STOP 3: POLARIS

Bradley Myles, Deputy Director of the Polaris Project was our first speaker on Friday. He was a young, passionate and very well-informed abolitionist. He provided us an abundance an information that could takes days to process, so I will spare you the nitty gritty. But here are some highlights:

• Myth: Trafficking implies movement. Reality: it's a crime of exploitation and control, not always transportation. Someone can be a victim of trafficking and never have left their own city.
• Three common trafficking circles are: (1) Latina women & girls working residential brothels, escort "delivery" services, hostess catina bars. These groups victimize only Latina women and advertise their services specifically to Latino men. (2) U.S. women & girls controlled by a pimps. More on this below! (3) Asian women & girls working commercial front massage parlors, residential brothels, escort "outcall"services, hostess clubs/room salons.
• Pimp: a person, esp. a man, who solicits customers for a prostitute or a brothel, usually in return for a share of the earnings; pander; procurer. The glorification of pimps in our society has allowed our culture not to see pimps as the controlling traffickers that they are. They brand their women, they abuse their women, and they control their women. And pimps are not seen as "dangerous" figures, they are seen as cool. Fraternities host "Pimps & Hoes" parties. Oscar winning song of 2006 was "It's Hard Out There For a Pimp". Hey MTV, "Pimp My Ride"! It's everywhere and seen as a normal part of our conversation. A shift needs to take place.
• Johns: the men paying for sexual services. They are often the silent partner in the prostitution world, but in reality, it all starts with them because they are creating the DEMAND. We can rescue girls all day long, shut down brothels, and arrest pimps. But unless we change the demand, it's a never ending cycle.
  

Bradley spent alot of time of legislature that is currently on the books for crimes of trafficking, prostituting, etc.. which is a focus of the Polaris Project. He challenged with need for better laws and better enforcement of these laws. It was a privilege to hear him speak!