I didn't say they were "bad apples" or that they weren't the majority of the industry - don't put words in my mouth. The fact remains that sex work is valid work when it is chosen and controlled by the women (and men) who elect to earn their living that way. And in the internet age, most sex workers don't need brothels or pimps, which means they work for themselves when they want to and with whom they want to. I've heard a lot of stories (from SWs) about the ways that good people have been helped by sex workers.

Of course there is a huge amount of trafficking and other horrendous shit still going on but that's not the entire industry and it's dehumanizing to the people who choose that work to pretend that it is. All sex workers put their safety and lives in danger but criminalization and stigmatization make that worse, not better. I can tell you that the sex workers I know do not want your pity, but they do want to live in a world where they can do their thing safely, legally, and with dignity. Acting like sex work isn't valid work, and that they are all victims isn't helping anyone. Yes, let's go after traffickers and pimps, and other people who prey on women (and men) but we don't have to dehumanize those who choose that work in the process.