De Blasio: City to create legislative framework to decrimanlize sex work

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced that the city will create sex legislative framework for decriminalizing sex work and support victims of trafficking.

"The conception we have in our legal system is broken," he said.

"We need to change the approach to fight sex trafficking ... and punish those who do this horrible evil," de Blasio added.

The mayor said the city will create a task forced focused on the health and safety needs of sex workers and bring together different agencies to provide support and protect those who are "put in these situations".

De Blasio also called on the state to change laws that would end criminal penalties for sex workers and put the focus on traffickers and those who profit.

The NYPD will also develop new approaches to arrest the traffickers while not harming the sex workers.

The city also rolled out steps it will take to support survivors of domestic and gender-based violence including follow-up visits from the NYPD to homes where there has been incidents of domestic violence to "show follow-up and continuity."

There will also be more counseling and benefits assistance provided as well.

Additionally, the NYPD and ENDGBV will mandate training for officers to help them better support survivors.