But at the level of material reality, criminalisation is not just a helping hand or a slap on the wrist. Often, charges like ‘breach of parole’ (continuing to sell sex after having been previously apprehended for it) generate much harsher penalties than the crime of prostitution itself, such as time in jail rather than a fine. Jail means that, if they have children, they will likely lose custody, and that upon release they are likely to be made homeless,† will struggle to find ‘legitimate’ employment, and may be barred from some kinds of social safety net provisions, such as public housing.24
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