The district attorney's office last week launched a new policy that pushes arrested prostitutes into counseling—but will the change actually help sex workers get off the street?

On February 17, at a meeting of the city's newly formed 82nd Avenue Prostitution Advisory Council, East Precinct Police Commander Mike Crebs handed out results of a survey filled out by prostitutes last fall. The question "How long have you been a prostitute?" turned up responses ranging from "first time" to "35 years."

Until last week, arrested prostitutes were tried in community court, where Deputy District Attorney J.R. Ujifusa says they tended to be sentenced to community service or short stints in jail.

Ujifusa explains that the new plan removes the option of community court. Instead, it offers a plea bargain to defendants who have a previous prostitution-related conviction: They can enter counseling with nonprofit addiction agency LifeWorks Northwest or face a trial. If a jury finds the suspect guilty at trial, the district attorney will recommend he or she be put on probation and most likely mandate counseling anyway, as well as exclude the person from high prostitution areas along 82nd and Sandy.

Either way, the aim of the new program is to encourage arrested prostitutes to take counseling, says Ujifusa.

The city granted LifeWorks Northwest $250,000 in November to start up a sex worker-specific counseling program—and while the group currently only sees eight women for intensive counseling, it may treat up to 60 this year. Nevertheless, shifting prostitution cases out of community court and forcing prostitutes into counseling raises some red flags.

"Supposedly this will let them get help," says Public Defender Chris O'Connor. "But I have an idea: Why not simply help them... A conviction with probation is just another barrier."

"Counseling is often something that sex workers ask for and desire," says Crystal Tenty, outreach worker for Portland Women's Crisis Line. "But I am a really huge advocate of choice and letting someone choose whatever is right for their healing process, so I really don't like the idea that someone can be mandated to attend counseling."

Tenty also says that it's a shame women need to get arrested to access LifeWorks' counseling. Director of LifeWorks addiction services, Beth Glisczinkski, says counseling is restricted to only arrested women because otherwise requests for services would "swamp" the program. In Gliscinkski's experience, mandating counseling can work well: "Saying 'You have to do this' can help people make changes."

Sex worker advocates also note that the $250,000 the city awarded LifeWorks does nothing to target the root causes that force many women onto the streets in the first place—like Portland's lack of affordable housing.

"There's definitely a recurring theme of, 'I just need a place to stay tonight,'" said Multnomah County Health Department's Jessica Guernsey Camargo at the Prostitution Advisory Council meeting. "They need a place to get out of the game."