Colorado sex workers gain new protections under law signed by Gov. Jared Polis

Colorado legislation now requires intercourse employees be capable of report any of a slew of significant crimes with out going through prison expenses associated to their work.

Gov. Jared Polis on Monday signed HB22-1288 into legislation, following unanimous approval in each chambers of the Colorado legislature. It went into impact along with his signature.

The coverage grants intercourse employees immunity from prostitution expenses when reporting any of about two-dozen crimes, together with human trafficking, homicide, manslaughter, assault, false imprisonment and stalking.

Intercourse employees routinely report that they really feel uncomfortable interacting with legislation enforcement. That is true for quite a lot of causes, together with the concern that they received’t be believed and the concern that they themselves may face prison penalties for reporting crimes perpetrated in opposition to them, or crimes they’ve witnessed.

Lawmakers and the governor hope that the brand new legislation makes intercourse employees really feel safer talking up as victims or witnesses.

One former street-based intercourse employee, Tiara Kelley, advised lawmakers just lately why intercourse employees are so usually scared to report crimes.

“I can recall a time that I used to be beat up in a parking zone by a shopper. It was very brutal. I used to be all bloody, actually overwhelmed badly, and I known as the police on the lookout for assist,” she stated. “The police arrived and so they by no means requested me one single query concerning the gentleman that beat me up. … They requested me what I did, why I used to be within the particular person’s automotive.”

State Rep. Brianna Titone, an Arvada Democrat, stated on the Home committee listening to on HB22-1288: “Put your self of their state of affairs: after being raped or assaulted and below excessive duress, the ability of going to jail is a powerful motivator. … Individuals who have interaction in intercourse work are being brutalized with little recourse.”

Titone had bipartisan cosponsors on the invoice: Republicans Rep. Matt Soper of Delta and Sen. Jim Smallwood of Douglas County, plus Democratic Sen. Rhonda Fields of Aurora.

The brand new legislation represents a uncommon acknowledgment by the legislature of the myriad risks intercourse employees face. The legislation is restricted in scope, however Titone and others have stated they hope it kickstarts a broader dialog on the Capitol about intercourse employee rights and protections.