Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today called on the New York State legislature to pass A.255A/S.2233A, legislation that would provide individuals involved in the commercial sex trade immunity should they report being the survivor or witness to a crime. In a Memo of Support sent to legislative leaders today, D.A. Bragg issued the following statement:

“New York is safer when survivors and witnesses feel comfortable reporting crimes. But individuals involved in the commercial sex trade often feel reluctant to report crimes, because they are afraid they will be prosecuted themselves for prostitution offenses. Silencing these individuals does not protect us, it only protects the perpetrators of the crimes these survivors and witnesses are too afraid to report. That is why I urge the New York State Legislature to pass A255A/S2233A, introduced by Assemblymember Gottfried and Senator Sepúlveda. Passing this bill will provide a new avenue toward justice, free of fear of prosecution, to a demographic of individuals who are often subjected to serious and violent crime, and will give prosecutors tools to better protect the community at large from serious and violent crime. I thank Assemblymember Gottfried and Senator Sepúlveda for their continued leadership and work on this issue.”

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