They shut down Backpage. Yay. Now what?
Do you think you stopped sex trafficking? Cuz you didn't, you just drove it further underground.
What you have done is taken away the only real venues and tools that sex workers used to screen and choose their clients. Now, nobody is going to deny that there wasn't underage sex trafficking happening on Backpage, but I suspect that it is a tiny minority of the people posting ads. Women's corrections and sex work has been an academic interest for me since college when I took a prison literature class.
In full disclosure, I am friends with a few sex workers and they are in full on panic mode. They just lost their jobs. They are all private contractors, there are no men in their life controlling or exploiting them. Let's hear some of their stories.
"Sarah" was an aspiring model working with agencies and going to school for modeling. Unfortunately picked up a heroin habit along the way. She started escorting on Backpage because she found it kinda exciting, the money was good and it financed her growing addiction ($250 an hour is nothing to sneeze at) . She and I established a friendship she contacted me in panic, stranded in a Walmart parking lot and dope sick and needing a place to stay for a day or two. She showed up bedraggled and shaking, a far cry from the pretty young woman I had seen in the neighborhood. Luckily she had enough stuff with her that she was able to fix up and stop puking. After going over some ground rules (I trust you but I do not trust the drug so please don't steal from me etc) I agreed to let her stay. Most of that time was spent trying to get her eat some real non-processed food (I'm a chef by trade) and providing a safe calm space for her to chill and watching movies (she's partial to Dwayne Johnson flicks) while waiting for the phone to ring. If a client did leave a message, she'd run his number through VerifyHim.com to see if there were any red flags, and then would contact him to arrange the details. If she wasn't feeling it, or just didn't want to, she ignored the call. Ended up staying a few days, occasionally still drops by if she needs a quiet safe place to escape the chaos of her everyday life. I have on occasion given her $20 here and there if she was short for a fix to save her from being sick.
"Indigo" is an old ex-girlfriend of mine who did erotic massage. Was introduced into the work by her best high school friend. Again, a private contractor working when, as much and with whom she wanted. Her niche was providing a scent and allergen free environment. Talked to clients about diet and health (she's a hard core vegan and animal rights activist) Ended up financing a couple month bike tour through Thailand with other Vegan/fruit type of folks.
"Paris" escorted part time in addition to her normal "straight" job to help support her daughter and pay off some medical bills. Last I heard she was running or was part owner of a car dealership.
With the possible exception of Sarah, whose addiction drives her escorting, the majority of the women who work or have worked in the industry did it freely of their own choice, and Backpage allowed them to do it safely.
Backpage was a seedy place. No question. It was effectively THE internet brothel. But we knew where it was. If we were actually serious about stopping trafficking and exploitation we could have monitored the site. Set up a database of phone numbers and pictures and times of postings so you could look at manipulate real data to look for trends, to look for red flags and to work with outreach programs and law enforcement as applicable.
We just burned down the brothel without even checking to see if there was anyone inside.
I'm sure I'l get the shit flamed out me for this post but I shall sign off as I always do and have since 2004.
peace,
Noodleboy
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