New York City Mayor Eric Adams has strongly criticised Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, targeting his long-standing support for the decriminalisation of prostitution and even questioning how such a position aligns with Mamdani’s religious faith. Adams argued that sex work cannot be separated from issues of trafficking and rising crime in the city, describing Mamdani’s position as “dangerous” and potentially harmful to vulnerable communities. The criticism was sparked by a resurfaced news report highlighting Mamdani’s earlier efforts to change New York’s prostitution laws, an issue he has advocated for since his successful state assembly campaign in 2020.
Speaking to reporters, Adams drew a direct link between prostitution and sex trafficking, stressing that legalising such work would place vulnerable people, especially women, in further danger. “I think he’s lost on the fact that sex trafficking is very much part of prostitution. We are trying to bring down crime, and he is talking about legalising sex work,” Adams remarked. He went on to add that neither women, men, nor young people should be on the streets selling their bodies, calling the practice both unsafe and morally unacceptable. Adams framed the issue as a public safety concern, suggesting that Mamdani’s views would endanger the very fabric of New York City by allowing exploitation to flourish.
Adams’ criticism also touched on religion, as he contrasted his own faith with Mamdani’s. “I’m a man of God, just as Mamdani says he’s a Muslim. I don’t know where in his Quran it states that it’s okay for a woman to be on the streets selling their body. I don’t know what Quran he is reading. It’s not in my Bible,” Adams said. He emphasised that, as a man of faith, he cannot reconcile religious teachings with the idea of supporting prostitution. His comments immediately stirred controversy, with critics pointing out that invoking religion in this debate risked targeting Mamdani personally rather than focusing on the policy itself.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old Queens assemblyman and self-described socialist, has consistently supported the decriminalisation of sex work, saying it would allow sex workers to operate without fear of prosecution and reduce the harm they face from abusive clients, exploitative pimps, or police harassment. During his 2020 campaign, Mamdani had declared, “Not only must we decriminalise sex work, we need a comprehensive platform of justice for all.” While state lawmakers would ultimately need to pass any bill legalising prostitution, as Mayor Mamdani could direct the NYPD to deprioritise enforcement, making his position highly significant in shaping policy.
Mamdani’s campaign quickly pushed back against Adams’s remarks, accusing the mayor of hypocrisy and of directly harming survivors of sex trafficking. In a strongly worded statement, his campaign highlighted that Adams’ budget cuts had stripped over $3 million from Safe Horizon, a major nonprofit that supports survivors of crime, including those impacted by trafficking and prostitution. “Mayor Adams’ reckless budget cut put thousands of victims in harm’s way,” Mamdani’s spokesperson said, promising that under his leadership, $40 million would be directed toward victim services through a newly envisioned Department of Community Safety. His team framed their approach as one that prioritises “genuine public safety” rather than criminalisation.
The broader debate surrounding decriminalisation remains sharply divided. Advocates argue that legal sex work can create safer conditions for workers by reducing exploitation and giving them legal protections, while critics warn of unintended consequences. Studies from regions like Nevada and several European countries, where prostitution has been legalised, have revealed spikes in human trafficking and the spread of organised crime, often tied to the increased demand for sex workers. For New York City, the clash between Adams and Mamdani underscores a deeper ideological divide over crime, safety, and the role of social policy in addressing complex urban challenges.
