DENVER — Legislation to protect sex workers from violent crime was on its way to the governor’s desk after receiving approval from the Colorado legislature on Wednesday.
If signed into law, House Bill 1288 would allow sex workers to report violent crimes without fear of being arrested by granting victims and witnesses of violent crime immunity from prostitution-related charges when reporting to police.
The bill was unanimously passed by both the state Senate and House.
“Sex workers are victims of crime almost every single day,” said bill sponsor Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. “Just because you do that kind of work, doesn’t mean that you should not elevate your hand when you are experiencing sexual assault. It shouldn’t be about your profession that you are chilled and silenced.”
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