For Release On
Tuesday December 9, 2013
Sex Workers Groups and Supporters Rally at the Capitol Building in Sacramento
When: Thursday, December 12, 8:30am
What: Press conference to demand repeal of California State Victims Compensation Regulation 649.56 (which denies sex workers compensation for rape & other violence)
Where: Capitol building, corner of N Street and 12th; followed by Board meeting at CalVCP
Contact: Maxine Doogan, Erotic Service Providers Union 415-265-3302 & Rachel West, US PROStitutes Collective 415-640-4250
Sex worker groups who have been spearheading a broad based campaign to get discriminatory regulations removed from the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) will be in Sacramento with supporters to make their case to legislators and then to the Board of CalVCP at 400 R Street Sacramento, California.
Following a press conference at 8:30am at the Capital Building, they will be gathering outside CalVCP offices at 9:30am to attend the Board meeting at 10am. The California State Victims Compensation Board is expected to vote on whether Regulation 649.56 which denies compensation to victims of rape and other violent crime who are sex workers, will be scrapped. The campaign is also demanding that Regulation 649.4(b)) which discriminates against formerly incarcerated people be removed.
The campaign has gathered broad based support from around the state from church; victims’ rights groups; veterans organizations; LGBTQ groups; prisoner’s rights; lawyers and legal groups; women’s organizations, and others. The Board agreed to review Regulation 649.56 at the meeting and will respond to victims’ testimony and an ACLU legal petition requesting repeal of the regulation.
“The criminal status of sex work results in regulations like this which treat sex workers differently from other victims” says Maxine Doogan of the Erotic Service Providers Union. “We are fighting for equal protection under the law.”
Rachel West, US PROStitutes Collective, adds: “Given the widespread opposition to the regulation, including from some representatives from DA offices in California, we are counting on the Board to represent public opinion and vote for the elimination of the regulation. This is the only acceptable outcome”.
You can write your demand to remove regulation 649.56 or email Geoff Feusahrens at Geoffrey.Feusahrens@vcgcb.ca.govat
CA Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board
ATN: Geoff Feusahrens, Legal Division
400 R Street, Suite 500
Sacramento, CA 95812
Please ADD your voice now.
Or Just sign the petition by Sept. 9, 2013
Endorsing Groups The Demand to Removal of VCF Regulation 649.56
ADD YOUR VOICE info(at) espu – ca (dot) o r g
ACLU of Northern California
Alexandria House
All of Us or None
California Crime Victims
California Coalition for Women Prisoners
Californians United for Responsible Budget
Children of the Night
Coalition on Homelessness
Critical Resistance, Oakland
Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education and Research Project
Every Mother is a Working Mother Network;
Faithful Fools Street Ministry
Global Women’s Strike
Harm Reduction Coalition
Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace
Jeff Adachi, Public Defender
LA CAN
Long Beach Area Peace Network
Los Angeles Community Action Network
National Lawyers Guild, SF
Orange County Peace Coalition
POOR Magazine/Prensa POBRE
San Francisco for Democracy
San Francisco Green Party
San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium
Veterans For Peace chapters 067 and 110
11/11/13
Report VCF 9.9.2013 PDF Report From California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) onday September 9th, 2013
Media
Denial of Justice: Sex Workers Fight Against Discrimination in Aid for Rape Victims Chris Hall September 6, 2013
Effort seeks to help all rape victims get state aid sfgate.com Stephanie M. Lee Updated 8:06 pm, Tuesday, November 12, 2013