I think decriminalization, one, is very helpful to not make people think sex workers are something wrong or to not think they are evil. This is very helpful to eliminate the hate against sex workers and to promote respect for the sex worker.
The other piece, as we keep saying, is that the criminal law itself is creating the vulnerability of sex workers, which makes them become the target of violence. Particularly we see how anti-Asian hate can intersect with anti-sex work hate and make so many sex workers the targets of assault or murder.
By decriminalization, by taking away this criminal law so the sex worker can use all of this—and even now the legal system is not perfect—they can access those legal systems or support as other people can. As recommended by many sex worker organizations and by some legal and human rights organizations, providing social support is very important to reduce the vulnerability, exploitation and violence towards the sex worker.
Taking away this criminal law, the sex worker does not have to fear when they need to access those systems. It also plays an important role in removing the stigma, and that is a very important step.