Another Brothel Raid
And unlike ‘Club Osaka’ in 1990, the police did not throw the women in jail and let the customers go. ProJo has the story here. This use of the new law criminalizing indoor prostitution is not the usual routine of arresting prostitutes until they’re bailed out by their pimp. This kind of operation takes investigation [...]
New Law Used Well
Just a quick post before work– I’ve covered the anti-trafficking efforts in Rhode Island and did not support criminalizing indoor prostitution. Since the law passed I’ve always said I’d be glad to be proved wrong. Like most who worked on this issue, my agenda has been helping victims and bringing justice. Amanda Milkovits of the [...]
Congratulations Felicia
During the time I worked with the Coalition Against Human Trafficking I met many concerned and dedicated men and women who wanted urgently to extend help to people who were coerced into prostitution or involuntary labor. One of the women I immediately liked and trusted was Felicia Delgado. Felicia is herself a survivor of drug [...]
Against the ‘Spas’
Alert readers will note that in all the essays I’ve written about the controversy over prostitution in Rhode Island, I’ve never said it was a ‘victimless crime’. I’ve tried to make that distinction that opposing the arrest of prostitutes does not mean there’s no harm to the practitioners and the community in the proliferation of [...]
Claiming Victory
In today’s ProJo there’s a letter by Prof. Laura Lederer, congratulating the Journal for supporting the law criminalizing prostitution. She sees this as a step to fighting sex-trafficking. Depriving anyone of their freedom is a human rights violation, and forced prostitution is an atrocious crime. But so far, we have not seen criminals brought to [...]
Hope They’re Wearing Flame-Proof Vestments
For the clergy to issue a statement, even a late and mild one, shows moral courage. They’ll face criticism, but that’s their job, to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
Where No One’s Looking
The Rhode Island legislature is moving to ban indoor prostitution. The most likely result will be arrests at the spas. In police raids the women picked up are adults. They say they are in it for the money. Real trafficking is harder to find than through the doors of a storefront. If we want to [...]
Change the Mission, Declare Victory, Move On
Meanwhile, the real crime of forced labor and forced prostitution is committed against those who have the least power to seek the protection of the law.
Citizens Against Pleasure and Health
The erotic is a measure between our sense of self and the chaos of our strongest feelings. It is an internal sense of satisfaction to which, once we have experienced it, we know we can aspire. For having experienced the fullness of this depth of feeling and recognizing its power, in honor and self-respect we [...]
Test Case
The Journal editorial has one answer to the problem of exploitation– arrest prostitutes. This is essentially what two proposed bills will allow.
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