Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) is proud to announce a major legislative victory: the unanimous passage of A1029-B/S3967-B, New York’s new immunity bill designed to protect survivors of trafficking and sex workers from criminal prosecution when they report crimes or seek help. This landmark legislation marks a pivotal moment in the fight for safety, dignity, and justice.
For many survivors and sex workers, fear of arrest has long been a deterrent to calling 911, reporting abuse, or accessing critical services. This immunity bill removes that fear and opens pathways to safety and support. It affirms what advocates have said for years: no one should be punished for trying to protect themselves or others.
Without immunity protections, survivors are forced to choose between risking arrest or remaining in dangerous situations. The passage of this bill breaks that cycle by creating safe opportunities to seek help without fear of prosecution.
This is not just a win for individual rights — it’s a step toward smarter, more compassionate public safety. Encouraging people to report crimes helps law enforcement target actual perpetrators while reducing violence in communities.
DSW played a central role in bringing this bill to life. Over the past several years, DSW staff have worked closely with survivors, legal experts, public health advocates, and community leaders to craft the bill language, build legislative support, and advocate for its passage.
From direct meetings with lawmakers to public education efforts and coalition-building, DSW helped lead a powerful, bipartisan push that brought this bill across the finish line. Survivor voices remained at the heart of the campaign, guiding the priorities and strategy from start to finish.
This work reflects DSW’s broader mission: to shift the legal and cultural landscape so that sex workers and survivors are no longer punished, but protected.
The bill has now passed both chambers of the New York State Legislature with unanimous support and awaits final approval from Governor Kathy Hochul. Her signature would enshrine these protections into law and make New York a national leader in survivor-centered justice.
DSW urges the governor to act swiftly to protect those who have too often been left behind by traditional legal systems.
New York’s progress reflects growing national momentum. Across the country, communities are rethinking outdated laws that criminalize sex workers and survivors rather than supporting them. Immunity legislation, in particular, has gained traction as a practical, life-saving solution that increases trust in public institutions and improves health and safety outcomes.
DSW is committed to expanding this model in other states and continuing to advocate for the decriminalization of consensual adult sex work and the implementation of survivor-informed, harm-reduction policies nationwide.
