Dear State Attorney Generals and colleagues such as Melissa Farley, Donna M. Hughes,
While you run around patting yourselves on the back for shutting down the so called “Wal Mart of Human Trafficking” you may want to ponder the harm you have done. Just how stupid do you figure traffickers are? Closing one website is supposed to stop them? Give me a break. Craigslist was just the latest one you choose to crucify for the benefit of your resumes. The traffickers have plenty of other outlets.
Let me clue you in on what you did. When I was a trafficking victim and the calls didn’t come in, I ended up working the street. Try working a Cincinnati street in December. Perhaps some activists shut down a publication back then. Who paid the ultimate price? The prostitute not the trafficker.
You want to rescue trafficking victims. Start at the bus station. Find out where the runaway teens are and there are your potential US trafficking victims. Build trust with them, build programs that get them off the street and back to school. It isn’t flashy, doesn’t generate the big headlines but it would cut into the supply of traffickers. You have to give potential trafficking victims a place to go, shelter, health care, job skills, or the traffickers will always win. Stop criminalizing prostitution because you drive the prostitutes farther underground. If you want the trafficking victim or the prostitute to trust the cop, take away the criminalization. No one is going to go to someone that will arrest them for help. But then again stopping trafficking isn’t really the point is it? Point is career advancement.
I was a trafficking victim and let me tell you something. He would have laughed at your closedown of Craigslist. Just move me to the street until he finds a new venue. What do you figure faux care about trafficking victim types? You figure Bruce the pimp would have just had a going out of business sale, put me at half price than 70 percent off and closed? He would have beaten the shit out of me because the money wouldn’t be coming in until he found a new venue.
This shut down of craigslist is a total farce perpetrated by faux rescuers that are nothing but publicity pimps looking for the shiny light.
Filed under: Sex Worker Rights |
Bound, Not Gagged 
Thank you for this Jill. You are so right on.
Sex traffickers also don’t care if their victims get arrested on the street because they know they’re safe. No one will ever get to them and put them away. They don’t care about risks and dangers that consenting adult sex workers care about. Yet another thing the antis constantly miss.
XX
@Amanda, many of the anti’s, certainly Farley and the state’s attorney generals are pimps themselves. I don’t see the difference between the two. Farley uses prostitutes and throws them away. What do they get for being studied? These attorney generals are the same ones that will prosecute both the trafficking victims and sex workers. I fail to see how they are different than the pimps and traffickers they talk about.
By the way, Donna M. Hughes, Melanie Shapiro, where is my money?
Oh boo fucking hoo. It just became harder for you to have to work 10 hours a week and make 10x what blue collar workers make working 40. Cry me a fucking river, you’re soooo oppressed.
Thank you so much for writing about your perspective. In Cambodia the brothels have been shut down and now direct sex workers work in karaoke bars, beer gardens and also in parks selling oranges (which is a front for sex work). There can be a modicum of safety in nightclub venues as the women can choose their clients and there are freedoms they have that brothel workers didn’t have but, essentially, as Laura Agustin pointed out, the ILO, and Annuska Derks, the % of women actually trafficked where there is no consent is under 10%. It is a situation of debt bondage where they are fronted money to their family and they work off the debt and that is what troubles the anti-trafficking movement. Now these women–the 90% that consented to this set up–don’t have that. They also don’t have health groups monitoring HIV rates and doing health promotion as the direct sex workers are harder to find now. Our NGO that goes into beer gardens and surveys women there/put on workshops, lost their grant and have had a hard time finding support for the data analysis because there aren’t enough direct sex workers in the samples. Problem is, may will not admit to sex work to escape prosecution. Also, troubling is that “condems as evidence” is also being employed by police in Cambodia (http://www.hrw.org/node/91737), which further puts sex workers at risk. It is a deeply troubling situation in a country climbing out of poverty after 30 yrs of conflict where the HIV rates, just a few years ago, spiked to 40% in sex worker populations and climbed to 30% in married men and married women (the men, a highly mobile group, infected their wives). Rates have gone down, but it is likely, in this situation, that they will climb again. Women in entertainment establishments, and the men, drink a lot and condom use declines.
In defense of the anti-traffickers, I’d like to say that I do believe that some good intentions were originally in place. Women’s Funding Network in the US wanted to change legislation that criminalized teens and girls arrested for prostitution, which I think is a good thing. But, unfortunately it went a lot further than that, didn’t it? Here’s a report they presented at the UNIFEM conference (Amada, this the report I was talking about which hadn’t been put up in their website in June when the conference happened but apparently got put up in July): http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/resource/report/men-who-buy-sex-with-adolescent-girls-a-scientific-research-study
Michelle,
Thank you so much for this! I can’t wait for your blog!
XX
@Why Bother, there is nothing stopping you from becoming a sex worker and making the money you reference. Yeah, it may include having sex with men when you don’t want to, or don’t have the sexual preference for sex with men, but then again, that is something many of us deal with. So save it. Styx already coined the poor suffering blue collar man.
I think that Whybother’s comments reflect the attitudes many people have. Despite what many people may think, sex work isn’t always quick, easy money. It’s often an unstable income in which we don’t know what we’ll make from one day to another…not only in prostitution, but in various types of sex work.
Sex workers often don’t have set salaries, but only get paid per client, and this is also true in various types of sex work. Sex workers are some of the hardest working people and represent a variety of income backgrounds.
Please, sex workers do not work hard. The specific reason they get into the business is because the money is so amazing. If you can pay your bills and have money left over for manicures, pedicures, massages, and ipods…you ain’t working hard.
If there’s one thing that I’ve noticed among sex workers, it’s a whiny sense of entitlement.
You’re just trolling and there’s really no point in responding to you any further. My comments weren’t just to you but to anybody who thinks that way.
@sexworkerad
So if it’s such hard work, and the money’s so bad, why get into it?
The social stigma? The legal risk? The risk to bodily person? The risk of disease? The risk of std’s?
Now I’m sure that SOME of the people that get involved in it are in it because the economy’s shit right now, but I think it’s fair to say that the main reason most of you do it is plain and simple: easy, tax free money.
I never said the money’s bad. For some people, it’s great money; for some people, it’s average money; for some people, it may barely cover their living expenses, for some people, it doesn’t cover their living expenses. Like I said, sex workers are a variety of income levels…and many of us do pay taxes. Criminalization makes it harder for sex workers who work illegally to pay taxes because they would be incriminating themselves by reporting this income on their tax forms…just one more reason to decriminalize prostitution. This comment isn’t just to Whybother, but to anybody who’s reading this.
@whybother,
Troll, stick to commenting on the Philadelphia Eagles or come up with something worth responding to. Your posts suck.
Jeez Jill, what’s crawled up your ass and died?
It’s called a different point of view. You can want the world to think EXACTLY like you do, about how there’s nothing shameful about offering your body up for money, but it will never happen because of a little thing called love.
See, normal, un-fucked up people reserve physical affection for people that they care about, not anyone with $200 and a place to host. And so long as people feel that emotion, those same people will think it’s an ugly, ugly thing to commodify anything associated with that feeling.
You can make up as many Orwellian sounding terms like “sex-negative/positive” to try to deny this, but it will never work. There will always be a stigma.
It just amazes me how it’s not enough for you women to get paid ridiculous amounts of money for fucking other people’s husbands, but you have the gall to whine, whine, whine about how unfair the world is to you.
What crawled up my ass and died? Cliches. I hate them, and you have offered nothing but cliche laced with jealous anger because you see a population that you believe has something you can’t access. Go to a Tea Party event, you will fit in there.
I do it because I’m sexually gifted and talent. I’m just sharing the love and I work long hours and many days in a row, just like the rest of america does to make ends meet.
FYI, maintenance is part of the cost of doing biz and I don’t get write it off either when I pay my taxes.
@ why Bother.
You said-
“Oh boo fucking hoo. It just became harder for you to have to work 10 hours a week and make 10x what blue collar workers make working 40. Cry me a fucking river, you’re soooo oppressed.”
I’m left to wonder weather you will be happier when these girls get jobs that over work them and don’t pay them what they are worth. Is that justice to you? I suppose as long as EVERYONE is being treated like a slave, its all good.
The problem that we have with this censorship is that our money and livelihoods are being fucked with for mythical reasons which you sheeple happily buy into so you can feel better about your own moral lives.
I suppose its only fair when the politicians work 10 hours a week at 10 times the blue collar workers rate. How else are they going to afford THEIR call girls right?
Whybother,
You did NOT just say what you did to Jill. Read her history. And shut the fuck up.
Man, so much hatred for the sole reason that I have the viewpoint that it’s kind of self-centered and ugly to sell one’s body for money.
Just fyi, I’m an agnostic, I think the tea partiers are victimized dullards, and I voted for Cynthia McKinney in the last election. So I’m no religious fundamentalist, as much as you ladies might prefer that the only people objecting to the selling of oneself as demeaning be such people. Kind of telling that your viewpoint is so limited that you would make such assumptions.
It is in fact possible to find prostitution an ugly and demeaning business (for both sides), without being a bible thumper. Perhaps your perceptions of me are what are truly cliche, Jill.
@Maxine-Are you seriously using the phrase “sharing the love”, when you charge for it? You ain’t sharing shit, you’re providing a service. Pretty amazing that you would actually complain that you can’t deduct having your nails done from your taxes as a business expense when you…don’t pay taxes in the first place. Clearly I’m way off base with my perception of “sex workers” as over-entitled whiners. Not that I think labor should be taxed anywhere near the rate it already is, but that’s a separate issue.
Just for the record, I do think it should be legal and safe, but I still would never want my daughter, sister, mother, friend to do it. And I think you ladies are lying to yourselves if you say that you’re not exploiting the lonely, ugly, and socially inept as well.
@Lola
I think it’s sad that you define “what you’re worth” with what someone will pay you to suck their dick. It seems to me that you’re arguing that ultimately a woman’s real worth is based on how hard she can make a man cum. Could be true, honestly, I’m really not sure about this.
@Amanda
Do you know my history? Do you care to know? If not perhaps YOU should be quiet instead of hurling such vicious and dismissive invective towards me while ignorant of my personal history.
And lastly, as for my jealousy of not being able to access a world of leisure etc.
There honestly is some jealousy, and annoyance at the ultimate unfairness of it all. Just as I’m repulsed by the exploiters at the top of food chain, be they wall street or corporate execs., political scumbags, or corporate ceo’s that rape and murder, while getting to live a life of leisure…yes I do find whores to be similarly distasteful. They have no concern for anyone besides themselves, or their immediate circle, they rationalize immoral behavior because of the material rewards, and they exploit the weak (in this case lonely or married dudes that can’t get laid). Sure, it doesn’t happen in all cases, and quite frankly, I have a feeling when I’m 60 I’ll be damn glad that young whores are still around. I guess, ultimately, I just resent that they have the need to call it something it’s not.
@whybother
Whybother writes Man, so much hatred for the sole reason that I have the viewpoint that it’s kind of self-centered and ugly to sell one’s body for money”
No, that’s wrong. The answer is such a heavy response because you came in acting like a total prick. You come in with blatant aggression with me, you get blatant aggression back. I couldn’t care less that you feel it’s self centered and ugly to sell one’s body for money. It isn’t your views that pissed me off. It’s you.
I will admit to being at fault with the tea party reference. My bad. Clearly the meaning of that sarcasm was entirely missed by you. I threw the ball too high.
Glad it’s gone! *Bye bye*
@WB,
“I voted for Cynthia McKinney in the last election”.
Me too, we finally have something common!
Maybe we could get her to host a sit down between me and you and address your trust issues.
@why bother wrote: @Amanda, Do you know my history?
Whybother, how would she know your history given that you are a coward hiding behind a screen name?
Jill, I guess you missed my point in asking her if she knew my history. Namely, that perhaps she should refrain from judging me without knowing it. Something that you, sadly, seem to have an inability to do. It must be because you’re so certain that everything I say has no merit that you’re able to refrain from name calling and personal attacks.
Incidentally, regarding your comment about me sticking to making posts about the Eagles…I live in the philly area…do you know this somehow? If so…how?
>>Namely, that perhaps she should refrain from judging me without knowing it.>>
Your very first post in this blog began a series of judgmental pieces filled with condescension based upon your incorrect beliefs about sex workers.
>>t must be because you’re so certain that everything I say has no merit that you’re able to refrain from name calling and personal attacks.>>
It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it that got the return volley of aggression returned. If you want discourse, then leave the attitude and discuss the issue and you will get the same from me.
.
[…] Bound Not Gagged: Traffickers Remain in Business “Dear State Attorney Generals and colleagues such as Melissa Farley, Donna M. […]
I’d appreciate it if you could answer the question about how you know I’m in the philly area.
@Whybother, hmmm, surprised you that the doltish trollup knows more than you think?
So just how much HAVE you invaded my privacy Jill? And what makes you think you have the right to do so?
Interesting that you think its funny to invade someones privacy like that Jill. I think it says a lot about your lack of character that you’d do something like that. Are you going to answer the question? Just how much of my privacy HAVE you invaded? I suppose I deserve it though, right? I mean I don’t agree with you.
Yay for mobile phone comments that don’t initially show up as posted so I repeat myself.
@Whybother,
Actually I didn’t invade any of your privacy. I used information automatically generated and provided by WordPress, information that you consented through agreeing to the terms and conditions of WordPress.
Regarding the point of whether or not you agree with me. I couldn’t care less.
[…] of reactions from feminists, including anti-trafficking activists, anti-prostitution activists, and sex worker rights activists. I’m sympathetic to the concerns being expressed, particularly skepticism about whether this […]
[…] Forget arguments about how the Craigslist shutdown will end up harming sex workers who are genuinely trafficked or abused. No, let’s focus on Phoebe Kay, who’s mad because Craigslist made it easy for her to […]
[…] Forget arguments about how the Craigslist shutdown will end up harming sex workers who are genuinely trafficked or abused. No, let’s focus on Phoebe Kay, who’s mad because Craigslist made it easy for her to […]
Whybother started his comments with “judging … without knowing” and “name calling and personal attacks”. WHich BTW, are quotes from one of HIS posts whining about what he thinks YOU are doing to HIM. Ironic, eh?
Troll, people. Drop him like a hot potato. He’s loving this and you are giving him attention. You wouldn’t put up with a client like this, would you?
I also think this is a boy who has been fucked over by a prostitute (yes, there are many using, selfish, fucked up women – EVERYWHERE – in the world) , and he’s pissed, and he’s taking it out on y’all.
Nurse your wounds elsewhere, WB, or figure out how to have a gentlemanly conversation about the injustices you may have encountered with one of the likes of us. You’d be amazed at how understanding activist, feminist sex workers can be. Nurturing, too. It takes adult communication, and not the lashing out, judgemental critcism you started out with.
Whybother’s screen name says it all about responding to him.
@whybother
you’re not a bible thumper, not a man, not retarded, not a prude (although possibly you’re frigid), you’re a woman scorned.
hell hath no fury.
You gained weight (your post on the shapiro article suggests that0 and stopped giving him sex.
If we weren’t here, it wouldve been your neighbor or your best friend… Do you think he would have just went without ?
Define moral.
Ignore her or him. Her fetish is engagement and spewing graphic sexual violence, it maybe acting out on it too…
[…] teenagers will suddenly be reformed because Adult Services is gone. Former trafficking victim Jill Brenneman wrote that when calls weren’t coming in, she was forced to work the street. As Gira Grant […]
check out the nonprofit profits on this puppy
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RCT Registration No: 132339
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Related Documents
1042510 RRF-1 2008
1042511 IRS Form 990-EZ 2008
1066279 RRF-1 2009
1066280 IRS Form 990-EZ 2009
000000155 Letter of Delinquency 1st Notice
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[…] advertsing sites would stop him. The same can be applied to Backpage. Here’s what Jill said: https://deepthroated.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/traffickers-remain-in-business/ . It’s very powerful. Like this:LikeBe the first to like this […]
Thank you for this post, Jill. Not surprisingly, the anti sex work folks aren’t stopping with CL, and they’re now targeting Backpage. They’ll be protesting outside of The Village Voice office in New York City. I blogged about this, and linked back to Jill’s blog entry here: http://veganvixen1.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/protest-against-backpage-village-voices-adult-services-section/ .
[…] into piling on more strip club regulations and censoring sex worker advertising venues, despite serious harms to sex workers associated with these policies. She argued for the amendment to the Trafficking […]