Demand an end to the Incarceration of Prostitutes

Prostitutes arrested in California are often charged with a misdemeanor, which can be a $1,000.00 fine, in addition to 6 months to a year in prison. The incarceration of prostitutes is immoral in that prostitutes and sex workers are victims of abuse and have been coerced, by a pimp or someone they thought they could trust, into the life of prostitution/commercial sex work. Punishing the women and men prostitutes with a heavy fine and incarceration (jail time) is not helping the issue or working to fix the problem. Additionally, the pimps and johns (customers) are rarely arrested and incarcerated due to the large amount of evidence needed to charge them.
The purpose of this petition is to urge California legislators to remove the punishment of incarceration for prostitutes arrested; Instead, focusing on creating more rehabilitation, resources, education and support for the men and women prostitutes that are past and present victims to abuse and coercion.