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Rep. Thanedar calls for reform in sex work laws after Matt Gaetz report
The Indian American Congressman emphasized that decriminalizing sex work would allow sex workers to seek help from law enforcement when they are victims of abuse.
Congressman Shri Thanedar / Facebook
Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar of Illinois has called for the nationwide decriminalization of sex work, following a recent report by the House Ethics Committee regarding allegations against former Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Thanedar, in a Twitter post on Dec.26, emphasized that decriminalizing sex work would allow sex workers to seek help from law enforcement when they are victims of abuse. He argued that such a move would help prevent the trafficking and exploitation of minors and strengthen the legal protections available to sex workers.
“We should decriminalize sex work to maximize sex workers' legal protection and their ability to exercise other rights, including unionization, justice, and health care. Decriminalization and regulation would prevent trafficking and exploitation of minors,” Thanedar wrote. He added in a second tweet, “It also helps them report crimes against them.”
We should decriminalize sex work to maximize sex workers' legal protection and their ability to exercise other rights, including unionization, justice, and health care.
— Shri Thanedar (@ShriThanedar) December 26, 2024
Decriminalization and regulation would prevent trafficking and exploitation of minors.https://t.co/PkzKkh6ltT
Currently, sex work is only legal in Nevada, where it is heavily regulated. A 2023 count revealed that fewer than two dozen businesses operate statewide.
Thanedar’s comments followed allegations in the House Ethics Committee report that Gaetz had likely violated Florida’s statutory rape law during his time in Congress and paid women for sex between 2017 and 2020. The report included testimony from a woman who said she had sex with Gaetz at the age of 17 and was paid $400 for the encounter.
Gaetz has strongly denied the accusations, citing the Department of Justice’s decision not to pursue charges against him as evidence of his innocence. The report was released in early December after Gaetz resigned from Congress and withdrew his bid for attorney general amid the allegations.
Despite the controversy, Gaetz has shifted his focus to a media career with One America News and is considering a run for governor of Florida in 2026. However, he faces strong opposition within the Republican Party, including from several senators who oppose his potential candidacy.
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