Seattle City Council passes legislation combatting commercial sexual exploitation - Seattle City Council Blog

Today the Seattle City Council passed by an 8-1 vote Councilmember **Cathy Moore**’s (District 5) bill to fight commercial sexual exploitation and the violence associated with it. The legislation includes a prohibition on loitering for buying, selling or promoting prostitution, as well as a separate provision that allows a judge to issue a Stay Out of Area Prostitution (SOAP) order for buyers and/or promoters. “This afternoon’s passage of the SOAP legislation is in direct response to what I’ve heard from my constituent for months. It’s a victory for the safety of our community along Aurora Ave N who have experienced escalating gun violence directly related to commercial sexual exploitation and pleaded for action by the city. This legislation also sends a clear message to those who perpetuate and profit from the harm and trauma of commercial sexual exploitation that there will now be consequences for their actions,” said **Councilmember Moore**.

“I want thank Councilmember Kettle for his support of this legislation and for hearing it in the Public Safety Committee. I also want to thank my colleagues for their ongoing focus in improving public safety throughout our community and for exploring new thoughtful tools to protect our neighborhoods. ” In response to community feedback, amendments during Public Safety Committee discussions also added limiting potential SOAP orders to buyers and promoters (by removing sellers), requiring development of training for police officers on trauma informed best practices for working with survivors of commercial sexual exploitation in consultation with survivor groups, and creating arrest policies that explicitly state diversion and referral to service, treatment, and safe housing is the preferred approach for prostitution loitering for sellers. Four amendments adopted during today’s meeting focused on performance measures and reporting requirements. “The increasingly violent nature of criminal sex trafficking along Aurora Ave.

demands actions now,” said co-sponsor Council President **Sara Nelson** (Position 9). “The provisions in this legislation give officers the opportunity to offer services to the women and girls (primarily) who are being trafficked and target the pimps who prey upon them. Bottom line: doing nothing is not an option and, while not a silver bullet, this bill establishes additional tools to disrupt the criminal activity that is concentrated along the corridor. ” “This bill has been thoughtfully designed to protect the women who are being victimized and the underage girls who are being trafficked for prostitution. It emphasizes diversion, referrals to social services, placement in safe houses, and other alternatives to booking while giving the Seattle Police Department more tools to get the pimps and johns off the streets and reduce the unacceptable gun violence we have been seeing in the neighborhoods around North Aurora.

It is about the safety of the women and minors who are being exploited, and the safety of the neighbors and nearby schools that are being affected,” said co-sponsor Councilmember **Maritza Rivera** (District 4).