burlington Free Press
Sex workers in Vermont discuss why they are seeking decriminalization (December 1, 2021) DSW’s J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly is quoted: “We have to separate adult consensual prostitution from [human] trafficking so that we can actually begin...
Conferences
Conferences
October 26: APHA’s Annual Meeting DSW’s J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly, Melissa Broudo, and Frances Steele attended the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, and presented on the role of sex work decriminalization in...
DSW’s J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly on The Frontier Psychiatrists
DSW’s J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly on The Frontier Psychiatrists
September 7, 2021 In the latest episode of The Frontier Psychiatrists entitled ‘OnlyBans?’, hosts Dr. Carlene MacMillan and Dr. Owen Muir explore the impact of Sex Negativity online. The episode focuses on OnlyFans’ since reversed decision to...
DSW Staff Advocates at Events Around the Country
DSW Staff Advocates at Events Around the Country
July 21: NACDL J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly and Rebecca Cleary of DSW attended the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) annual meeting. The event brings together criminal justice system advocates, impacted community members, and defense...
Paving the Path to Decriminalization in Oregon and Beyond | giddy.com
Paving the Path to Decriminalization in Oregon and Beyond | giddy.com
July 2, 2021 Paving the Path to Decriminalization in Oregon and Beyond (July 2, 2021) DSW’s Melissa Broudo is quoted: “We truly are sitting at the precipice of significant legislative change on a national level [for]...
DSW’s Ceyenne Doroshow Is Grand Marshal of NYC Pride
DSW’s Ceyenne Doroshow Is Grand Marshal of NYC Pride
June 27, 2021 The New York City Pride Parade, one of the most famous celebrations of Pride Month and historically the largest parade in the world, canceled its in-person festivities last year due to the...
DSW Staff Featured in Documentary on Decriminalization
DSW Staff Featured in Documentary on Decriminalization
June 17, 2021 DSW’s J. Leigh Oshiro-Brantly, Melissa Broudo and Ceyenne Doroshow are featured in “Sex Work is Work,” a powerful short-film that explores the push for the decriminalization of sex work. Produced by BRIC...
Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Is Marked With Intersectional Pride Series
Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Is Marked With Intersectional Pride Series
June 1, 2021 Each of the panels presented as part of Tulsa 100: Remember, Activate, Heal was impactful, educational, and transformative. If you missed them or want to rewatch them, they are available at the...
What It Is Like to Be a Sex Worker | The Common Reader
What It Is Like to Be a Sex Worker | The Common Reader
DSW’s Frances Steele is quoted: “Even well-intended laws can get in the way. Frances Steele, a Wash.U. alum who is now a project coordinator for Decriminalize Sex Work, points out that in many states, possession...
Tulsa Race Massacre centennial events: Live updates from weekend remembrances | The Oklahoman
Tulsa Race Massacre centennial events: Live updates from weekend remembrances | The Oklahoman
Babble On Podcast
Babble On Podcast
May 5, 2021 DSW’s Ariela Moscowitz is featured in episode 1 and episode 6 of the Babble On podcast.
There’s a special court for sex workers, but it’s a far cry from what they need | Prism.com
There’s a special court for sex workers, but it’s a far cry from what they need | Prism.com
DSW’s Ariela Moscowitz is quoted: “Human trafficking occurs across all labor sectors and is a horrific crime,” said Ariela Moscowitz, director of communications at Decriminalize Sex Work, an organization that works to improve public attitudes...
DSW Staff Share Their Expertise
DSW Staff Share Their Expertise
April 28, 2021 New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG) hosted their annual advocacy day on April 28. The full day of programming included appearances from elected officials, a conversation with former New York City Council candidate...
She Works Hard for the Money: Decriminalization and changing public attitudes makes sex work safer for everyone | Motif
She Works Hard for the Money: Decriminalization and changing public attitudes makes sex work safer for everyone | Motif
DSW’s Ariela Moscowitz is quoted: “We’re always pushing sex work to be seen as work … and to improve the health and safety of sex workers and communities at large. We know full decriminalization leads...
Podcast: New York Gritty
Podcast: New York Gritty
April 6, 2021 Episode 9–Pandemic Sexposure (“New York Gritty” podcast) (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon) DSW’s Melissa Broudo is featured.
Brooklyn DA: Outstanding prostitution warrants from past 4 decades dismissed | News 12
Brooklyn DA: Outstanding prostitution warrants from past 4 decades dismissed | News 12
DSW’S MELISSA BROUDO IS FEATURED: “This is not just symbolic. It is meaningful for those over 857 people whose lives were directly impacted by criminalization who either had warrants hanging over their heads or pending...
DSW Staff Share Their Expertise
DSW Staff Share Their Expertise
January 9, 2021 PornHub invited DSW’s legal director, Melissa Broudo, to share her expertise on legal issues related to sex work in their two-day “Sex Worker Survival Guide.” The event brought together a diverse group...
DSW Welcomes New Director of Communications
DSW Welcomes New Director of Communications
October 15, 2020 Ariela Moscowitz is joining DSW as the director of communications. We are thrilled to welcome an incredible nonprofit professional with years of experience advocating for social equity on behalf of marginalized communities...
DSW Featured at Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s Sexual Freedom Summit
DSW Featured at Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s Sexual Freedom Summit
October 15, 2020 DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly and Melissa Broudo spoke on a panel entitled “Fighting for Decriminalization in the Era of COVID and Black Lives Matter” at the Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s (WFF) 11th annual...
‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast Returns
‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast Returns
October 5, 2020 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey will be departing the organization at the end of the month to more directly focus her energy on her burgeoning production company, Old Pro Productions, Inc., which aims to...
DSW’s Melissa Broudo Honored by National Trans Visibility March
DSW’s Melissa Broudo Honored by National Trans Visibility March
October 2, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo received the Lou Sullivan Award from the National Trans Visibility March (NTVM) for her outstanding commitment to defending the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals and communities...
DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT
DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT
September 22, 2020 DSW partnered with The Ishtar Collective (TIC), a local sex worker rights organization in VT, to host a luncheon in Montpelier that brought together state legislators, advocates, sex workers, and trafficking survivors...
Hero(es) of the Month: Honoring the Dancers of the Lusty Lady
Hero(es) of the Month: Honoring the Dancers of the Lusty Lady
September 1, 2020 In 1996, the Lusty Lady in San Francisco became the first strip club in the country to successfully unionize, making history for the entire informal labor sector, including sex work. Despite the...
DSW’s Melissa Broudo Featured in Film Series on Inspirational Women
DSW’s Melissa Broudo Featured in Film Series on Inspirational Women
August 18, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo was featured in “As a Woman,” an interview-based film series diving into the lives of six inspirational, female-identifying New Yorkers. Written and produced by Majella Productions, the documentary explores...
Hero(es) of the Month: TS Candii, SX Noir, and Gizelle Marie Organize the Largest Sex Worker March in U.S. History
Hero(es) of the Month: TS Candii, SX Noir, and Gizelle Marie Organize the Largest Sex Worker March in U.S. History
August 1, 2020 More than six hundred activists, community members, and allies, including DSW’s Ceyenne Doroshow and Frances Steele, filled Manhattan’s Times Square on a Saturday at 5 p.m. The crowd gathered for the Black...
DSW Takes Action Against EARN IT
DSW Takes Action Against EARN IT
July 22, 2020 In our last newsletter, DSW reported on how the EARN IT Act, a bill that recently advanced out of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, threatens the very heart of online security and...
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform
July 21, 2020 The Cape Cod, MA, chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America asked DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey to present on police reform, accountability, and gendered violence from a sex worker’s perspective. The talk started...
DSW Supports Criminal Justice Reform Bills in New York
DSW Supports Criminal Justice Reform Bills in New York
July 14, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and Frances Steele attended a rally in New York City supporting five state-level criminal justice reform bills that will be voted on — and hopefully passed — this legislative...
Fighting and Winning: Ceyenne Doroshow and the state of TGNCNB rights
Fighting and Winning: Ceyenne Doroshow and the state of TGNCNB rights
June 29, 2020 DSW consultant, cornerstone figure of the transgender, nonconforming, nonbinary rights movement, and founder of Gays and Lesbians Living In a Transgender Society (G.L.I.T.S.), Ceyenne Doroshow set out to raise a million dollars to...
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter
June 2020 Black people nationwide continue to be harassed and murdered by law enforcement, with little to no consequences. We know that this systemic disregard for Black lives is neither new nor accidental, but rather...
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice
June 14, 2020 DSW’s Hero of the Month for June is Ceyenne Doroshow — activist, organizer, and a cornerstone of the international sex worker and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary (TGNCNB) rights movements. Ceyenne, a Black transwoman,...
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont
June 9, 2020 A new sex worker rights organization was co-founded in VT by J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, along with local human rights advocate Henri. The Ishtar Collective is the first-ever anti-trafficking and sex-worker-rights...
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant
June 2, 2020 The 45th annual celebration of International Whore’s Day (IWD) departed from the usual, where sex workers and their allies don red attire and march through city streets across the country. This year,...
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News
May 22, 2020 An opinion piece by DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader in response to an opponent’s op-ed published days before. The original opinion piece was written by Jasmine...
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly
May 14, 2020 DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly was a guest on the Crooked Media podcast “Six Feet Apart with Alex Wagner,” discussing sex work amidst the pandemic. “Six Feet Apart” is a weekly show that...
Lobbying in the Time of COVID?
Lobbying in the Time of COVID?
May 7, 2020 DSW participated in Equality New York’s LGBTQI Virtual Day of Action. Community experts led panels and webinars on the movement’s policy priorities for this legislative session to improve the lives of LGBTQI...
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts
April 25, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and J. Leigh Brantly were featured in the latest edition of New Pride Agenda’s virtual town-hall series, titled “Let’s Talk Sex & Sex Work.” The webinar brought together activists,...
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY
April 21, 2020 The New York State legislature is following social distancing protocol, and advocacy groups have organized virtual lobbying meetings to continue their activism. Through their work with the New York Gender Diversity Coalition...
Our Bodies, Our Labors, Our Streets: International Women’s Day in NYC
Our Bodies, Our Labors, Our Streets: International Women’s Day in NYC
March 8, 2020 The International Women’s Strike, also known as Paro Internacional de Mujeres, is a global movement of coalitions in more than 50 countries, organizing around International Women’s Day each year. The movement began...
DSW Rallies With Activists To Pass the #WalkingWhileTrans Repeal
DSW Rallies With Activists To Pass the #WalkingWhileTrans Repeal
March 3, 2020 On International Sex Worker Rights Day, the Walking While Trans Coalition gathered at the Million Dollar Staircase in the Albany Statehouse to speak out about trans rights in New York state. DSW’s...
Honoring Our Movement: International Sex Worker Rights Day
Honoring Our Movement: International Sex Worker Rights Day
March 3, 2020 Sex workers and allied communities celebrated International Sex Worker Rights Day, a holiday that commemorates the tireless efforts of harm-reduction advocates around the world. The holiday began in India in 2001 when...
DSW Travels To Nairobi to Meet With the African Sex Workers Alliance
DSW Travels To Nairobi to Meet With the African Sex Workers Alliance
February 13, 2020 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey sat down with the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) at its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. ASWA is a Pan-African alliance of sex worker-led organizations. The group was formed in...
WFF Wins Appeal in Federal Court
WFF Wins Appeal in Federal Court
January 24, 2020 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that plaintiffs in the Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s (WFF’s) lawsuit against the United States have standing to pursue claims. This decision guarantees sex-worker-rights...
Adult Entertainment Industry Supports DSW in the Fight Against Stigma
Adult Entertainment Industry Supports DSW in the Fight Against Stigma
January 22-25, 2020 DSW attended the Adult Video News (AVN) Awards Conference in Las Vegas. At this annual expo, meet-and-greet, and awards show, members of the adult entertainment industry exhibit their latest work, newest products,...
Opinion: It’s time to decriminalize sex work and focus on actual crimes | Orange County Register
Opinion: It’s time to decriminalize sex work and focus on actual crimes | Orange County Register
2019 In Review: DSW Concludes Its First Year
2019 In Review: DSW Concludes Its First Year
January 1, 2020 This month marks Decriminalize Sex Work’s first full calendar year as a national advocacy organization. It is hard to believe how fast it has gone! Since DSW’s founding in the spring of...
Cato Institute podcast: “Understanding Models of Legal Sex Work”
Cato Institute podcast: “Understanding Models of Legal Sex Work”
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey is featured. “Sex work [is] only legal in parts of Nevada, and there it is highly restricted. What are some of the other models for legal sex work, and which models best...
DSW Staffers Participate in LGBTQI and Sex Worker Rights Panel
DSW Staffers Participate in LGBTQI and Sex Worker Rights Panel
December 18, 2019 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and J. Leigh Brantly participated in the NY Transgender Advocacy Group’s LGBTQI Winter Cocktail Policy Series. Melissa and J spoke on a panel entitled “Reclaiming Our Bodies,” the first...
DSW Honors International Day To End Violence Against Sex Workers
DSW Honors International Day To End Violence Against Sex Workers
December 17, 2019 DSW joined sex-worker-rights activists around the world in honoring the International Day To End Violence Against Sex Workers, which takes place annually on December 17. This holiday mourns the lives of far...
DSW Attends Two Key Conferences
DSW Attends Two Key Conferences
December 4-6, 2019 Kaytlin Bailey shared DSW’s work at the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC’s) Annual Policy Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. ALEC is the largest voluntary membership organization of state legislators and private-sector representatives in...
DSW Welcomes Two Incredible New Team Members
DSW Welcomes Two Incredible New Team Members
December 1, 2019 DSW has gained two invaluable colleagues. Ceyenne Doroshow and J. Leigh Brantly will be joining the organization as Community Engagement Consultant and Research and Project Manager, respectively. Ceyenne Doroshow is an author,...
The Chip Franklin Show: “Prosecuting prostitution w/Kaytlin Bailey”
The Chip Franklin Show: “Prosecuting prostitution w/Kaytlin Bailey”
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey is featured. “Chip talks to Kaytlin Bailey of Decriminalize Sex Work about why sex workers should not be prosecuted.”
Podcast: “You’re Wrong About… Human Trafficking”
Podcast: “You’re Wrong About… Human Trafficking”
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey is featured: “Mike tells Sarah how NGOs, activists and George W. Bush resurrected the ‘stranger danger’ panic for the modern era. Digressions include Reply All, muffins and Yelp for massage parlors. Mike’s...
Defense Lawyers Understand the Harms of Criminalization
Defense Lawyers Understand the Harms of Criminalization
November 20-22, 2019 DSW attended the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL’s) 2019 Defending Sex Crimes Seminar, an annual event that brings together defense attorneys and criminal justice reform advocates. NACDL is an opportunity for...
DSW Joins NYC Activists To Educate the Next Generation of Social-Justice Lawyers on Decriminalization
DSW Joins NYC Activists To Educate the Next Generation of Social-Justice Lawyers on Decriminalization
November 6, 2019 Melissa Broudo joined fellow activists and attorneys for a panel discussion on the whats, whys, and hows of sex-work decriminalization. The panel was organized by the NYU Law School chapter of If/When/How—Lawyering...
DSW and Allies Gear Up for Legislative Session in Rhode Island
DSW and Allies Gear Up for Legislative Session in Rhode Island
November 2, 2019 DSW grantee COYOTE-RI (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) hosted a coalition meeting with human-rights activists in Providence, RI. DSW’s Melissa Broudo met with local organizations that are working to improve the...
DSW Presents at the American Public Health Association Expo
DSW Presents at the American Public Health Association Expo
November 2-6, 2019 DSW highlighted the public-health implications of decriminalizing sex work at the American Public Health Association’s (APHA’s) annual international conference in Philadelphia. Attendees conduct harm-prevention research on STI prevention, drug use, the environment,...
No Vote Planned for Decrim Bill in D.C.
No Vote Planned for Decrim Bill in D.C.
October 17, 2019 The District of Columbia City Council held a hearing on the Community Safety and Health Act of 2019 (Bill 23-0318), which would decriminalize sex work in the nation’s capital. This would-be historic...
“Girls Do Porn” Was a Crime Ring, Not a Porn Site, Industry Experts Say | Vice
“Girls Do Porn” Was a Crime Ring, Not a Porn Site, Industry Experts Say | Vice
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey is quoted: “To pretend that this is what the entire porn industry is like denigrates exactly the people that they claim to be speaking for,” Kaytlin Bailey, communications director for advocacy group...
DSW Joins Community Organizers at a Trans/Sex Workers Rights Mixer
DSW Joins Community Organizers at a Trans/Sex Workers Rights Mixer
October 4, 2019 The New York State Gender Diversity Coalition convened at the Brooklyn Night Bazaar to exchange ideas about how to support gender diversity, equality, and sex worker rights in New York. This new...
DSW Supports the Fight Against FOSTA in U.S. Court of Appeals
DSW Supports the Fight Against FOSTA in U.S. Court of Appeals
September 20, 2019 Earlier this year, DSW filed an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit brought against the U.S. government by the Woodhull Freedom Foundation (WFF), Human Rights Watch, The Internet Archive, and two other...
DSW in the News
DSW in the News
September 19: DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey was invited onto Newsmax TV with John Tobacco and Frank Morano to chat about sex work, Robert Kraft, and why handcuffs almost never help. September 22: Kaytlin Bailey appeared on “Morano...
DSW Attends International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference
DSW Attends International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference
September 5, 2019 DSW attended the International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference in Toledo, Ohio. The conference has been an annual event since 2004, bringing together researchers, survivors, allies, and service practitioners to exchange...
DSW Participates in Woodhull’s 2019 Sexual Freedom Summit
DSW Participates in Woodhull’s 2019 Sexual Freedom Summit
August 18, 2019 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey attended the 10th annual Woodhull’s Sexual Freedom Summit hosted in Washington, DC. She connected to sex worker rights activists and sexual freedom advocates from all over the country. Attending...
DSW Makes Its Case at National Conference of State Legislatures
DSW Makes Its Case at National Conference of State Legislatures
August 6-8, 2019 Melissa Broudo, DSW’s general council and RI coordinator, and Kaytlin Bailey, DSW’s communications director, met with state legislators from all over the country at the National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting,...
Nevertheless She Existed: Kaytlin Bailey Presents a Sex Worker From History
Nevertheless She Existed: Kaytlin Bailey Presents a Sex Worker From History
July 31, 2019 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey participated in Nevertheless She Existed, a live show and podcast produced at Caveat Theater. She told the story of Phryne, a famous courtesan in the classical Greek period who...
2020 Candidates Consider Decriminalizing Sex Work | CBS News
2020 Candidates Consider Decriminalizing Sex Work | CBS News
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey is quoted: "You have violence, you have exploitation, and you have blackmail. You have people operating outside the law, because legal protections are not extended to the entire industry."
Queer Liberation March: Pride Without Barriers in NYC
Queer Liberation March: Pride Without Barriers in NYC
June 30, 2019 DSW attended the Queer Liberation March and political rally that followed on June 30, organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The march took...
Stossel: Moral Panic Over Sex Work
Stossel: Moral Panic Over Sex Work
May 14, 2019 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey made an appearance on John Stossel’s show to draw attention to what multiple agencies in Florida called a “rescue operation.” All of the women law enforcement claims to have...
DSW Hosts Unity Reception in NYC
DSW Hosts Unity Reception in NYC
May 2, 2019 DSW hosted a delightful evening that was both a celebration and a rallying cry at the Cornell Club in NYC. With exquisite performances by Essence Revealed and sweet jams by DJ Mikey...
Experts Urge RI Legislators to Study Decriminalization
Experts Urge RI Legislators to Study Decriminalization
April 30, 2019 After months of planning and inviting an all-star cast of witnesses, DSW had its first hearing before the House Judiciary Committee of the Rhode Island Legislature. State Rep. Anastasia Williams (D) presented...
DSW Billboard Challenges Lawmakers in Florida
DSW Billboard Challenges Lawmakers in Florida
April 27, 2019 Multiple police departments in Florida have recently staged news conferences to cast themselves as heroes who have “rescued” women from “slavery” … by handcuffing them.  Devastating stings that result in criminal records...
Sex Workers Host News Conference in Florida
Sex Workers Host News Conference in Florida
April 22, 2019 All eyes are on Florida because of the high-profile stings on massage parlors. DSW teamed up with sex workers and allies in Florida to draw attention to what criminalizing sex work actually...
DSW and allies lobby RI legislators
DSW and allies lobby RI legislators
March 14, 2019 DSW teamed up with COYOTE RI and allied organizations to educate RI legislators about the negative impact of criminalizing prostitution. DSW’s lobbyists and local RI advocates engaged legislators in one-on-one conversations on...
DSW and allies hold SESTA/FOSTA panel at SXSW
DSW and allies hold SESTA/FOSTA panel at SXSW
March 11, 2019 DSW teamed up with Alex Andrews from SWOP Behind Bars, Dan Savage, Larry Walters, and River del Llano from Uncage Love to discuss the dangerous implications of SESTA/‍FOSTA at a panel at...
DSW Hosts Soiree With Dan Savage
DSW Hosts Soiree With Dan Savage
March 11, 2019 DSW hosted in Austin a soiree with Dan Savage, donors, local activists, and panelists, where advocates for decriminalization shared strategies and stories. Libertarians, progressives, harm reduction advocates, anarchists and provocateurs mingled despite...
DSW Hosts Panel at Seattle Summit
DSW Hosts Panel at Seattle Summit
March 2, 2019 DSW hosted a panel at the Seattle Annual Sex Worker Summit after the debut of the documentary “War on Whores,” which investigates the harms of criminalizing sex work. The film features prolific...
Melissa with Bella
Melissa with Bella
March 1, 2019 Here is DSW’s Melissa Broudo with COYOTE Rhode Island organizer Bella Robinson. We're looking forward to being in Rhode Island this Thursday for another lobby day!
DSW Files Legal Brief in Federal Court Case
DSW Files Legal Brief in Federal Court Case
February 20, 2019 DSW drafted and submitted to a federal CA court a spirited amicus brief that challenges the constitutionality of the devastating SESTA/FOSTA law. This “friend of the court” brief was cosigned by an...
VIP With Erika Jayne
VIP With Erika Jayne
December 21, 2018 DSW’s Melissa Broudo got to meet and greet Erika Jayne, one of DSW’s VIPs, when she recently played in Brooklyn, NY, on December 21, 2018. Broudo was able to thank her for...
Harm Reduction Coalition Attorney Panel
Harm Reduction Coalition Attorney Panel
October 1, 2018 DSW’s Melissa Broudo joined providers from Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services on a panel on representing sex workers at the Harm Reduction Coalition.
Melissa and Crystal at the New Hampshire Capitol Building
Melissa and Crystal at the New Hampshire Capitol Building
October 1, 2018 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and Crystal DeBoise visited Concord, NH, in October 2018 to engage in a series of key meetings to lay the groundwork for legislation.
Canvassing
Canvassing
August 24, 2018 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey led one of the first sex worker canvasses going door to door talking about decriminalization.
Canvassing
Canvassing
August 24, 2018 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey talks to voters on behalf of Julia Salazar, who is one of the first politicians to run (and win) openly supporting sex worker rights.
SESTA/FOSTA Panel With Ceyenne Doroshow, Stoya, and Suraj Patel
SESTA/FOSTA Panel With Ceyenne Doroshow, Stoya, and Suraj Patel
June 2018 DSW’s Melissa Broudo participated in a panel discussing federal legislation SESTA/‍FOSTA and its impact on sex workers, free speech, and the internet.
PS1 MOMA Sex Worker Festival of Resistance
PS1 MOMA Sex Worker Festival of Resistance
March 2018 DSW’s Melissa Broudo coordinated and led a panel discussing diversity of experience within the sex industry at the first-ever sex worker event hosted by MOMA.
Women’s March NYC – Sex Worker Contingent
Women’s March NYC – Sex Worker Contingent
January 2018 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and members of the sex worker activist community, the NYC Stripper Strike, and allies marched together in the second Women’s March in NYC.  
Recorded Interview
Recorded Interview
December 2017 DSW’s Melissa Broudo has participated in dozens of interviews on video, podcasts, and in print. Here she is being interviewed in her home as part of a video for the website of Gays...
‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast
‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast
November 2017 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey poses with a red umbrella, the international symbol of sex worker rights, for her podcast, “The Oldest Profession.”
‘Sex Workers Stand Up’
‘Sex Workers Stand Up’
June 2017 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey performs at QED during a show she produced, “Sex Workers Stand Up.”
The Stand
The Stand
January 2016 Kaytlin Bailey performs at The Stand in NYC.
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