Why context matters when it comes to prostitution

As I read the sad coverage of the death of a high school teacher, who was killed by a young woman with a "history of prostitution," I brace myself for the public discussions the story will stimulate. The realities proven by local and global research- specifically that most who are bought and sold for sex are first sexually exploited as children, are victims of astronomical levels of rape and battery by pimps and traffickers, and don't want to be doing what they are doing but don't see any way out- fail to take the spotlight and are overshadowed by the popular, misinformed trope that prostitution is just another kind of work- the harms of which would be ameliorated by legalization and a rejection of prudish morality.

What my organization, the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, and countless others know- both from those who have been sold for sex, but also from research with men who purchase sex- is this: prostitution is dangerous and often deadly for those who are bought and sold; men who purchase sex (respectable or not) know more than most about the separate circumstances that lead girls and women to be for sale; 'customers' frequently take knowing advantage of the vulnerability and desperation of those who are bought. In Illinois, where nearly 95% of prostitution-related arrests are of those who are purchased (despite the fact that the population of 'customers' is vastly bigger) men face virtually no risk of legal consequence for purchasing sex, as they face little risk of other harm.

As the current case makes clear, men who buy sex are not always and only predators: as humans, they too, are vulnerable and can be harmed. But as we discuss and consider the problem of prostitution in the context of this current tragedy, I hope that the exploitation of those who are purchased is not ignored. I hope that people will also remember what is made manifest by the lives of most men and women: sex is not like other acts that people willingly engage in for money- it's not like flipping burgers or doing someone else's taxes or cleaning someone's house or being hired to do any other activity that is legitimately called "work." It is the kind of activity that girls and women mostly only do for money if they have been abused and are desperate.

As the community grapples with this tragic event, I hope there will not be too much thoughtless vilification of the young woman who took a life. And I hope there won't be an over-simplification of the problems posed (and faced) by men whose disposable income creates the demand that fuels all sex trafficking and prostitution.

For those who consider the purchase of sex to be trivial- or worse, to be a marker of 'manhood'- it is worth pointing out that no research has ever suggested that most men purchase sex. And if most men- or even if many men- can spend their lives refraining from funding an industry that depends on its existence for a ready supply of girls and women who have been trained for it by child sexual abuse, poverty, and abusive pimps, then all men can refrain from being customers.

Kaethe Morris Hoffer is the Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE). She represents individual survivors of sexual assault, including through prostitution, advocating for them through civil litigation and within the context of the criminal system. Kaethe has spent the last twenty years doing legal and political advocacy opposing sex inequality and sexual violence.

CAASE co-pilots workplace sexual violence curriculum

By Sheerine Alemzadeh

This past Sunday, CAASE co-piloted a full-day training called "Ending Workplace Sexual Violence: A Know Your Rights Curriculum and Guide for Community Educators." The training was hosted by Latino Union of Chicago in Albany Park and led by CAASE staff attorney Sheerine Alemzadeh. The room was packed with 30 people, including not only representatives from the Latino Union and CAASE, but also Rape Victim Advocates, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, the Chicago Coalition of Household Workers, ARISE Chicago, Fight for 15, Chicago Community and Workers Rights Center, and the United Food and Commercial Workers' Union.

The goal of the training was to provide learning tools to organizers and activists in Chicago’s worker rights community to combat workplace sexual violence. Sunday's training included sexual assault 101 training and an introductory module for workers centers, as well as two advanced training modules: for workers experiencing sexual violence and a module on bystander intervention for allies. Participants were also provided with an organizer's legal guide on sexual assault laws in Illinois and English and Spanish know your rights brochures for workers.

The day started with participants sharing the labor of their mothers and grandmothers, and learning about the historical connection between workplace sexual violence and economic inequality. Later, audience members role-played making a report of sexual harassment to their employer, and intervening in support of co-workers experiencing sexual harassment. Presenters also discussed how the legal definition of sexual harassment does not protect workers against a wide range of sexual violence in the workplace. Elisa Ringholm of the Latino Union said, "This training opened the door towards a shared vision in the workers center movement to prioritize ending sexual violence in the workplace."

The curriculum pilot is part of a larger effort by CAASE to build bridges between the anti-rape and labor rights movements, drawing on the transformative work of each movement to build a stronger, more holistic, and more organized response to workplace sexual violence. The curriculum was a labor of love, produced over the past year by a CAASE-led coalition of worker rights organizers, attorneys, government officials and rape victim advocates. The coalition has met monthly since the fall of 2012, discussing ways to educate workers on sexual violence in the workplace and brainstorming intersections for activism in the labor rights and anti-rape movements. In the next year, CAASE hopes to provide training and education to the rape crisis community on labor rights and activism in Chicago.

CAASE would like to thank the Skadden Foundation for its generous support of this initiative.  It would also like to thank its outstanding coalition partners, including LAF-Chicago's Illinois Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Rape Victim Advocates, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, the Latino Union of Chicago, the Chicago Coalition of Household Workers, Pillars, ARISE-Chicago, ROC-Chicago, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, USDOL-OSHA, and the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago.

Learn more in CAASE's Know Your Rights brochure on sexual harassment, available here in English and here in Spanish (PDF links).

Meet Our Runners: Ruth Rankin

The Chicago Half Marathon and 5K are quickly approaching. The rest of this week, we’d like to introduce you to three of Race for CAASE team runners and encourage you to give to them and/or to any other members of the team to give them a boost before the race.

Ruth Rankin was introduced to CAASE through our former legal intern Rachel Johnson and her mother, Amy Stearns, who are both also Racing for CASE. Ruth ’s husband also filmed this video of her getting ready to go out on a run. So great!

CAASE: How did you get connected to CAASE?
Ruth Rankin: I’m a friend of Rachel Johnson [former CAASE legal intern] and she’s an absolutely wonderful woman. Through my friendship with her, I learned about CAASE. The work being done is so important. Amy [Rachel’s mom] let a lot of her friends know that the race was coming.

How is your training going?
I’m 63 and doing a couch to 5K program, as in couch potato. I’ve never done anything like this in my life. One of my friends said to me, “I kind of always thought of your form of exercise to turn the pages of a good book.” Everyone supporting me believes in CAASE’s mission and is really happy to support me. I have a feeling this is going to be my debut and sawn song (laughs). But I’m having a good time.

There are some people who are surprised and impressed. They’re all really happy to let me know that I’m pushing the envelope, and they think it’s great.

How are you feeling about being part of the team?

It’s great fun, and it feels fun to be a part of something. When I run with Amy the time goes a lot quicker. It is very exciting to be part of this and to feel like we’re part of something that really matters. And this really, really matters. I honestly didn’t know until Rachel helped me to understand how widespread and horrifying this is.I really am excited for the race and to be with all these people who believe it should be addressed and change. That kind of energy is a big part of my motivation.

Support Ruth by donating to CAASE via her page here, or donate to other runners by visiting the whole list here.  

Many Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors:

Meet Our Runners: Lisa Belter

Lisa Belter

The Chicago Half Marathon and 5K are quickly approaching. The rest of this week, we’d like to introduce you to Race for CAASE team runners and encourage you to give to them and/or to any other members of the team to give them a boost before the race.

CAASE: Why did you choose to run for CAASE?
Lisa:  I'm moved by the organization's purpose. It is heartbreaking to hear about the injustice that occurs in our society.

CAASE: Have you run a marathon before?
Lisa: I have run 9 marathons before, but due to some back issues, I had to take some time off from running. I thought running a half marathon would be a good way to ease back into marathons, and it's for a great cause!

CAASE: What has been the biggest challenge so far?
Lisa: I think the biggest challenge has been the fundraising. It is great how many people do fundraise for other events, but sometimes, I think people can get overwhelmed by all the donation opportunities.

Ok, internet, let’s give Lisa a boost today! Donate to her page here, and view the full list of runners here.

Many Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors:

Meet our Runners: Lindsey LaPointe

Lindsey LaPointe

The Chicago Half Marathon and 5K are quickly approaching. The rest of this week, we’d like to introduce you to three of Race for CAASE team runners and encourage you to give to them and/or to any other members of the team to give them a boost before the race. Today’s profile is of Lindsey LaPointe. Lindsey was a CAASE Policy and Advocacy Intern a few years ago and remains committed to ending sexual exploitation:

You were an intern at CAASE a few years ago. How did that experience influence your own desire to help end human trafficking?
My experience interning at CAASE opened my eyes to the many ways necessary to end human trafficking and sexual exploitation.  I came to CAASE for a policy-oriented internship, however since my background was in direct service social work, my understanding at that time of ending trafficking and sexual exploitation was very victim-centered, which is only one part of a much larger puzzle.  At CAASE I learned the necessity and means to combat this issue on other levels such as curbing demand (for commercial sex), community outreach/awareness raising, prevention, changing laws, etc.  The victories and hard work of CAASE and their partners continually inspires my ongoing work on social policy and social justice issues, such as the recent victory to eliminate a felony prostitution charges spearheaded by End Demand Illinois.

Why did you decide to Race for CAASE this year? Are you doing the Half Marathon or the 5k? Are you a longtime runner or a newbie?
I’m running the half marathon and this distance is new to me!  I’ve been a “jogger” for several years, but up until recently 5 miles was my limit.  The opportunity to run for CAASE, set and reach a tough personal goal, and raise awareness about the organization’s work was just the inspiration I needed to sign up.

It’s so generous of you to fundraise for CAASE. Have you received positive feedback and support from family and friends so far?
I have received positive feedback.  People are impressed with the half-marathon commitment and interested in learning about CAASE.  It’s been a great opportunity to share information about trafficking, especially with runners who love hearing about races.

If there was one thing you wanted people to know about your efforts to Race for CAASE, what would it be?
CAASE is a small organization, but so large in terms of the scope and impact of their work.  I have no doubt that if it weren’t for CAASE and End Demand Illinois, prostitution would still be considered a felony offense in Illinois (instead of a misdemeanor) and minor victims of sex trafficking would still be considered juvenile delinquents instead of  individuals in need of services and assistance. The chance to support runners in the race for CAASE is a chance for direct impact on sexual exploitation! All funders and runners should all be proud to contribute in any way they can.

Support Lindsey's efforts by donating on her page here. Or click here to view the full list of runners and donate to any of their pages here. 

Many Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors:

When Someone Comes to You, What Will Your Reaction Be?

Whether we realize it or not, all of us know people whose lives have been impacted by sexual assault. As many as 1 in 6 women will experience rape in their lifetime, and as few as 16% of sexual assaults are reported to police (see CounterQuo for a full analysis of sexual assault stats). 

The way that we respond when a friend or family member tells us about sexual assault makes all the difference. The campaign Start by Believing offers guidance and advocacy to encourage our culture to stand with survivors of sexual assault and to always let survivors know, “This is not your fault.” Their website is filled with information for allies and law enforcement: http://www.startbybelieving.org/

CAASE’s founder Rachel Durchslag, wrote the following reflection about supporting a friend who was sexually assaulted (TRIGGER WARNING):

When a friend experiences a sexual assault it as if the world turns gray. Sounds become almost muffled, and the heaviness one feels in their heart- crippling. When a friend experiences a sexual assault sadness invades the cells of one’s body, and tears linger constantly behind misting eyes. The friend is overwhelmed with the injustice of it all and left with a revolving door of “whys”- why people harm others for their own sense of power, why sexual assault is still tolerated (and sometimes encouraged), and why perpetrators mostly go free when the victim is left with mountains of emotional trauma. 

It is an unfair world when people rape. It is an unfair world when those we love are hurt. But it is the world in which we live. 

Within this overwhelming darkness still shines a light. It is the light that is the human capacity to heal. It is the light of amazing activists who dedicate their lives to making this world safer for us all. And it is the light of thousands of survivors and allies who turn hate into love, pain into forgiveness, and hurt into healing. 

For more information about CAASE's legal services for survivors of sexual assault, visit http://caase.org/legal-services. For more information about local resources for survivors, visit www.rapevictimadvocates.org. The local Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline number is 1-888-293-2080.

Renee Gets Ready to Race for CAASE

Renee Mehl has served on CAASE’s board of directors since 2009. She is an experienced runner and is co-chairing the Race for CAASE team. Here are some quick thoughts from Renee about running to end sexual exploitation. You can find her fundraising page and make a gift in honor of her race here.

CAASE: This is your second year helping to lead the team. What motivates you in your training?

Renee: I race because the Race for CAASE combines my two interests: charity and running. Joining CAASE has opened my eyes to the consequences of sexual harm and violence in our own backyard. CAASE is making real changes in trafficked persons' lives. I know the money we raise goes toward all of CAASE's initiatives, including policy reform, community outreach, and litigation.

CAASE: Have you run a half marathon before? 

Renee: I became hooked on running after my first half marathon in 2010. Right when I was feeling defeated and began thinking about walking, a stranger said, "You can do this, Renee!" (My name was on my race bib.) I thought to myself, "You can do this!" and started running again.  You truly never run alone when you are running for charity.  You are running for friends, family, donors, CAASE, and, in my case that day, strangers. 

Make a gift in honor of Renee today!