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San Francisco, California, Proposition K, Decriminalization of Prostitution Initiative (November 2008)
| San Francisco Proposition K | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 4, 2008 | |
| Topic Local law enforcement | |
Status Defeated | |
| Type Initiative | Origin Citizens |
San Francisco Proposition K, the Decriminalization of Prostitution Initiative, was on the ballot for voters in San Francisco, California, on November 4, 2008. Proposition K was defeated.
A "yes" vote supported this measure to prohibit the police from using public resources to investigate and prosecute charges of prostitution. |
A "no" vote opposed this measure, thus continuing to allow the police to use public resources to investigate and prosecute charges of prostitution. |
Overview
According to Proposition K, the ballot initiative was designed to do the following:[1]
- prohibit the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) from using public resources to investigate and prosecute prostitution;
- prohibit the SFPD from using public resources "for the purpose of depriving another group of workers their right to negotiate for fair wages and work conditions," regardless of their status as sex workers;
- require the SFPD and San Francisco District Attorney (DA) to enforce existing laws, including the "consistent and rigorous enforcement against coercion, extortion, battery, rape, and other violent crimes," regardless of a person's status as a sex worker;
- require the SFPD and DA to "practice full disclosure in the investigation and prosecution of charges of rape, extortion, sexual assault, and battery against sex workers, exotic dancers or erotic service providers;"
- prohibit the city's law enforcement agencies from applying for and receiving federal or state funds that institute racial profiling "as a means of targeting alleged trafficked victims under the guise of enforcing the abatement of prostitution laws;"
- prohibit the SFPD, DA, the SAGE Project, Inc., and government agencies from supporting anti-prostitution programs.
Proposition K would have gone into effect on January 1, 2009.
Election results
|
San Francisco Proposition K |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 140,185 | 40.94% | ||
|
|
202,235 | 59.06% | ||
Support
Supporters
Parties
Organizations
Opposition
Opponents
Officials
- District Attorney Kamala Harris (D)[1]
- Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier (D)[1]
- Supervisor Carmen Chu (D)[1]
Parties
- San Francisco Republican Party[1]
Organizations
- Citizens for a Better San Francisco[1]
- Coalition Against Trafficking in Women[1]
- Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods[1]
Individuals
- Gloria Steinem[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Proposition K was as follows:
| “ | Shall the City: stop enforcing laws against prostitution; stop funding or supporting the First Offender Prostitution Program or any similar anti-prostitution program; enforce existing criminal laws that prohibit crimes such as battery, extortion and rape, regardless of the victim's status as a sex worker; and fully disclose the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against sex workers? | ” |
Path to the ballot
Proponents of Proposition K, which was a citizen-initiated measure, needed to collect 7,168 signatures for their initiative to appear on the ballot. That number (7,168) was equal to 5 percent of the number of votes cast for mayor in 2007.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
