Following are recommendations of The World Summit: End Sexual Exploitation 2025, held May 11-12, 2015, at The Carter Center, Atlanta, Ga.

Contact: Deanna.Congileo@emory.edu

All forms of sexual exploitation are a violation of fundamental human rights and human dignity. Commercial sexual exploitation is gender-based violence and a public health crisis made possible by unethical and ungrounded male entitlement, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable among us. We oppose language and law that allows for the dehumanization of people who have been commercially sexually exploited. We support the adoption of an international Convention Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation. We support the passage of local, state, and international laws that recognize the intersections of all forms of commercial sexual exploitation including, but not limited to prostitution, pornography, stripping, and trafficking as violations of basic human rights. This recognition and the principles laid out within the Convention should inform all legislation created by this convening of world leaders going forward. We appreciate and recognize all reforms, while remaining steadfast in this principled commitment toward abolition. These efforts must rely on the leadership, guidance, and voice of survivors.

The conference formed working groups of experts and advocates in law enforcement, business, and those who provide services to survivors of exploitation. All recommendations from these groups will be available in the coming days. Because legislation serves as the foundation of the changes we seek, the basis of future work will be based on the recommendations made by the legislation working group as follows:

• Criminalize the purchase of all forms of commercial sex, recognizing that this represents abuse of power over exploited people.
• Oppose the legalization of prostitution, and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation. This approach does not protect vulnerable people and does not promote harm reduction. To the contrary, studies show that legalization increases exploitation and violence against women.
• Support the Nordic Model and work toward its adoption in the United States and around the world.
• Hold corporations that support and promote sexual exploitation responsible for their participation in exploitation.
• Provide comprehensive social services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation so survivors have the opportunity to realize their full potential.
• Encourage the use of civil causes of action and expand existing statutes of limitation.
• Abolish laws that penalize people victimized by commercial sexual exploitation, expunge all criminal records relating to it, recognizing the injustice of charging people with a crime committed against them and crimes that occur as a direct result of exploitation.
• Create sustainable economic empowerment legislative funding mechanisms for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.
• Prioritize prevention strategies as an integral form of combating commercial sexual exploitation.
• Designate resources toward law enforcement efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.
• Repeal legislation that protects predatory and exploitative behavior promoting commercial sexual exploitation on the internet.
• Eliminate the word "prostitute" and "sex work" or any other language that legitimizes commercial sexual exploitation from any legislation.

About the conference
The World Summit: End Sexual Exploitation 2025, May 11-12, 2015, in Atlanta, Ga., brought survivors of sexual exploitation together with advocates in the modern abolitionist movement, faith-based organizations, law enforcement, business leaders, and policymakers from around the world to seek solutions to the systemic conditions that make women and children vulnerable to sexual abuse, manipulation, and exploitation for profit.

The various groups, which represent nine different countries and which rarely have the chance to interact, shared knowledge and resources to develop concrete plans to dismantle the sexual exploitation industry. Scheduled participants included retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Robert Corker, sex trade survivor and founder of Girls Educational and Mentoring Services Rachel Lloyd, and former ambassador and women's rights activist Swanee Hunt.

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.