I also want to thank my colleagues for their ongoing focus in improving public safety throughout our community and for exploring new thoughtful tools to protect our neighborhoods. In response to community feedback, amendments during Public Safety Committee discussions also added limiting potential SOAP orders to buyers and promoters by removing sellers , requiring development of training for police officers on trauma informed best practices for working with survivors of commercial sexual exploitation in consultation with survivor groups, and creating arrest policies that explicitly state diversion and referral to service, treatment, and safe housing is the preferred approach for prostitution loitering for sellers.
Bottom line: doing nothing is not an option and, while not a silver bullet, this bill establishes additional tools to disrupt the criminal activity that is concentrated along the corridor. It emphasizes diversion, referrals to social services, placement in safe houses, and other alternatives to booking while giving the Seattle Police Department more tools to get the pimps and johns off the streets and reduce the unacceptable gun violence we have been seeing in the neighborhoods around North Aurora.
The area has seen a dramatic increase in visible commercial sexual exploitation, escalating reported gunfire and general violence associated with it. The CSE legislation received its first public hearing during the Aug.
At that meeting, Councilmember Moore gave a presentation documenting the critical public safety issues, including gun violence, happening on Aurora Avenue connected with commercial sexual exploitation. The amended version was passed unanimously during the Sept. Additional background information, including the full text of the bill, is available in the council packet materials.
This change sends a clear message that the women and individuals we serve truly matter, and that the community stands behind them in the fight for justice. By removing the blame from the survivors and placing it on those responsible for their harm, we can begin to offer hope and healing, creating a system that uplifts rather than condemns. This is a crucial step toward a future where survivors can trust that their community will show up for them, and where exploitation is no longer tolerated.
