Melissa Gira Grant
Senior Staff Reporter, The Appeal. Author, Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work.
More from The Appeal:
Senior Staff Reporter, The Appeal. Author, Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work.
Andrew Mitchell, a former officer in Ohio who was recently indicted on charges he kidnapped women and forced them to have sex for their freedom, will soon face a grand jury for killing Donna Dalton during a prostitution arrest.
Melissa Gira Grant Mar 28, 2019
A new coalition of people in the sex trades wants New York to become the first state to fully decriminalize their work.
Melissa Gira Grant Feb 25, 2019
Advocates say the case hasn’t been handled fairly and there’s little hope for justice.
Melissa Gira Grant Feb 01, 2019
In a wide-ranging interview, Boudin, a progressive reform candidate, told The Appeal he wants to redefine ‘public safety’ to encompass the rights of both victims and defendants.
Melissa Gira Grant Jan 15, 2019
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam just granted clemency to Brown, who was forced to trade sex for money, but Ohio’s governor declined this week to do the same for Martin.
Melissa Gira Grant Jan 11, 2019
The president is drawing on two decades of bipartisan support for crackdowns on traffickers to secure support for his agenda at the border.
A ban on dancers under 21 raises questions on the growing role of the state's Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control in policing clubs.
Melissa Gira Grant Dec 21, 2018
Everyone agrees the jail at 850 Bryant should close, but it’s not yet clear what would happen to those locked inside.
Melissa Gira Grant Dec 14, 2018
The landmark decision could help other transgender people in jails and prisons who have been denied access to hormone treatment, a violation of their constitutional rights.
Melissa Gira Grant Dec 07, 2018
The departing governor has chosen to pardon immigrants whose past criminal offenses put them in danger of deportation.
Melissa Gira Grant Nov 29, 2018
In 2016, the office said it dismissed such cases, but Legal Aid says that’s not what’s happening.
Melissa Gira Grant Nov 26, 2018
Supporters hope the passage of Prop C may herald a more compassionate—and effective—approach.
Melissa Gira Grant Nov 15, 2018
Victims’ rights campaign spent more than $70 million nationwide, with more than half of that spent in Florida.
Melissa Gira Grant Nov 07, 2018
Advocates say these charges endanger sex workers and urge the police to stop using them.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 31, 2018
Experts say playing up the risk of sex trafficking fuels anxiety and criminalization.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 19, 2018
The women, who were arrested alongside Stormy Daniels in July, allege that they were smeared by arresting officers, but they’re just the latest to raise concerns.
Melissa Gira Grant Oct 05, 2018
Two new reports challenge the efficacy and ethics of prostitution diversion programs in New York City and nationwide.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 21, 2018
Rep. John Becker doubles down on his recent comments about the tasing of an 11-year-old for allegedly shoplifting.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 14, 2018
State Senate candidate Julia Salazar explains how sex workers’ rights is a key part of reforming criminal justice in New York.
Melissa Gira Grant Sep 07, 2018
Community outrage mounts over Officer Andrew Mitchell’s killing of Dalton during an attempted prostitution arrest.
Melissa Gira Grant Aug 30, 2018
Local advocates are struggling with a new immigration memo that makes it more difficult to support these survivors.
Melissa Gira Grant Aug 22, 2018
Human rights groups, sex worker rights activists, a digital archive and others say they are already facing censorship.
Melissa Gira Grant Jun 28, 2018
As anticipated, district attorney finds no misconduct in raid that led to Yang Song’s fatal fall.
Surveillance video sheds some light on the police raid that killed Yang Song last year while, advocates say, the raids continue.
As part of International Whores' Day, hundreds gathered in New York City to protest new anti-sex work laws.
Melissa Gira Grant Jun 04, 2018
From local charities, to the editorial pages, to city politicians, New Orleans strip clubs were blamed for human trafficking, leading to abusive police raids – harming the dancers they claimed they were protecting, and pushing the dancers to fight back.
Melissa Gira Grant May 30, 2018