Every year, federal and local law enforcement, conduct harmful, dangerous raids on sex workers in advance of the Super Bowl, under the guise of fighting sex trafficking.
But year after year, these Super Bowl raids have failed to identify few, if anyactual trafficking victims. Instead, they disrupt and destroy the lives of sex workers, who are subsequently forced through the criminal justice system for a publicity stunt. A report from the USC Gould School of Law’s International Human Rights Clinic strongly advocates against raids, calling them “ineffective” against trafficking and “traumatizing” to sex workers, predominantly women of color.
Stop the raids hosts symposiums aimed at informing media, the public, and legislators about the ongoing harms of law enforcement raids, in addition to meeting with legislators to inform them on harms of new legislation impacting sex workers in California.
Save the date! Feb 8th 2027!
StopTheRaids will be holding a rally on Monday February 8th 2027 ahead of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles to build community and spread awareness about harmful narratives and practices carried out by law enforcement under the guise of anti-sex trafficking operations. The event will take place at SoFi stadium in Inglewood, CA where the super bowl will be held. Save the date and join us!
June 2nd 2025 International Whore’s Day Visual Protest
On June 2, 2025, the 50th anniversary of International Whore’s Day in Los Angeles, a group of sex worker-led organizations and our allies occupied a park to create a visual protest using red umbrellas with a strong message. We collaborated with international sex workers all over the world. This action was led by Antonia Crane and it was inspired by the Belgian sex worker union UTSOPI, who continue to push for labor rights and visibility for sex workers around the world.
Organizations and individuals interested in participating in action to stop harmful law enforcement raids should contact info@esplerp.org
Stop the Raids Santa Clara Super Bowl 2026 Coverage
“Every year, in the lead up to the Super Bowl, the anti-trafficking cottage industry polishes the old turd: “Sporting events cause sex trafficking!” In reality, millions of dollars in anti-trafficking funds have empowered law enforcement and fake Christian nonprofits to harass, exploit, and arrest sex workers. The Super Bowl sex trafficking narrative is just their annual…well, Super Bowl—for spreading the myth.
The Super Bowl trafficking panic doesn’t reduce exploitation—it legitimizes policing that harms sex workers and immigrants while doing little to stop real trafficking.”
“That term — “myth” — also appeared in a 2019 Anti-Trafficking Review article that found media coverage had uncritically reported a Super Bowl sex-trafficking surge for years, despite evidence showing no link between the event and an increase in the criminal market.
Doogan worries that could change under AB 379, which took effect at the beginning of the year. She lives in San Francisco and is a spokesperson for Stop the Raids, a coalition that opposes prostitution raids. Gov. Gavin Newsom cited efforts to end human trafficking when he signed the bill.
“Still, operations framed as anti-trafficking tend to expose people selling sex — particularly migrants — to serious legal and immigration risks, said Maxine Doogan, founder of the San Francisco-based Erotic Service Provider Legal, Education and Research Project, which aims to challenge stigmas about sex work and dismantle what the group considers harmful laws. Doogan said she worried that ahead of Super Bowl LX, local police departments’ vice squads would continue to enforce anti-prostitution laws on the books.”
“You don’t need to arrest somebody for prostitution to rescue them from a situation,” she said. “The sex industry has been taking care of people who are involved in forced labor or in danger for decades. We’ve never had to arrest anybody.”
Stop the Raids Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII 2025 Coverage
Maxine Doogan, an organizer with the sex worker advocacy group Stop the Raids, said that a central issue in the conversation is the criminalization of prostitution. She said it can take away from actual public safety because resources are being used against consensual, adult sex workers that could be used elsewhere. “[Criminalization] diverts important public resources away from actual public safety, and the public is less safe,” Doogan said. She said anti-prostitution laws should be repealed.
A grassroots network led by and for sex workers in Las Vegas offering support through mutual aid, community events, and political activism.
ESPLERP
Sex Workers and Erotic Service Provider Legal, Educational and Research Project. Peer-led training, organizing, and advocacy for the erotic service community.
International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture and Education
2023 Stop the Raids committee members
SWOP Tucson
The Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) is a national grassroots movement which focuses on improving the lives of sex industry workers by promoting safety, dignity and diversity in sex work, and fosters an environment that affirms individual choices and occupational rights.
Feed PHX
Our mission is to end food and housing insecurity, in PHX AZ, through Intersectional Activism and Integrated Community Action.
RIOT
(Harm) reduction is our thing. We love respect & support people who use drugs through harm reduction.
Southwest Recovery Alliance
Southwest Recovery Alliance is a peer led, guided, and directed regional grassroots organization dedicated to the implementation of evidence based public health strategies, policy transformation, and justice reform for people who use drugs and engage in sex work in Arizona.
ESPLERP
Sex Workers and Erotic Service Provider Legal, Educational and Research Project. Peer-led training, organizing, and advocacy for the erotic service community.
2022 Stop the Raids committee members
US PROStitutes Collective
A multiracial network of women campaigning for justice for sex workers, economic resources and decriminalization of sex work.
ESPLERP
Sex Workers and Erotic Service Provider Legal, Educational and Research Project. Peer-led training, organizing, and advocacy for the erotic service community.
The Sidewalk Project
The Sidewalk Project, a lived experience mobile harm reduction project and needs based syringe service providers, aids unhoused, drug-using and sex worker populations, providing residents of Los Angeles with case management including medical care and housing linkage and system navigation services
Strippers United
Strippers United is a labor union dedicated to unionizing strippers in California and beyond. We believe in sane and safe work environments for strippers and sex workers.
Free Speech Coalition
The 501(c)6 trade association that protects the rights & freedoms of those in the adult industry.
SWOP Sacramento
The Sex Workers Outreach Project- Sacramento is a California State social justice network dedicated to reducing harm, improving healthcare, and upholding both civil and human rights of sex workers and their communities.
