DC City Council is hosting a hearing today for over 170 witnesses testifying for an against legalizing the sex trade in the District of Columbia, under DC Bill 318. Many sex workers are sharing their stories of marginalization, and how criminalization is an impediment to their housing and economic stability. Many trafficking survivors are testifying to the provisions in question empowering situations that mirrored their exploitation.

Our CEO Rochelle Keyhan testified in the morning panel, and her full testimony is available below.

David O'Leary, concerned DC citizen. "I have twice invited @CMDGrosso to my district to see what sex work looks like and twice he has declined. Children attending our middle school and high school are solicited by buyers as they walk to school." #StandWithSurvivors pic.twitter.com/uKX057R8Ah

— CollectiveLiberty (@CollectLib) October 17, 2019

Please consider watching the livestream (recording is available – it was 14 hours of testimony) and joining the Twitter conversation to keep the conversation robust and balanced, and to let council know people care about this issue. Hashtags on Twitter to follow for this conversation are: #DecrimDC, #Stop318DC, and #ProtectSurvivorsNotBuyers. They are accepting written testimony on this bill until November 1, 2019 and the next two weeks of conversation are relevant to their consideration.

If you couldn’t make it to the hearing: For  witnesses who are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements will be made part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted to the Committee at  judiciary@dccouncil.us. The record will close at the· end of the business day on Friday, November 1.