Councilmember suggests loitering law return to combat sex trafficking in Seattle

SEATTLE — "An explosion of sex trafficking," is how one Seattle city council member described what's happening along Aurora Avenue in north Seattle.

Some business owners and residents told KOMO News something needs to be done.

During a recent community public safety meeting, councilmember Cathy Moore said one tool she's considering to address the issue is a proposal to reinstate Seattle’s loitering law.

Moore told a packed room of community members in late April that she believes the spike in sex trafficking is linked in part to the repeal of the city's loitering law back in 2020.

Members called on panel members including Moore and Seattle's Police Chief to talk about public safety. Overall, they told the panel they were fed up with crime in their north Seattle neighborhood, from gun violence to sex trafficking.

The moment Moore suggested reinstating the loitering law as a potential tool to address the spike in sex trafficking the room erupted in applause.

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Rudy Pantoja, who works as a liaison for businesses in north Seattle, was at that meeting. He manages their grounds and acts as a liaison when there are issues.

"We see something, we don't just see it, we clean it and fix it," said Pantoja. He said sex trafficking remains a huge concern for him and the community. When the nuisance motels along Aurora were closed, Pantoja said there was a brief pause in activity, but he insists he sees sex workers being dropped off in SUVs and the activity picked right back up.

"Until the laws are changed about loitering there's not much SPD can do," said Pantoja, "It's very dangerous especially at night, last night we had two nearby shootings...I think it (sex trafficking on Aurora Avenue) is a long debate over the years, but we need a backbone and someone to try something new."

An employee who works at a Stereo Warehouse near 137th Street and Aurora Avenue said she recently counted 30 sex workers over a two-mile stretch along Aurora. She said she had just come back from a nearby movie theater with her 12-year-old granddaughter.

"I said Zoe are you seeing this she said yeah, what do you do, just try to push past it," said Kenny.

Her boss and owner of Stereo Warehouse told me they see sex workers and cars pulling over on the daily right in front of their business.

"It's still bad out here there, they're still out there, and it's the crime that goes along with it. It is sad is what it is, there are still young girls out there," said Clark.

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Moore said during the meeting that the explosion of sex trafficking is creating a "tremendous amount of disorder and unsafety." She said the city has to address it and the community demands it.

Moore also emphasized this caveat: she said to restate the loitering law is not meant to criminalize or further victimize the sex workers...but to give officers an opportunity to begin conversations and intervention.

Since the law was repealed, the emphasis has been on the people who pay for sex.

"Having them out there and just arresting the johns isn't doing the job," said Kenny, "get them off the streets period, it's hard to bring grandkids on Aurora without them counting prostitutes."

Moore during the meeting also spoke of creating more safe houses for victims of sex trafficking and funding them.

The city's loitering law was repealed by the city council back in 2020 over concern that the law criminalized sex workers and also disproportionally impacted people of color.

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We reached out to Councilmember Moore's office today, requesting an interview. Her staff said she didn't have time today, but offered this statement instead:

"The community in D5 is demanding that sex trafficking and the associated gun violence on Aurora be addressed by the city. As the D5 representative, Councilmember Moore is working on a response to that call. She is engaging stakeholders including former sex workers, the Mayor’s office, City Attorney’s Office, and the Seattle Police Department to help craft a multipronged approach to give law enforcement the tools they need to proactively disrupt sex trafficking, provide support for those being trafficked, enforce the law against traffickers, and create a safe environment for all.”

During last month’s community meeting in north Seattle, Moore told constituents "her office is looking to coming forward with legislation in short order."