IntroductionHere in the United States, we consider sex work a criminal act. Our conversations on the topic are often filled with judgment, harsh language, and the belief that sex workers are dirty, worthless, and undeserving of empathy, love, compassion, or basic human rights. As with most social injustices, we view people as less than human, and this dehumanization creates a culture where discrimination is possible. According to the Sex Workers Project, “Sex work is a term used to refer to all aspects of legal and illegal sex. industry” (Urban Justice Center Sex Worker Project, 2005). This includes the experiences of anyone participating in sexual transactions. However, before engaging in a discussion on this topic, it is important to understand the very distinct differences between sex work and human trafficking in the context of the sex industry. This industry is extremely diverse and can include pornographic actors, street sex workers, dancers, escorts, indoor sex workers, or trafficked or enslaved people. Human trafficking refers to anyone who is exchanged, sold, coerced, or forced to have sex for money, drugs, or something else. Usually the victim is not compensated, but someone else profits from these transactions. Conversely, sex workers are people who choose to enter the sex industry for a variety of reasons. Some of these may include economics, substance abuse, or even personal empowerment. For the purposes of our discussion, we will primarily discuss street and indoor sex work. Introduction to the Social ProblemIn this country, we currently do not have federal laws regulating street sex work. However, forty-nine states have laws in effect that identify the street and...... middle of paper ...... published as a result of field research, this regulation will not be effective in mediating sex work, they instead made recommendations to improve the living conditions of women. New Orleans in 1897 adopted more political attempts to hide sex work and created a red light district known as Storyville. American soldiers used these services most frequently, and these services quickly became an integral part of military culture. However, extremely high rates of STIs have been found among American soldiers. So in 1917 the district was closed and sex workers were moved to even more isolated areas to practice sex work and earn a living. This created even more dangerous working conditions. Following this, an extremely discriminatory policy was created known as the Chamberlain-Kahn Act of 1918. Essentially, any woman suspected of having contracted a sexually transmitted infection