In a comparison of 150 countries that have legalized prostitution and those that did not found that legalized prostitution leads to an expansion of the prostitution marketplace, which increased the human trafficking inflows.[1] Further, in Nevada, legalized prostitution has led to an increase in the illegal sex trade within the state, which is 63% higher than the next highest state of New York and double that of California.[2]

Prostitution is a lack of choice, and typically is the last resort for those with the fewest of options.[1] A survey of those in prostitution found that 89% wanted to leave prostitution but felt like they had no viable alternative.[2] In a world where so many homeless persons, sexual abuse victims, foster care children, immigrant and indigenous women, refugees, persons of color, learning disabled, and transgender person already suffer from lives of political, social, and economic marginalization, it is a travesty of justice to decriminalize those who take pleasure in and literally profit from their sexual exploitation. The legalization and full decriminalization of prostitution assents to the sexual exploitation and trafficking of marginalized persons.