Is decriminalizing sex work a way to protect women from oppression and abuse? Rhode Island is considering a proposal to decriminalize prostitution.  The proposal is supported by the ACLU and various sex work advocacy groups like the SOAR institute and COYOTE ("Call off your tired old ethics").  Their argument is that decriminalizing prostitution reduces violence against sex workers and empowers women. It would seem that elected officials have short memories — Rhode Island has already experimented with decriminalized sex work, and the consequences were disastrous. For 29 years (1980–2009), because of a legal loophole, Rhode Island banned outdoor solicitation — seeking clients by standing on street corners or walking the streets.  But it legalized indoor prostitution — sex work that takes place through brothels, strip clubs, massage parlors, escort agencies, and the online market. During that period, Rhode...(Read Full Article)