Rhode Island is the only state, except for certain counties in Nevada, that has no prohibition against indoor prostitution.“Why should Rhode Island have this dubious distinction?” Rep. Joanne M. Giannini, D-Providence, who introduced the bill, said after the vote. “Rape behind closed doors, is that permissible? Is murder permissible if it’s done behind closed doors?”Supporters of the bill include state and local police, who say that it’s needed to investigate and prosecute cases where prostitutes may be coerced or forced into prostitution, generally defined as human trafficking. (A separate bill also introduced by Giannini to strengthen the state’s law against human trafficking has yet to come up for a vote.)Opponents of the bill generally fall into two categories: those such as the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes what it views as an intrusion into peoples’ privacy, and those such as members of Brown University Students Against Human Trafficking, who say that criminalizing indoor prostitution will mean prosecuting prostitutes, who they view as victims.(The Rhode Island Coalition Against Human Trafficking has lobbied in favor of the bill to strengthen the laws against human trafficking, but has taken no position on the prostitution bill.)The amended version of the prostitution bill (H-5044 Sub A) approved Thursday includes a provision designed to protect victims of sex trafficking from being prosecuted by including an exemption for women who were “forced” into prostitution.In addition to being threatened, restrained or physically harmed, the bill states that force can include someone whose passport, immigration papers or other identification documents are confiscated, concealed or destroyed.“The bill gives the prostitute all of the outs,” Rep. Peter F. Martin said after the vote. “The prostitute can plead coercion … but the person procuring the services gets none of the outs. It’s against the johns.”