A new coalition is calling for the decriminalisation of sex work in New York. Decrim NY was officially launched at the end of February, led by people in the sex trades "whether through choice, circumstance, or coercion".
On 25th February, Decrim NY was launched at a rally in New York City attended by more than 100 people. The coalition has more than 20 members including legal aid organisations including the New York Transgender Advocacy Group and Housing Works, LGBT groups and immigration activists. They have also already begun work with lawmakers to put forward legislation to support and protect sex workers' rights. They are supported by Senators Julia Salazar, Jessica Ramos, and Brad Hoylman, and State Assembly Members Richard Gottfried, Dan Quart, and Catalina Cruz.
The coalition's launch comes less than a year after FOSTA/SESTA was signed into law, criminalising online platforms used by sex workers. The coalition also paid tribute to Yang Song, a sex worker who fell to her death during a police raid in Queens in 2017.
More information on Decrim NY can be found on their website, or in this article on the Decrim NY launch and context for the coalition's work.