Sex Worker and Violence Meeting Notes

3 - 4 pm February 17, 2015

850 Bryant Street, 3rd Floor DA Conference Room, San Francisco

Attendees: Tara Anderson, SFDA; Stephany Ashley, St. James Infirmary; Julius DeGuia, SFDA; Lt. Michael 

Dudoroff, SFPD SVU; Alan Guttirez, LYRIC; Kate Horton, UCSF; Allison Ipsen, DOSW; Minouche Kandel, 

DOSW; Julie Lim, DOSW; Dee Michel, St. James Infirmary; Simin Shamji, Public Defender; Sharon Woo, 

Review of District Attorney Immunity Policy 

Sharon’s most recent edits were reviewed again to refresh the group: 

 Two types: outstanding warrants/open cases and offenses charged at time of 

 The policy will say uncharged offenses (penal code §§ 647(a), 647(b), 653.22, 372, and minor 

 The Police policy will be important in regards to outstanding warrants/open cases – i.e. 

 The DA keeps prior cases/outstanding offenses open (does not grant immunity while the 

 The DA mentioned public education campaigns for potential jurors – make sure the public 

 Public Defender: If victims are already represented by or could be represented by the Public 

victimization/reporting

drug offenses) at the time of victimization/reporting will not be pursued, nor will future 

criminal actions concerning this content be prosecuted. 

whether victims/witnesses will be sited or arrest will occur due to reporting violent crime. 

violent offense case is open) while the witness testifies in order to avoid targeting by the 

Public Defender for bias. However, the DA makes sure her clients know that she recognizes 

they are victims in much more serious offenses compared to whatever minor charges they 

have, and that on a case by case basis she will drop minor charges later.

knows that sex workers are not just using this policy to get immunity for minor offenses. 

Defender, or already have a court date, then they can clear the outstanding warrant before 

they go to the police to avoid arrest. However, the DA expressed that she does not want to 

see delayed reporting in order to get on calendar. 

Outstanding warrants/open cases are a major barrier to reporting violence, and advocates have an 

obligation to not advise victims to take action that would put them in further harm. The DA agrees 

and though this piece may not be explicit in the policy, the conversations this group are having will 

inform practice and the lines of communication have been opened. Advocates expressed the need 

for a trusted point person within the DA that could be consulted for situational advice on how to 

Sharon understands the concerns with making cooperation contingent, however she cannot grant 

immunity to a non-cooperating victim nor recommend this as a policy to the DA if it states that 

immunity is not contingent on cooperation in the prosecution. However, for legal and process 

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reasons, the DA will not turn around and prosecute a victim for whatever she/he received immunity 

for (e.g. 647(b) or Contempt of Court) if the victim decides she/he no longer wants to testify. There 

was a discussion of the need for corpus to prosecute – personally stating that you are a sex worker is 

not corpus. Legally, victims of sexual assault and domestic violence cannot be held in Contempt of 

After discussion, the contingency piece was decided not necessary and will be removed entirely 

Update on Police Department Policy 

Lt. Dudoroff will check in with Captain Gracie to determine the status of submitted draft policy. In the 

meantime, the group will draft its ideal Police policy for guidance. 

Review of existing training content on sex work & sex trafficking

Lt. Dudoroff shared POST human trafficking training DVD. Training will be screened at the next service 

Next Meeting is March 24, 3pm-4pm, 850 Bryant, room TBD.