HB1176 Would Have Legalized Prostitution for Any Sex Acts Performed Indoors

by
Beth Scaer

Republican Rep. Max Abramson sponsored HB1176 a bill to legalize prostitution in New Hampshire for sex acts performed indoors. He claims he is trying to prevent struggling single mothers from being arrested for sexual performances on webcams from their homes, but the bill goes much further.

It would legalize the selling of sex acts anywhere indoors if the person performing the acts has a legal right to be there.

Traffickers putting women up in motels or homes is the normal operating procedure. They know where the women are at all times and no friends or family are there to help the women escape. This bill would allow traffickers to operate freely while they rake in big profits selling women’s and girls’ bodies.

Related: Prostitution is not a victimless crime. Even where it is legal, there are victims

On Friday, sex trafficking survivors and their supporters came out in force to testify against the bill in a hearing in the NH House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. The committee voted 20-0 to kill the bill.

Former NH state senator Bob Clegg was at the hearing, presumably in his role as a paid lobbyist for NH Voters Against Human Trafficking whose mission is to “end laws that criminalize prostitution.” He and three young women walked into the hearing together but none of them testified.

Watch the video of the testimony to get an education from sex trafficking survivors and their supporters about the serious dangers of legalizing prostitution. These are some very brave women telling their heartwrenching stories. It is important that everyone takes the time to listen.

 

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