DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform

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 with a brief history of policing prostitution, and the social narratives we have constructed to allow police abuse to proliferate. Bailey then outlined how decriminalization provides a lens into a critical examination of state-sponsored violence and repression.

The conversation was hosted by Ali Wilkey and Michael Heras, co-chairs of the chapter, as part of Cape Cod DSA’s speaker series on policing, society, and police abolition running throughout the month.

Following her presentation, Bailey led a Q&A in which she fielded questions about gender stereotypes, mutual aid as a support system among sex workers, alternatives to policing, and more. “It was incredibly rewarding to explore these ideas with such a curious group of individuals,” Bailey said. “I felt encouraged by the support we received and look forward to future collaborations!”