Forced labor and violent abuse are common in many industries eg [1][2]. That said, abuse in the sex industry is more widespread and horrible than I realized. Knowing what I know now I would've responded differently.

[1] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jessicagarrison/the-new...

[2] https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/policy-areas...

The four women I quoted are pointing out that workers prefer to have safer venues for doing business, more community connections, and better legal support for their business. To avoid cases of exploitation, improving social welfare is a good response.

Sex work by itself is neither liberating nor exploitative, just as any other domain of work isn't. That determination applies to the circumstance of the work, not the domain. Better policies can improve protections for sex workers and prevent coercive abuse as they have done in other industries.