Despite the loudly stated concerns of people in the commercial sex community, Congress passed SESTA/FOSTA by a large margin in 2018. Exactly as predicted, there were immediate negative impacts where many adult websites disappeared almost overnight. As a result, without safe places to advertise, screen and negotiate with clients, many sex workers quickly found themselves without work - or the means to pay for basic living expenses. And many then had no choice but to return to street based sex work, where workers are subject to harassment and violence from clients, predators and law enforcement.
There is a great deal of anecdotal evidence from cities across the country showing that violence against sex workers has risen dramatically in the wake of FESTA/SESTA.
HR 5548 and S3165 takes the common-sense position that HHS should study the impacts of SESTA-FOSTA on the most vulnerable members of society, so that Congress can make informed policy decisions on the road to repeal this bad law.
For all of these reasons I urge you to support and sponsor HR 5448 and the companion bill in the US Senate S3165.
The Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education and Research Project (ESPLERP) is a diverse community-based coalition non profit advancing sexual privacy rights through litigation, education, and research. https://esplerp.org/
