I read several articles and viewed the video, The Women who are arrested, on the Happy Endings blog. I appreciate that the women that worked in the Rhode Island parlors put the situation in proper perspective for prosecutors and cops involved in these prosecutions, but since it doesn't serve the prosecutorial agenda of the moment, they will likely be ignored. The last lady in this video stated it best – it is racial [ethnicity] discrimination! I'm not seeing prosecutors pursue massage parlors with all-white American born and raised workers using the "human trafficking" card.
Rhode Island is unique in any discussion relating to prostitution in massage parlors as it is the only state in which indoor prostitution is legal – so prosecutors used the "human trafficking" card to suppress legal activity? As my friend Natalie would say: OMG! It's time for a legal suit. I think I'll move to Rhode Island and open a massage parlor.
I get the distinct feeling that agents and prosecutors in these massage parlor cases, as in escort service and other adult business cases, get their kicks putting women in a patriarchal place. The men are in charge here and they want women to know that none have the right to do so well financially on their own – they want to see the women get married and be supported by husbands or work as minimum wage slaves and barely survive. To use the "human trafficking" card to do so is criminal from my viewpoint as it truly diminishes the real trafficking cases. It detracts from a real problem.
Women turn to prostitution to dig their way out of poverty and to live better. Few women in the prostitution trade are exploited by anyone – sure there are some that are, but few – they simply want the money! Try living on $10 per hour when you get 30 hours a week – where does this pay even the basic living expenses? It amounts to $260 a week take-home pay. I've tried it in Florida and it doesn't cover needs, let alone extras, and I do have a bachelor's degree, but until recently I was delivering pizza. You see, the student loan people want the money, the auto loan people want the money, and so does the property owner that I pay exorbitant rent to (thanks to the big real estate boom) – so I'm back to being my entrepreneurial self, so everyone can get their money. Every escort that ever worked for my agencies and committed prostitution for extra dollars did so because she wanted the money. That can't be too hard to understand, as after all, prosecutors in these cases always go after the money. I feel as if this should be embedded in prosecutors' minds – the money, they want the money – just like you want the money. It's sure not human trafficking, and if I owned one of these parlors, I'd see you all in court where we would have an extensive discussion about everyone wanting the money.
Next: The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTVPA)
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