Frequently Asked Questions

Our mission is to create safe and sustainable exits from exploitation and the sex trade through quality programming, strategic partnerships, and comprehensive legislative initiatives. 

Safe Exit Initiative is a 501(c)(3) organization; a federally recognized nonprofit organization. As a nonprofit, SEI operates on funds awarded through competitive grant and contract opportunities, as well as donations from supporters in the community. 

Partial decriminalization legislation that follows the EM protocols, eliminates criminal penalties for people selling sex, provides survivor-led comprehensive resources and supports for people in the sex trade as well as those wishing to exit. Most importantly, EM legislation is forward-looking, not only addressing the oppressions of the sex trade, but also the racial and gender-based inequities that act as push and pull factors into the sex trade for many.

In short, the Equality Model works to end the sex trade by targeting demand. If people didn’t buy sex people wouldn’t sell sex. The Equality Model consists of four key elements: (1) decriminalization of the prostituted person, (2) criminalization of sex buyers and facilitators with a commitment to treating buying sex as a serious crime, (3) a public education campaign about the inherent harms of prostitution, and (4) funded, robust, holistic exit services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation.