Police Must Do More to Prevent Abuse of People Impacted by the Sex Trade

News broke late last week that a Chicago police officer, Nelson Stewart, has been charged with “custodial sexual misconduct, official misconduct and bribery, all felonies” after he solicited a prisoner who had been jailed for prostitution to perform a sex act in exchange for being released.

This abuse of power is unacceptable, and we are encouraged that this police officer is being held accountable. Unfortunately, research has revealed that people in the sex trade are frequently coerced or threatened into having sex with members of law enforcement in similar situations. We call on Superintendent of Police Garry McCarthy to implement department-wide orders that expressly prohibit any sexual activity between officers and prostituted people and establish safe, confidential reporting options for prostituted people to report this abuse.

We also call on the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to reconsider their decision to charge the crime victim in this case with felony prostitution. After being exploited by this police officer, we believe that that this survivor deserves help and support, not to be criminally prosecuted. The habitual arrest and re-arrest of people in prostitution is a waste of law enforcement resources and promotes recidivism.

Instead, we propose that people impacted by the sex trade should be offered options and resources; doing so could help end commercial sexual exploitation.

To learn more about the need for comprehensive support for survivors of the sex trade, please read our new proposal from End Demand Illinois.

Ending Demand is Working in Illinois

On Sunday, The New York Times ran an opinion piece that mischaracterizes the national movement to end demand for the sex trade as a moral crusade that is solely focused on arresting johns. Speaking locally, the End Demand Illinois campaign advocates for a variety of strategies, including some of the very solutions that reporter Noy Thrupkaew puts forward, such as better accountability for traffickers, and social services for survivors of the sex trade.

Ms. Thrupkaew falsely claims that those working to end demand are narrowly focused on helping “an abused teenage girl…forced into prostitution by an older man” and that we “disregard” the diverse needs of others who have entered the sex trade under different circumstances. This is untrue, as End Demand Illinois works with survivors and community allies of different backgrounds, ages and genders to help shape new policies and laws to address conditions that impact most people in the sex trade. In doing so, we consider research that consistently shows that the majority of people in the sex trade were recruited as minors by pimps and have experienced childhood sexual abuse.

Last year, Ms. Thrupkaew spent time with us, and we shared with her End Demand Illinois’ multi-dimensional, survivor-informed approach to the issue. By omitting this information from her piece, Ms. Thrupkaew has left readers with a distorted view of demand-suppression efforts. Here are a few ways that the End Demand Illinois campaign and our allies have worked to end exploitation against all people in the sex trade:

End Demand Illinois is changing laws to hold more traffickers accountable and help survivors of the trade: Rather than discounting the views of people impacted by the sex trade, we have worked with survivors to create and lobby for stronger human trafficking laws.

• We passed the Illinois Safe Children Act in 2010, the most progressive state law of its kind to decriminalize all young people in prostitution. The law also allowed for wiretapping in trafficking investigations, and as a result prosecutors in Illinois have used the statute to begin charging and convicting violent pimps.
•  In 2011, we passed a law to help survivors of sex trafficking petition to have prostitution convictions overturned that were a result of trafficking.
  
  
• Just this year, we strengthened Illinois’ human trafficking code so it now covers more tactics commonly used by traffickers, such as schemes and plans. Leeanna Majors, a survivor of sex trafficking in Chicago, advocates with Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and testified on behalf of the bill. "The bill is important so that women can be empowered to make a change in their lives, and the traffickers can be held accountable,” Majors said. “Survivors won’t need to show bruises to prove they were trafficked,” she added.

End Demand Illinois advocates for specialized services for all people impacted by the sex trade, including adults, youth, and transgender people: Over the past two years, End Demand Illinois has interviewed survivors and advocates throughout the United States to discover best practices for empowering survivors of the sex trade. Just this summer, we released a proposal for drop-in centers and safe homes that would be survivor-led and survivor-centered, and we are starting to seek legislative champions who can help us turn the proposal into a reality.

Going after the demand side of the sex trade makes sense, just ask the johns.
Johns themselves say being arrested and charged would deter them from buying sex. Unfortunately, law enforcement is not focusing on arresting johns. In a CAASE study of 113 johns in Chicago, only 7% of men interviewed had been arrested for solicitation. In forthcoming research from CAASE’s Lara Janson, johns in online message boards take note of stings that target customers and warn each other to stay away from those communities. One john said, “I would never pick any one up [in this town] because there have been too many busts.” Traditionally, law enforcement has arrested and rearrested prostituted people and let johns go—and efforts to change this response in the United States, like those led by Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, are really just beginning to gain momentum.

We need your help. Spread the word about what ending demand really means.
Now we need your help. You can share your support of the End Demand approach by sharing this article with your networks and learning more about the End Demand Illinois campaign.

Tweet your support: A sample tweet could be:
I support @EndDemandIL and its advocacy for holding pimps, johns and traffickers accountable. Pls RT! #enddemand http://t.co/VFc2WuCY

I stand with survivors @EndDemandIL who have advocated to improve human trafficking laws. Pls RT!  #enddemand http://t.co/VFc2WuCY

Send a letter to the editor. Ideas for content could include:
I support efforts to end exploitation in the sex trade and believe suppressing demand is an effective approach. Johns themselves say that they could be deterred if they were arrested, but few face any consequence for their actions. Ending demand is about holding people accountable when they profit from the sale of another person, and creating specialized services for survivors of the sex trade.

Free Screening of Half the Sky

CAASE will be participating in a FREE film screening this weekend of  Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. The film  follows Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn, and celebrity activists America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union, and Olivia Wilde on a journey to tell the stories of inspiring, courageous individuals. Across the globe oppression is being confronted and real meaningful solutions are being fashioned through health care, education, and economic empowerment for women and girls. The linked problems of sex trafficking and forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and maternal mortality present to us the vital opportunity to make a change. All over the world women are seizing this opportunity.

Saturday, September 15th, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER
in the Claudia Cassidy Theater
This event is FREE and open to the public.But you can reserve your tickets here.
Doors: 1:00 PM
Film: 2:00 PM
Panel: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Agents of Change Expo: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM in the 1st Floor Garland Room


Host: Kathy Im, Director of Media, Culture and Special Initiatives,
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Welcome: K. Sujata, President, Chicago Foundation for Women
Moderator: Jane M. Saks, Executive Director,
Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in Arts and Media
Rachel Durchslag, Executive Director, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE)
Serena Chen Low, Executive Director, Apna Ghar
Mony Ruiz-Velasco, Legal Director, National Immigrant Justice Center
Sheherazade Tillet, Executive Director, A Long Walk Home

If you can't make it to the event, the film will also be broadcasting on PBS October 1st and 2nd, 2012.

Help Pass the Trafficking Victims Protection Act

What's Happening? The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 1301) was introduced in the Senate over a year ago and has still not passed. Today, Tuesday September 4, is a national call-in day to encourage legislators to pass the bill. Why does this matter? The Trafficking Victims Protection Act is the cornerstone of all U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) created the first comprehensive federal law to address human trafficking in the U.S. and around the world. On October 1, 2011 this important piece of legislation, the largest piece of anti-trafficking legislation in U.S. history, expired as a result of Congressional inaction and partisanship. This failure threatens U.S. global leadership in the fight against human trafficking and jeopardizes the progress made over the last decade. What can I do? Let’s push the TVPRA over the finish line in the Senate! Call Illinois Senator Mark Kirk (R) (202) 224-2854 You can say: Hi, my name is __________ and I am a constituent from ____________.  I am calling to ask that Senator Kirk support the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, S. 1301.  I would like the Senate to vote on this bill as soon as possible. Thank you.” Send a tweet @SenatorKirk Support the bi-partisan Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, S.1301 What's next? Find more resources and learn more at www.passTVPRAnow.org

Meet 3 More Runners Who Are Racing for CAASE!

Name:  Aaron Schlessman

Age: 27
Hometown: Morton, Illinois
Occupation: Student/Intern
Running Experience: None. Casual.
 
How did you find out about CAASE? I was doing human trafficking research at Northeastern University. 

Why do you support CAASE’s work?  
I believe in the type of community that CAASE is trying to create and support, especially the prevention efforts. Society can react to offenders and provide services all day long, but until you get to the root of the issue—men—you’re not going to put a dent in it. 

Is there any specific part of CAASE’s work/mission that interests you the most? Prevention. Working with the young men in the schools. The outreach work is absolutely important as well. 

Why is running for CAASE important to you? It’s more than just supporting a cause I believe in—it’s that agencies like this don’t get enough financial support for all the incredible work that they do. 

Name: Susie Moya 
Age: 28 
Hometown: Chicago, IL 
Occupation: Practitioner/Community Educator 

Running Experience: I recently began running last fall. I ran my first 5K (Hot Chocolate Run) in November 2011 and loved it! 

How did you find out about CAASE? I found out about the organization through grad school at University of Chicago. Once I learned about the work that CAASE does, I knew immediately that is where I wanted to intern, and I did for two years! 

Is there any specific part of CAASE’s work/mission that interests you the most? What attracted me the most to the organization is its holistic approach to ending sexual exploitation by addressing the ones who perpetrate, support, and profit from sexual harm. I believe that the key to living in a community free of sexual exploitation is by addressing the root cause: the demand to purchase sex. 

Why is running for CAASE important to you? I am a strong supporter of innovative and fun strategies to create awareness of different causes. I believe running is one of those. CAASE is an amazing organization and running serves as a fun and self-care activity for me. Therefore by participating in the Race for CAASE, I am able to support an amazing organization and practice self-care--it’s the best of both worlds!

Name: Erika A. Rist 
Age: 19 
Hometown: Wyomissing, PA 
Occupation: Undergraduate Student at The University of Chicago 
Running Experience: I've been running and racing for my schools since I was 13. 

How did you find out about CAASE? Once I found out about and began researching sex trafficking, CAASE was always mentioned in reference to the most recent and transformative Illinois legislation combating the misconceptions that sustain the sex trade in Chicago. I had to find out more about this groundbreaking organization. 

Is there any specific part of CAASE's work/mission that interests you the most? I am most compelled CAASE's foremost philosophy--to end trafficking, we need to end the demand that sustains the industry. 

Want to support the Race for CAASE Team? Visit their Razoo team fundraising page here, and share with a friend! 

This post is by Sasha Wolff, CAASE's communications intern.

Don't Let Myths Shape Public Policy about Women's Reproductive Health

As most of you have heard by now, over the weekend Congressman Todd Akin of Missouri made deeply disturbing and misinformed comments about sexual assault and women’s reproductive health. He said that women who are “legitimately” raped do not get pregnant: "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," he said.

This is, of course, misinformed and betrays a lack of basic knowledge about sexual assault and women’s physiology. The sad reality is that there are many myths about sexual assault that permeate our culture and, in turn, perpetuate violence. To respond to Akin by merely saying, “oh that’s ridiculous” ignores the fact that many people around us do believe these types of myths about rape.

An important response about these myths has come from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: “A woman who is raped has no control over ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized egg (ie, pregnancy). To suggest otherwise contradicts basic biological truths.”  

Yesterday, President Obama responded by saying “rape is rape,” and decried Akin’s comments. Obama said, “So what I think [Akin’s] comments do underscore is why we shouldn’t have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women.” 

It’s time to speak out when legislators and leaders are using these untruths to shape public policies.

·         First, let’s educate ourselves about common rape myths so we can stand up against rape culture. Our allies at Rape Victim Advocates in Chicago have gathered an excellent list of myths and facts to get started. 

·         Next, consider taking action to help pass the Violence Against Women Act, which offers protection to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

·         To learn more about CAASE’s work to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable, visit our legal services page. 

Gold Coast Murder Leads to Victim-Blaming

A woman was found murdered in a hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast this week, and the tone of the media coverage has been deeply disturbing. The woman was likely the victim of a crime, and yet all reports have centered on what she may have done to deserve it. Why would the media be so cruel? For one reason: this woman had also been arrested for prostitution.

Reports about the murder assert that the woman lived a“high-risk” lifestyle because of her involvement in the commercial sex trade. Certainly it’s important for the public to know that the murder could possibly be connected to prostitution, and it’s true that prostitution is dangerous for many women involved. The deeply disturbing detail that’s being left out is this: the most frequent perpetrators of violence in the prostitution are the customers, often called “johns.”

In her study, Sisters Speak Out, Jody Raphael of DePaulUniversity interviewed 222 women in Chicago about their experiences in the sex trade. The women said that customers were the number one perpetrators of violence, both in indoor sex trade venues and on the street. Even women in escort services reported high rates of violence; more than half reported being raped. Instead of having compassion for prostituted people, our culture tends to blame these women for the harm they’ve endured.

Johns have also remained invisible as the public expressed surprise that prostitution could take place at a high-end hotel. In reality, most men who buy sex would have the means to pay for that hotel room. Ourresearch of 113 johns in Chicago found that most johns earned more than $40,000 a year, with 17% earning more than $80,000. These are men with disposable income, and they are facing few deterrents to their crime. Only 7% of men interviewed had ever been arrested for solicitation.

When conversations about women in prostitution come up, it’s time to stop stigmatizing women and start talking about johns. To learn more about efforts to create accountability for johns in Illinois and resources for survivors of the sex trade, visit www.enddemandillinois.org