Policy Advocacy

The Ishtar Collective regularly advocates for our communities regarding human trafficking/sex work bills, resolutions, policies, and charter changes through testimony, advocacy, and social actions in New England.

We have advocated on the following topics:

VERMONT

We helped pass An act relating to miscellaneous judiciary procedures, (to further prevent sexual coercion of sex workers by law enforcement)

signed into law 6/5/23

We helped repeal Chapter 11, Article-VII: Morals and Conduct, section 11-706 and section 11-707 (to remove outdated sexist language related to prostitution from Montpelier’s city ordinance)

passed 8/24/22

We helped pass An act relating to an amendment to the charter of the City of Burlington, (to remove outdated sexist language related to prostitution from Burlington’s city charter)

signed into law 6/7/22

We helped repeal An ordinance in relation to Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions (to remove outdated sexist language related to prostitution from Burlington’s city ordinance)

passed 9/23/21

We helped pass An act relating to sexual exploitation of children and limited immunity from liability for a person reporting a crime (to provide prosecution immunity for sex workers, survivors, and clients who are witness to or victim of a crime)

signed into law 5/17/21

Watch the video Here

We currently advocate for the following legislation in VT:

An act relating to human trafficking and prostitution

RHODE ISLAND

An act relating to health and safety - Licensing of health care facilities

An act relating to criminal offenses - criminal sexual activity

An act relating to criminal offenses -sexual assault

Our co-directors, Henri and J. Leigh were honored to serve as commissioners on the first state-sanctioned commission to study sex work in the United States.

passed 7/1/21