Stop The Raids Los Angeles

Media Info

For immediate release January 4th, 2024

Stop the raids LA Media Release

Take Action

Write City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto

one-link Opposition letter toolkit!

Upcoming Events

March 15th, Free Movie Screenings, Free popcorn, Free Coffee & Free Conversation.

Los Angeles Folks, don’t miss this screening Friday, March 15th 7pm with Writer and Director Antonia Crane

At the Skid Row History Museum & Archive
250 S. Broadway
LA, CA 90012

A young Latinx trans woman makes her rent in a story with no heroes and no victims. Lady Los Angeles illuminates the perspective and desires of one LA-based sex worker. This film reminds the world that sex workers through joy and solidarity save themselves—and each other every day.

Panel discussion w. Antonia Crane, Sydney Rogers aka Miss Barbie-Q and Jenn Elizabeth Moderated by Soma Snakeoil, founder of Sidewalk Project.

Screening Stop The Raids: Sex Workers Protest Hydee Feldstein Soto’s Criminalization – Runtime: 5 min. – Q&A

Click HERE for the full PDF Event Flyer

Event Info Slides

Latest Events & Information

LA Die in December 18th, 2023 – Hydee Feldstein Soto, end your bad policies!

Sex Workers Die-In Calls Attention To Bad Los Angeles City Attorney’s Policy And Marks- International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

On December 18th, The Stop The Raids Coalition Los Angeles branch invited others to join with local sex worker groups in calling out City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s policies that criminalize and harass sex workers and their clients, all under the guise of rescuing sex trafficking victims. Feldstein-Soto has been weaponizing the archaic Red Light Abatement Act of 1913 to shut down motels where LA residents, particularly sex workers, had worked indoors safely.

“Sex work should not be illegal, and neither should our living and workspaces,”
– Soma Snakeoil, Executive Director of The Sidewalk Project of Los Angeles.

The Die-In took place at 1 pm at City Hall on 12/18/23.

Sex Worker Groups Across America Came Together To Commemorate the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers on December 17. Therefore, the following day, December 18th, 2023, at 1 pm PST, they peacefully and ferociously protested against the discriminatory policies invoked by the Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstien Soto, policies that endorsed violence and discrimination against their colleagues who deserved to live and work free of violence.

The International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers was created in 2003 as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle, Washington, United States of America. When that serial killer Gary Ridgway was arrested, he had said he picked prostitutes as victims because they were “the easiest targets” and that “no one would miss them.”

“Ultimately, we demand decriminalization of our occupation to respect our human rights and dignity, protect us against violence and abuse, and improve our access to resources, Decriminalization of sex work (for both sex workers and our clients) is supported by a long list of reputable international organizations including Amnesty International, the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women, the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, UNAIDS, Human Rights Watch, World Health Organization and Landmark UN Report Calls for Sex Work Decriminalization It is about time the Los Angeles political class step up and protect all of its citizens.”
– Antonia Crane, a sex worker, union organizer, and PhD candidate at USC

Additionally, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto has announced targeting ‘sex trafficking’ along the Figueroa corridor. However, their own press release makes it clear that it’s about stopping consensual commercial sex. This enforcement will push sex workers into more isolated, dangerous areas, increasing the risk of violence.

For many, prostitution has become a social safety net due to systemic failures. Arresting sex workers and their clients doesn’t stop sex work but exacerbates the difficulties these individuals already face. Public resources are better allocated to address public health crises and societal challenges like affordable housing.

Action Alert – Take Action Now

To support this cause, we urge you to take action. Write a letter to City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto (cityatty.help@lacity.org), (213) 978-8100, demanding an end to these discriminatory policies and a focus on supporting marginalized communities.

Here is a sample letter to Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto:

Dear Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto,

As a Los Angeles resident, I am writing to register my strong opposition to your announcement to target the Figueroa Corridor. Your policies risk pushing women into more isolated and dangerous areas, increasing the risk of violence.

Your actions, facilitated by increased police arrests, do not address the root causes of sex work. Instead, they remove shelter and workspace, forcing individuals back onto the streets, exacerbating their struggles.

City resources should prioritize tackling poverty, homelessness, debt, and domestic violence, factors driving individuals, particularly single mothers, into prostitution. Criminal records further hinder individuals from leaving sex work and accessing other employment opportunities.

I am deeply concerned about the disproportionate impact of enforcement on communities of color. The targeting of vulnerable populations, including those experiencing homelessness and communities of color, is unjust and perpetuates systemic inequalities.
I urge you to reconsider these policies and explore alternatives that support individuals trying to make a living without further criminalization and displacement.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]