The Viminal Space: Complicated Problems Need Thoughtful Solutions
Alex Andrews; Melanie Dante, MSW & Tracy King, RN, DNP, FNP, PMHNP | September 18 | 9:45-10:45 am EDT
Topic: Legal, Conceptual | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
At the heart of this discussion is the complex and often arbitrary distinction between sex workers and sex trafficking victims. Current criminalization models fail to address the nuanced realities of individuals involved in the sex trade, frequently treating victims of trafficking as criminals—perpetuating cycles of trauma and impeding access to justice and support services. Criminalization perpetuates generational harm by compounding trauma, reinforcing stigma, and maintaining systemic inequities that disproportionately affect sex workers and trafficking survivors. This presentation offers a concrete objective for case workers, service providers, and law enforcement working directly with incarcerated or recently released victims: to shift from punitive frameworks to trauma-informed, survivor-centered approaches in one-on-one interactions. "Boots on the ground" can play a crucial role by validating survivor experiences, minimizing retraumatization, and ensuring pathways to resources without requiring cooperation with law enforcement or penal systems as a precondition for support. Case workers and first responders can also become powerful allies in the push for decriminalization by documenting systemic harm, offering diversion alternatives rooted in dignity rather than discipline, and challenging internal protocols that criminalize survival. Additionally, the fear of criminal penalties discourages sex workers from reporting violence or exploitation, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and further victimization. Evidence increasingly shows that decriminalization offers a path toward reducing violence, improving safety, and empowering individuals to seek help without fear of legal repercussions. The session calls for the full decriminalization of prostitution, immunity laws protecting sex workers who report violence, and improved care standards for women reentering society after incarceration. Attendees are urged to act not only as advocates, but as implementers—bringing these values into their daily interactions with justice-impacted individuals.
Presentation Objectives:
• Define the 4 models of criminalization and how they influence the mental and physical health and well-being of criminalized survivors and sex workers
• Promote immunity policies that protect sex workers who report violence, without requiring cooperation with law enforcement
• Identify how reentry systems can support formerly incarcerated women through trauma-informed, rights-based approaches
• Help advocates, first responders, and jail/prison reentry staff to better understand the complicated nuance of criminalized victims-and to respond with empathy, flexibility, and survivor-centered support
• Encourage on-the-ground professionals to become agents of change within their institutions by aligning daily practices with de-carceral and harm reduction principles