Reno, Nev., Sep 19, 2018 / 13:07 pm
Lyon County is one of the 10 counties in Nevada that allow for legal prostitution. But this November, Lyon County voters will have an opportunity to end the practice.
The initiative is a project of the End Trafficking and Prostitution Political Action Committee. Brenda Simpson, who works with the committee, told the BBC that prostitution is a type of slavery.
A recent petition has gained enough signatures from Lyon County residents to introduce a ballot initiative to close the four brothers in the rural county. If the initiative is successful, the political action committee hopes to imitate it in other counties as well. Similar efforts are already underway in Nye County.
Brothels have been legal in some of Nevada's counties since 1971. Advocates argue that legalized prostitution ensures safety measures are followed and benefits both owners and women. Opponents, however, argue that prostitution preys on vulnerable women who are usually not making a truly free choice.