As Vice President Kamala Harris seeks the presidency in 2024, her campaign has yet to alter her 2020 stance on decriminalizing prostitution.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who supported decriminalizing prostitution during her 2020 presidential campaign, has maintained that stance as she campaigns for the highest office once again in 2024. Despite her previous statements advocating for the legalization of consensual sex work, her current campaign has not updated or clarified her position on this issue.
In a 2019 interview with The Root, Harris expressed support for legalizing prostitution between consenting adults. “I think so, I do,” Harris stated. She emphasized that while she supported the decriminalization of consensual sex work, she believed there needed to be a nuanced approach due to the associated crimes and exploitation. “There’s an ecosystem around that, that includes crimes that harm people,” Harris explained. “For those issues, I do not believe that anybody who hurts another human being or profits off of their exploitation should be … free of criminal prosecution.”
Harris’s commitment to prosecuting those who exploit others while advocating for the decriminalization of consensual sex work has been a consistent theme throughout her political career. During her first campaign for San Francisco District Attorney in 2003, she similarly advocated for non-criminalization of consensual adult sex but stressed her dedication to tackling violent crime and exploitation. “Consensual sex between consenting adults should not be a subject of prosecution,” she told AsianWeek
'. However, she also highlighted the need to address violent crimes and the exploitation of children, which she considered a significant issue in San Francisco at the time.
Despite her historical position on this issue, Harris's 2024 campaign has not provided concrete policy proposals or updates regarding prostitution. Her campaign has also been unresponsive to inquiries from *The Post* about her current stance. The lack of clarity has led to speculation and concern among observers about how her views on sex work might influence her policy decisions should she win the presidency.
As the debate on prostitution continues to evolve, Harris's approach reflects a broader discussion on balancing the decriminalization of consensual sex work with the need to combat exploitation and associated criminal activities. With her past positions in mind, many are watching closely to see if her policies will evolve or remain aligned with her previous statements.
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