A petition to ban brothels in Lyon County was filed last week, spearheaded by activists from the organization, No Little Girl. They're trying to get at least 3,350 signatures by June 15th.
One of the reasons the group has started the petition, they say, is to reduce crimes against sex workers.
A former brothel worker, Rebekah Charleston says she is an advocate of the effort, "I think prostitution in itself is inherently violence against women." She adds that she was put to work in the brothel industry by a sex trafficker, "You don't get off time, every time that bell rings, it doesn't matter what hour it is, you're expected to be at that lineup."
However, current legal sex workers in Lyon County's brothels told us that they're not victims, at all.
Nova Sky, a worker at Kit Kat Ranch, says "[The petitioners] are framing this as a question of the safety of women, but we're very safe." Amelia Heart, also a worker at Kit Kat Ranch adds, "We don't have any of those fears that someone working on the streets would have."
They say a brothel repeal would hurt the county, overall. That's because the industry, the workers say, contributes a lot to the community. They noted a current fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club and revenue generated for the county.
Nova Sky says, "Our taxes have purchased all of the vehicles for Lyon County Sheriff's Department for at least the last few years."
Attorney Jason Guinasso, who is helping petitioners organize the brothel ban referendum says, "The tax revenue raised from legal brothels only accounts for less than one percent of Lyon County's annual budget."
Guinasso says another one of the petitioners' main concerns is that Lyon County is being "left out of the new Nevada economy" because of what they call "blight" in the brothel industry.
However, brothel workers said that is not the case. Alicia Little, a worker at the Bunny Ranch references other counties, "Talk to Lance Gilman who literally brought Tesla here to Nevada. Without Lance, who owns a brothel by the way, we wouldn't have Tesla here in Nevada."
If the petition gets enough signatures, it will go to the Lyon County Commission. Guinasso says, if commissioners vote in favor of the ban it will take effect. If they vote against it, it will go to Lyon County residents to decide in a ballot measure in November.
Here is a file stamped copy of the affidavit and referendum filed last week in Lyon County:
