Vice President Kamala Harris has long voiced support for decriminalizing prostitution, both during her time as a California senator and as San Francisco’s district attorney. However, as she campaigns for the presidency in 2024, her stance on the issue remains unclear, with her campaign declining to confirm whether her views have shifted.
In 2019, while running for president, Harris openly expressed her belief that “sex work” among consenting adults should be decriminalized. “I think so, I do,” she told The Root during an interview. She clarified, though, that “it is not as simple as that,” noting the crimes surrounding prostitution that harm people. Harris stated, “I do not believe that anybody who hurts another human being or profits off of their exploitation should be … free of criminal prosecution.”
Harris highlighted her focus on prosecuting “pimps” and “johns” rather than the sex workers themselves. “For consenting adults,” she reiterated, “we should really consider that we can’t criminalize consensual behavior as long as no one is being harmed.”
Her position was consistent back in 2003 during her first campaign for San Francisco District Attorney. At the time, Harris said, “Consensual sex between consenting adults should not be a subject of prosecution,” while also emphasizing the link between prostitution and violent crime, victimization, and the need to prosecute “sexual abusers” and “statutory rapists.”
In 2008, Harris took a hard stance against Proposition K, a San Francisco ballot measure that sought to decriminalize prostitution by preventing police from investigating it. Harris denounced the measure, saying, “It’s completely ridiculous, just in case there’s any ambiguity about my position,” and arguing that it would attract pimps and prostitutes to the city. She added, “We’re in the practice and habit of protecting victims, not criminalizing victims.” Proposition K was ultimately defeated, with 59% of voters opposing it.
As Harris steps into the 2024 election spotlight, her current policy proposals remain vague, with no mention of prostitution decriminalization. Her campaign has declined multiple requests for comment on her present stance.
