Very Young Girls

Very Young Girls

This movie is a documentary that follows girls who are trying to make the transition out of prostitution. It shows clearly how the pimps on the streets use psychological coercion to trap vulnerable girls into this world of selling their bodies. It shows everything from success stories of girls getting their lives back together after exiting "the life" to girls who can't break free and who think that this is their only fate.

It also shows quite blatantly the recruitment and retention practices of the pimps. They prey on young girls- girls as young as 12 years old. It is shocking the number of girls who state nonchalantly that they started turning tricks at 13 or 14, like it was a normal childhood activity. These girls have their childhood robbed from them, some by their parents and caretakers who sexually and physically abused them which cased them to run into the arms of the pimps in the first place an some by the pimps themselves who give them false hope that they will be loved if only they sell themselves on the street.

Proposition K defated!

Although this is a little late, a while ago I posted about proposition K in California that was trying to legalize prostitution. I am happy to report that it has been defeated and law enforcement still has the right to investigate and prosecute those who exploit women through prostitution (please keep in mine the average age of entry into prostitution is 11-13 years old). Here is an exert that lays out how the votes were cast:

"A strong coalition of community leaders, the district attorney, mayor, activists, survivors, and LOTS OF VOTERS together rejected decriminalization of pimps in San Francisco. With 98% of all San Francisco precincts reporting, 57.54 of all voters said NO to K. A simple majority wins.

MEASURE K
571 out of 580 precincts (98.45 %)

Votes Percent
Yes 88,448 42.46 %
No 119,868 57.54 %"

It is slightly disconcerting that 42.46% of people voted to pass this legislation. This goes to show that there needs to be more awareness as to the harm that prostitution brings to women, children and the community.

Examples of Human Trafficking in Our own Neighborhood

Local Labor Ring Busted
This is an article about a local man exploiting immigrants in order to make quick money. Although the article seems iffy as to whether this is human trafficing or not, it most certainly is. If by force, fraud, or coercion a person is forced into slavery or involuntary servitude it is human trafficking. This is an example of how easy it is and how this type of thing happens in our own backyard.

My Life as a Call Girl

My Life as a Call Girl

This is a great article that contrasts the idealized, glamorized idea of prostitution with stories of a women who suffered a great deal while selling her body to make ends meet. What we see on TV- from the playboy mansion to the reality show Bunny Ranch- portrays the victims of sex trafficking and prostitution as princesses who are capitalizing on their sexual experiences. The reality for the majority of women involved in these situations in one of despair and immense coercion. Physically and psychologically, women are kept in compliance by their pimps for fear of their life and because of the reality that if they leave they will either be found and beaten or homeless and abused on the street.

Proposition K

San Fransisco is trying to legalize prostitution, allowing for an increase in the number of children and trafficking victims who will them be completely hidden from the eyes of law enforcement under the guise of "legal prostitution".

Here is a link that explains some of the reasons why legalizing prostitution is inherently harmful. Some other things to keep in mind is that when you legalize prostitution the demand sky rockets and there fore there is a greater need for women. These women and children are often picked up of the streets because they are runaways or are trafficked in from other states or countries.

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/11/03/18548731.php

Some Resources

Prostitution, Trafficking & Traumatic Stress
Melissa Farley, Editor
This book compiles numerous articles that provide not only chilling accounts of the horrors of prostitution and trafficking for sexual purposes but also gives some much needed facts on the effects of prostitution on women.

The Natashas
Victor Malerek
This book was a quick read- mostly because you couldn't wait to stop reading of the horrors these women endured. It is a great look into the real business of buying and selling women and the true difficulties they encounter trying to get out the modern day slave trade.

Call+Response
This is a new movie out that should be showing nation wide by the end of October. It focuses mostly on children because every one can agree on the need to aid the most vulnerable among us but if does give a look at the wide variety of slavery going on in the work today. It highlights the sex trade of young girls to the kidnap and use of children as soldiers. It uses music as the background of the movie which makes it a very emotional and touching film.