Two editorials in the Rockford (IL) Register Star (rrstar.com), “Prostitution; a blemish on entire community” 2/16/15 and “Police take right approach to curb prostitution” 2/23/15, supported a “crackdown” on prostitution by local police that involves targeting those who solicit prostitutes. This is my response (also printed in the Register Star 3/3/15):
The plan to “crack down” (yet again) on “the oldest profession” (by arresting “Johns”) is not just ineffective. It gives those who deplore the evils of prostitution just enough satisfaction that they can avoid making the difficult choices and real changes that might actually be effective.
If fear of arrest discourages some from using prostitutes, do those men do without? Or do they look elsewhere for sex? They may simply go to Chicago or Beloit (WI). One certainly hopes they do not resort to rape.
“Prostitution is a violent and ugly business,” but largely because it is illegal.
Offering legal protection to those who choose to work as prostitutes might also help reduce the number of people forced into prostitution. Most who use prostitutes would probably choose to avoid using illegally coerced prostitutes, if they had a legal option.
If one can’t, or won’t, change the law, police should, at least, focus on the human trafficking: the extortion and the kidnapping. That means encouraging prostitutes to testify against those that abuse them – most obviously, by not prosecuting them for prostitution, if they do testify. And that means helping prostitutes find a better life.