Creating change, one law at a time.
Our World Without Exploitation advocacy priorities.

Changing minds and hearts on the issue of commercial sexual exploitation is critical to our efforts at World Without Exploitation (WorldWE). But lasting cultural transformation will only occur when we also change the laws that have allowed the sex trade to flourish in the United States, and beyond our borders. With over 200 member groups working in virtually every state in the nation, WorldWE is uniquely situated to support local and statewide advocacy efforts, while spearheading and coordinating national policy campaigns. Our current advocacy priorities include:

The Equality Model (Partial Decriminalization): Fighting for a world where those who have been bought or sold are never criminalized.

WorldWE is leading the national fight for the Equality Model, a legal approach that repeals laws that criminalize people who are exploited in the sex trade, and instead offers them the comprehensive, trauma-informed social services they need to exit the sex trade and rebuild their lives.  

Importantly, the Equality Model seeks to also hold pimps, sex buyers, brothel owners and other third-party exploiters accountable for the devastating harms they cause.  

Sometimes called the Nordic Model or partial decriminalization, the Equality Model originated in Sweden in 1999 as a tool to combat commercial sexual exploitation while promoting gender equality.  

In the years that have followed, the Equality Model has been adopted by a host of countries that have prioritized human rights and gender justice, including Canada, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Iceland, France, Israel, and Norway.  

In 2023, WorldWE in partnership with organizations, policy champions, and survivor leaders on the ground successfully passed through legislation in Maine that decriminalizes prostituted people and provides them avenues to seek criminal record relief, while maintaining penalties for pimps, sex buyers, and brothel owners! 

We continue to support efforts in Massachusetts and New York to pass comprehensive Equality Model legislation. 

Today, through our “Equal Not Exploited” Campaign, launched in 2019,  WorldWE is coordinating a growing network of allies who are advocating for the adoption of the Equality Model in more states across the nation.  

FIND OUT MORE & GET INVOLVED

Visit Equality Model

World Without Exploitation policy: A state-by-state approach

World Without Exploitation opposes the growth of the commercial sex trade via legalization or full decriminalization of prostitution. Our coalition has mounted opposition in states and localities across the country where there are legislative efforts to fully decriminalize or legalize prostitution. The effect of these policies would be to legalize sex buying, brothels, pimping, sex tourism, and other third-party exploiters. WorldWE stands with survivors in opposition to these efforts. 

WorldWE works to fight these initiatives, and we offer the Equality Model as the alternative, common sense policy solution.

FOLLOW OUR STATE-BY-STATE POLICY OBJECTIVES

Visit Equality Model

#KidsArentCriminals: Advocating for an age-appropriate, trauma-informed criminal justice response to child victims of sex trafficking.

Engaging a new generation of anti-exploitation leaders in our advocacy efforts is key to lasting, generational change. And lasting change is what the #KidsArentCriminals campaign, created by the WorldWE Youth Coalition, is all about.  

#KidsArentCriminals was created to advocate for federal passage of “Sara’s Law”  (House Resolution 2858), a bill that would allow federal judges to impose reduced sentencing for juvenile sex trafficking survivors who commit crimes against their exploiters.

In addition to advocating for Sara’s Law, WorldWE strives to ensure juvenile sex trafficking survivors are treated as victims and not criminals in every step of their journey by supporting Safe Harbor legislation that disallows states from arresting youth for prostitution and, instead, providing them with services.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WORLD WITHOUT EXPLOITATION YOUTH COALITION

View the Youth Coalition

SEE IF “SARA’S LAW” HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN YOUR STATE

Learn More

SEE IF YOUR STATE HAS A “SAFE HARBOR” LAW

View the Map

SARA'S LAW IN ILLINOIS

HB 3414