n the United States, ~25,000 women become pregnant through rape each year. In 27 states there are no laws which protect the custodial rights guaranteed to the mother of the resulting child.
Think you’re immune? Sex Trafficking convictions in Western Washington
On Friday, 30 November 2012, two miscreants (Terrence Williams and Charles Deville Nash) were sentenced to extended stays within the federal prison system for trafficking young women within Western Washington, and to/from other states. The pimps would advertise the availability of their victims via advertisements on Craig’s List and Backpage (see my prior piece: Sex Trafficking & Exploitation 2012 – Village Voice). According to the US Department of Justice, “both men controlled young women, advertising them on the internet, transporting them to “dates,” taking their earnings and through verbal or physical violence forcing them to continue in the sex trades.”
Sex Trafficking & Exploitation – 2012 – Village Voice
Today I opened up the NY Times web page to see Nicholas D. Kristoff’s piece “Where Pimps Peddle Their Goods” which speaks to how Village Voice Media accepts advertising on their websites which offers lightly veiled solicitations for the services of “escorts” and the like, both male and female. The reality is that this is unvarnished advertising by pimps who have exerted control over individuals whom they force to prostitute themselves.
In reading Kristoff’s piece, I was particularly taken back by this portion, “Liz McDougall, general counsel of Village Voice Media, told me that it is “shortsighted, ill-informed and counterproductive”