Receipts Please! Myths Don't Stand a Chance!

Myth 8: Criminalization Protects Vulnerable People

Click Here for Audio

This myth frames laws against sex work as protective measures for vulnerable populations. It suggests that arrests, raids, and crackdowns are acts of compassion. By criminalizing sex work, the state claims to keep people safe from exploitation.

On the surface, this framing feels persuasive because it appeals to both morality and fear. Who wouldn’t want to “protect” women, children, and marginalized people from harm?

But in practice, the exact opposite is true.

The Reality of Criminalization

Criminalization is wielded most harshly against the very communities it claims to safeguard. This leaves sex workers, survivors, and children more vulnerable, not less. Instead of functioning as a shield, these laws become weapons that drive people deeper into poverty, instability, and danger.

Where This Myth Comes From

The idea that criminalization equals protection has roots in over a century of moral panic and state control. Beginning with the “White Slavery” campaigns of the early 1900s, reformers used fear of sexual exploitation to justify harsh laws targeting immigrants, poor women, and communities of color.

By criminalizing sex work, authorities claimed they were “rescuing” women. In reality, they were expanding police power and reinforcing racial and gender hierarchies. This framing has endured through the decades, recycled in modern anti-trafficking campaigns, zoning ordinances, and “end demand” policies.

Why This Myth Persists

The language of “protection” is politically powerful. It allows lawmakers to cast punitive policies as benevolent. This reassures the public that police crackdowns are done “for people’s own good.” Carceral feminists often invoke this same language to justify raids and “rescue” operations. This makes state control appear feminist rather than punitive.

This narrative sticks because it’s simple and emotionally charged. It erases nuance and sells the illusion that safety can be achieved through handcuffs.

What the Facts Actually Say

In reality, criminalization doesn’t protect—it punishes. Black, Indigenous, migrant, and trans sex workers are disproportionately targeted for arrest. Criminal records become lifelong barriers to housing, employment, and healthcare. Survivors of trafficking are frequently arrested for the very acts they were coerced into. This further traumatizes them and saddles them with criminal histories that keep them trapped in cycles of poverty.

Evidence from decriminalized settings such as New Zealand demonstrates the opposite outcome. When sex work is not criminalized, vulnerable populations are better able to access health services, report violence, and build safety within their communities.

How the Confusion Causes Harm

By equating criminalization with protection, lawmakers obscure the real damage it causes. Laws are weaponized against marginalized communities already burdened by racism, xenophobia, and transphobia. Trafficking survivors are treated as criminals rather than victims. Entire communities are destabilized as cycles of poverty and incarceration compound one another.

What is sold as protection in rhetoric becomes systemic violence in reality.

What Needs to Change

If the goal is true protection, the path forward is clear. We must decriminalize sex work and expunge related records. Redirect funding from policing to harm reduction, housing, and survivor-led support systems. Build policies that prioritize equity and justice over punishment and stigma.

Safety doesn’t come from surveillance or raids—it comes from ensuring that people have resources, rights, and real choices.

Understanding the myth of criminalization as protection is crucial. It highlights the need for a shift in how society views sex work and those involved. By dismantling harmful narratives, we can work towards a more equitable future where all individuals are truly protected and empowered.

Moving Forward Together

As we move forward, it is essential to engage in conversations that challenge the status quo. By fostering understanding and empathy, we can create a society that values human rights and dignity.

The Role of Advocacy

Advocacy plays a vital role in this transformation. Supporting organizations that work towards decriminalization and providing resources for those affected by these laws is imperative. Together, we can create a safer and more just world for everyone.

Learn more about how criminalization impacts marginalized communities at SWOPBehindBars.org.