Vice President Harris’ campaign has declined to clarify her current stance on decriminalizing sex work, a position she supported during her 2019 presidential run.
This is one of several progressive positions Harris has either distanced herself from or gone quiet on as she has shifted toward more centrist views in her bid for the White House.
In February 2019, when asked by The Root whether sex work should be decriminalized, Harris responded, “I think so, I do,” stating that consensual activities between adults shouldn’t be criminalized if no one is being harmed. However, she emphasized that those exploiting or harming others should still face legal consequences. Harris also noted that as San Francisco’s district attorney, she advocated for focusing on prosecuting Johns and pimps rather than arresting sex workers.
However, Harris’ stance has not been consistent. In 2008, long before her presidential campaign, she opposed a San Francisco ballot measure to decriminalize prostitution, calling it “completely ridiculous” and warning it could attract more pimps and sex workers to the city.
When approached by Axios, the vice president’s campaign declined to comment on whether her current views align more with her 2008 or 2019 position. They also did not make Harris available for a brief interview, continuing her limited media engagement compared to other presidential candidates.
Over the last decade, many Democrats and progressives have pushed for decriminalizing sex work, with the goal of reducing harm to sex workers. This approach focuses on reducing penalties rather than full legalization. Figures like Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) have advocated for decriminalization, while groups like the ACLU argue that criminalizing sex work increases vulnerability and discourages victims from reporting violence. In 2023, Maine eliminated penalties for selling sex, though penalties for buying sex remain in place. Similarly, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) introduced a 2019 resolution calling for the removal of criminal penalties for sex workers across all states.
Harris has increasingly distanced herself from many of her progressive positions from the 2020 Democratic primary, shifting to the center on issues like immigration and health care. Since declaring her candidacy in July, following President Biden’s decision to step down, Harris has also changed her stance on banning fracking, Medicare for All, and has shown support for a bipartisan border security bill including funding for a border wall she once opposed.
