Seven months after Seattle leaders passed controversial laws aimed at reducing gun violence and sex trafficking along Aurora Avenue North, enforcement appears to be lagging behind expectations. Despite strong rhetoric from city officials promising a crackdown, the city has issued just five “Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution” (SOAP) orders to date.
City Attorney Ann Davison and Councilmember Cathy Moore championed the new legislation last year, reinstating the misdemeanor offense of prostitution loitering and introducing SOAP orders to ban alleged offenders from areas known for sex work activity. Aurora Avenue North, between North 85th and North 145th Streets, was designated a primary enforcement zone.
City officials argued the measures would help combat organized sex trafficking and reduce shootings attributed to turf disputes among pimps. By deterring buyers from frequenting the area, they hoped to disrupt the illicit market and associated violence. However, with only five SOAP orders issued and nine men charged with prostitution-related misdemeanors since October, the effort has so far fallen short of its ambitious goals.
Most of those targeted are low-income men who qualify for public defense, and four out of the five SOAP orders have been issued against non-white defendants. One required an interpreter in court due to limited English proficiency. All five cases are still pending, meaning the individuals remain banned from the designated zone without having been convicted.
A spokesperson for the City Attorney’s Office (CAO), Tim Robinson, said delays stemmed from a court procedural issue: suspects were being released without scheduled hearings, making it impossible to promptly request SOAP orders. He added that the city anticipates issuing more SOAP orders in a timely manner going forward.
Seattle Municipal Court Judge Damon Shadid, who issued two of the five orders, emphasized that each request is evaluated individually. “SOAP orders should not be used indiscriminately. Factors like prior convictions, potential harm to defendants’ livelihoods, and access to services in the area must be considered,” he said.
Of the five individuals under SOAP restrictions, three had prior arrests for solicitation that were ultimately dismissed. Still, the city’s law enforcement strategy—centered on police sting operations—remains expensive and resource-intensive. Each operation can involve up to 20 officers, decoy training sessions, and covert surveillance.
Police reports reveal the often-targeted nature of the stings. In one case, a man asked an undercover officer—wearing revealing attire—if she was law enforcement before requesting to touch her. Another was arrested after asking the price of sex and driving off without engaging in any act. One man, arrested in a Lowe’s parking lot, later testified he lived within the SOAP zone, complicating his ability to comply with the ban.
Critics argue that the city’s focus on penalizing buyers—especially those with limited financial resources or legal representation—misses the mark. According to Matt Sanders, Interim Director of the King County Department of Public Defense, these enforcement tactics do little to reduce sex trafficking or gun violence.
“These policies fail to achieve their intended outcomes. In fact, they often exacerbate the vulnerabilities of sex workers while targeting the most marginalized members of the community,” Sanders said. He pointed to research from University of Washington professor Katherine Beckett, whose work critiques Seattle’s past use of SOAP zones, as evidence that the approach is ineffective and harmful.
Sanders and other advocates argue for solutions rooted in social support rather than punishment. “We already know what works—emergency shelter, affordable housing, and economic support programs. These are the tools that will truly address exploitation and violence,” he added.
Public defenders note that many of those arrested are immigrants—an especially vulnerable group amid ongoing national crackdowns on undocumented communities. While white men are more likely to seek sex through private, less visible channels and can afford private attorneys, immigrant men face disproportionate scrutiny and legal consequences.
Despite the slow start, the City Attorney’s Office maintains that SOAP orders are part of a larger initiative to deter sex trafficking and criminal activity along Aurora. “We are trying to build a culture of accountability. SOAP orders are just one aspect of our broader strategy,” said Robinson.
As the city continues to navigate the challenges of balancing public safety, civil liberties, and social equity, the effectiveness—and fairness—of SOAP enforcement remains under scrutiny. Whether the program evolves into a more impactful initiative or fades into bureaucratic inertia may depend on what steps city leaders choose to take next.
