New Arizona Law Targets Demand Behind Prostitution, Sex Trafficking

Authored by Allan Stein via The Epoch Times,

Arizona has enacted a law that increases penalties for people who buy or attempt to buy sex, and directs new funding to services for victims of sex trafficking.

Under the law, paying, agreeing to pay, or offering to pay for sexual conduct is now a felony offense and carries mandatory jail time. Offenders must also pay a $200 assessment, with all proceeds dedicated to programs that assist trafficking survivors.

A first offense can result in up to 15 days in jail, while a second offense carries up to 30 days.

“Arizona is going after the demand that fuels prostitution and sex trafficking,” said state Rep. Selina Bliss, chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee, in a June 8 statement.

“This is a victory for families, neighborhoods, and victims who deserve a path out,“ Bliss, who co-sponsored the bill, added. ”The people paying for sex are funding an industry that traffickers exploit, and communities across Arizona are left to deal with the crime, abuse, and damage that follow.

“This law holds offenders accountable, puts money directly toward helping victims recover, and puts every person who pays for sex in Arizona on notice: you can face jail time, a felony record, and the consequences that come with it.”

House Bill 2720 also expands protections for trafficking victims. Courts must seal records tied to prostitution convictions that are later vacated because the individual was a victim of sex trafficking. Supporters say the change will help survivors pursue jobs, housing, and other opportunities without the burden of a criminal record.

Lawmakers said the bill was developed with input from local officials, advocacy organizations, neighborhood groups, schools, and residents seeking stronger action against prostitution and sex trafficking.

Parts of Phoenix, including a three-mile corridor known as “The Blade,” have long been associated with street prostitution. In 2025, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed 437 prostitution-related cases, fueling debate between law enforcement officials and advocates who argue that many people arrested for prostitution are trafficking victims rather than willing participants.

A 2015–2016 study by Arizona State University found evidence that sex trafficking in Arizona had grown substantially over the previous 15 years.

Researchers noted, however, that the increase could have reflected both a rise in victimization and greater public awareness and enforcement efforts.

In Arizona, prostitution is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail, a $2,500 fine, and as much as three years of probation, according to AZDefenders.com.

Related offenses include solicitation, pandering, facilitating prostitution, and child prostitution.

Escort services remain legal under Arizona law, provided no sexual acts are offered or exchanged for compensation.

Arizona is home to two federally funded human trafficking task forces—the Southern Arizona Anti-Trafficking Unified Response Network and the Central Arizona United to Stop Exploitation Task Force—as well as the City of Phoenix Human Trafficking Task Force and the Governor’s Human Trafficking Council. Together, they work to raise awareness, identify victims, and expand support services for survivors.