Editing Human sexuality (section)

====Sexual privacy====
{{See also|Sexual and reproductive health and rights}}
While the issue of privacy has been useful to sexual rights claims, some scholars have criticized its usefulness, saying that this perspective is too narrow and restrictive. The law is often slow to intervene in certain forms of coercive behavior that can limit individuals' control over their own sexuality (such as [[female genital mutilation]], [[forced marriages]] or lack of access to reproductive health care). Many of these injustices are often perpetuated wholly or in part by private individuals rather than state agents, and as a result, there is an ongoing debate about the extent of state responsibility to prevent harmful practices and to investigate such practices when they do occur.<ref name=SexualityLaw1 />

State intervention with regards to sexuality also occurs, and is considered acceptable by some, in certain instances (e.g. same-sex sexual activity or [[prostitution]]).<ref name=SexualityLaw1 />

The legal systems surrounding [[prostitution]] are a topic of debate. Proponents for criminalization argue that sex work is an immoral practice that should not be tolerated, while proponents for decriminalization point out how criminalization does more harm than good. Within the feminist movement, there is also a debate over whether sex work is inherently objectifying and exploitative or whether sex workers have the agency to sell sex as a service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/kate-heartfield-do-prostitutes-sell-themselves-or-a-service-1.877652|title=Kate Heartfield: Do prostitutes sell themselves or a service?|last=Heartfield|first=Kate|website=Times Colonist|access-date=30 October 2019}}</ref>

When sex work is criminalized, sex workers do not have support from law enforcement when they fall victim to violence. In a 2003 survey of street-based sex workers in NYC, 80% said they had been threatened with or experienced violence, and many said the police were no help. 27% said they had experienced violence from police officers themselves.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sexworkersproject.org/downloads/RevolvingDoor.pdf|title=Revolving Door|last=Thukral|first=Juhu|date=2003|website=Sex Workers Project|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040103043554/http://sexworkersproject.org/downloads/RevolvingDoor.pdf|archive-date=2004-01-03}}</ref> Different identities such as being black, transgender, or poor can result in a person being more likely to be criminally profiled by the police. For example, in New York, there is a law against "loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution", which has been nicknamed the "walking while trans" law because of how often transgender women are assumed to be sex workers and arrested for simply walking out in public.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/8/2/20692327/sex-work-decriminalization-prostitution-new-york-dc|title=Sex workers' fight for decriminalization, explained|last=North|first=Anna|date=2 August 2019|website=Vox|access-date=30 October 2019}}</ref>