Monday, June 11, 2012

Responding to Alleged Police Misconduct


According to WGN, a Chicago Police officer is under investigation for misconduct after "exchanging sexual favors" with an individual who had been arrested for prostitution. The police officer had been assigned to the lockup where the person was being held.  We are glad that the Chicago Police Department has taken action to investigate this case and has relieved the officer of his duties.

Unfortunately, many people in prostitution have experienced exploitation at the hands of police. In Jody Raphael’s study, Sisters Speak Out, twenty-four percent of women in prostitution on the streets who had been raped stated a police officer was the perpetrator. This statistic is indicative of the violence that prostituted people endure. It’s critical that allegations of exploitation be taken seriously, and we encourage CPD to continue to take appropriate action to hold this officer accountable.

CAASE and the End Demand Illinois campaign advocate for an end to the habitual arrest of prostituted people. To learn more and to sign up for action alerts, visit www.enddemandillinois.org/subscribe