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Chicago man sues after prostitution arrest
The arrest was in 2007: I haven't yet found the disposition of the case. -Track- This makes 99 weblog entries for me. Chicago Man Sues after Prostitution Arrest Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2007 Updated: July 8th, 2008 05:27 PM EDT CHICAGO -- It was Rocio Palacios who first noticed the woman who appeared to need help. It was 8 a.m. when she and her husband, Erasmo, dropped their 6-year-old daughter off at school and had picked up their 22-year-old daughter to go out for breakfast when they saw the woman waving her arms at 53rd Street and Kedzie Avenue last November. The Palacioses, of Chicago, claim the woman approached their car, parked outside Manolo's restaurant, leaned in to the passenger side where Rocio was sitting and asked Erasmo if he wanted oral sex for $20 or sex for $25. The couple laughed, realizing this wasn’t a woman in distress after all. But within seconds, Chicago police swarmed the family car, hauling Erasmo Palacios out in handcuffs. He was charged with solicitation of a prostitute His daughter, who had just run in to exchange her coffee for a hot chocolate, screamed, while his wife cried in fear. Eight hours later, Palacios, who has no criminal record, was released from custody. And weeks later, charges against him were dropped. Now, Erasmo Palacios is suing the city and the officers involved in his arrest, saying they violated his civil rights during an incident he described as both frightening and ridiculous. “I'm so lucky I was with my wife -- imagine if I had to try to tell her and she wasn't with me,” he said, before laughing at the image. “She'd never believe me. Never.” A Chicago police report offers few details, saying only that it was Erasmo Palacios who asked for sex, never mentioning his wife in the car or his daughter nearby. Attorneys Lonny Ben Ogus and Joe Cavanaugh also want to know what happened to the family's 1983 Mercedes. It was impounded that November day and, Palacios said, his wife and daughter were even threatened with arrest as they tried to stop police from taking it, as they were left stranded that morning. The city wants more than $4,700 in towing and storage fees if he wants the car back. City officials declined to comment on the status of the family's car and the Palacios case, while the undercover female officer involved in the arrest couldn't be reached. Copyright 2007, Sun-Times News Group
UK laws put escorts at risk
From The Independent, UK New laws put prostitutes at risk, claim escort agencies Government accused of driving women on to the streets by cracking down on high-class escort agencies, reports Robert Verkaik Tuesday, 29 December 2009 
DAVID SANDISON Lorraine Morris, who does not wish to be identified, was forced to shut down her Cloud Nine escort agency in Surrey after a series of raids by police Theirs is a world away from grubby net curtains and phone box calling cards. They offer dinner dates, online credit card bookings, intelligent conversation and companionship - and perhaps an illicit rendezvous in a stylish apartment for those so minded. But high-class escort agencies are being targeted by police in a wider clampdown on online prostitution linked to money-laundering and people trafficking. The move, supported by ministers, opens up a new front in the war against sex workers who are estimated to earn £1bn a year in untaxed revenues. Critics of the crackdown complain that the police operations are heavy-handed and end in escorts being forced on to the streets or into brothels where they are at risk of violence and exploitation. Related articles In the most recent case, detectives closed down an elite escort agency which worked with 30 women serving the commuter towns of Surrey. Lorraine Morris, 28, who ran the Cloud Nine agency in Guildford, Woking and Camberley, told The Independent that she had had no problems with the police until her business was raided in October after one of the escorts had reported an assault. She claims that the inquiry quickly switched from the allegation of assault to the activities of the escort agency. Police later raided the other women's homes, forcing the agency out of business. Ms Morris, who has young children, said: "This was a legal enterprise, there was no coercion and the girls' safety was always of paramount importance. There was absolutely no justification for targeting us when the police should have been investigating a criminal offence relating to one of the girls." Many of the women working for Cloud Nine are students supporting themselves through college. Sienna, 26, is enrolled on a masters course in psychology. She said: "The work I do is important because it gives me the money to help me pursue an interest that I want to turn into a career. My parents have no idea what I do so I need to be very discreet. The agency provided me with a safe environment and vetted the men so that I didn't have to worry about who might be walking through the door of a hotel room." She said that since the police closed down Cloud Nine she has been forced to sell sex in London or work from a massage parlour in Surrey. "I feel very vulnerable because my safety is no longer being protected. I have to look out for myself. The other former Cloud Nine escorts also say the same thing - we are now very vulnerable." Under UK law it is not an offence to work as an escort even if the arrangement is a cover for a sex transaction. Well known high-class escorts include Belle de Jour, who last month finally outed herself as Dr Brooke Magnanti, a 34-year-old research scientist who authored diaries about her life as a callgirl in London, charging hundreds of pounds a session. Escort agencies operate in a grey area of the law where their services are lawful provided they are not profiting from prostitution. By acting as an introductions agency it is difficult to show that the business falls foul of the brothel-keeping legislation. Police targeting of escort agencies has been tacitly supported by ministers who have ushered in tougher legislation to tackle prostitution after backing away from earlier proposals to license small brothels. New laws enacted last month now make it an offence to pay for sex from a prostitute who has been coerced by a third party. When this was first announced by the Home Office, Timothy Braine, Gloucestershire's Chief Constable and the Association of Chief Police Officers lead on prostitution and vice matters, praised the new measures, saying that "with these proposals the Government has clearly signalled its intention to bring about a sea-change in attitudes towards prostitution". Sex workers argue that they are being penalised for the abuses suffered by a minority of women caught up with pimps and drug gangs. The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) claims that some of the recent prosecutions show that the Government's promise to offer more support to women who complain of abuse and violence is a hollow one. A spokeswoman for the ECP said: "The arrest of Ms Morris and her colleagues is an outrageous example of police not having a shred of concern for women's safety, and prioritising prosecutions over protection. This is not in the public interest. It tells violent men that they can continue to get away with attacking sex workers." She claimed that police raids and prosecutions on escort agencies are being fuelled by "proceeds of crime legislation, which awards the police up to 50 per cent of all monies recovered when women's income and assets are confiscated". A spokeswoman for Surrey Police would say only: "Surrey Police can confirm that there are ongoing investigations relating to the matters raised and it would be inappropriate for police to provide further comment." Courtesans: A history of high-class madams *Courtesans in Ancient Greece, known as hetaerae, were well educated, unlike most other women. Among the best known was Aspasia, who in the 5th century BC was noted for her conversation. Admirers included Socrates. *Harriette Wilson became a mistress aged 15 in 1801 and won a reputation as the leading Regency courtesan. Four future prime ministers and a Prince of Wales were among her conquests. Her threat to write her memoirs provoked the Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley's famous retort: "Publish, and be damned!" *Catherine Walters is regarded as the last of the great Victorian courtesans; a blue plaque commemorates her in London. Lovers were rumoured to include Napoleon III and King Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales. She kept a discreet silence and died a rich woman. *Cora Pearl started as a prostitute in London in the mid-19th century. Her beauty, intelligence and wit won her wealthy lovers. She moved to Paris where she would dance naked on a carpet of orchids and bathe in champagne. She became addicted to gambling and died poor. Her racy memoirs were discovered in 1982. *Dr Brooke Magnanti, a research scientist, revealed this year that she was Belle de Jour, the call girl who, having turned to prostitution to fund her studies, wrote up her experiences on a blog for all to read.
Ohio Supreme Court strikes warrantless cell phone search
A welcome blow for privacy. From the New York Times, December 26, 2009. Editorial Cellphone Searches Published: December 25, 2009 The Ohio Supreme Court has struck an important blow for privacy rights, ruling that the police need a warrant to search a cellphone. The court rightly recognized that cellphones today are a lot more than just telephones, that they hold a wealth of personal information and that the privacy interest in them is considerable. This was the first such ruling from a state supreme court. It is a model for other courts to follow. Skip to next paragraph Related Times Topics: Mobile Phones | Privacy
Searches generally require warrants, but courts have carved out limited categories in which they are not needed. One of these is that police officers are allowed, when they arrest people, to search them and the area immediately surrounding them, as well as some kinds of containers in their possession. When the police arrested Antwaun Smith on drug charges they seized his cellphone and searched it, examining his call records. The police did not have a warrant or the consent of Mr. Smith. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled this month, by a 4-to-3 vote, that the search violated the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Rather than seeing a cellphone as a simple closed container, the majority noted that modern cellphones - especially ones that permit Internet access - are "capable of storing a wealth of digitized information." This is information, the court said, for which people reasonably have a high expectation of privacy, and under established Fourth Amendment principles, police officers must get a search warrant before they can look through call logs or examine other data. The court wisely decided that it made no sense to try to distinguish among various kinds of cellphones based on what specific functions they have. All cellphones, the court said, fall under the search warrant requirement. Few federal courts have considered the issue of cellphone searches, and they have disagreed about whether a warrant should be required. The Ohio ruling eloquently makes the case for why the very personal information that new forms of technology aggregate must be accorded a significant degree of privacy.
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
Today is December 17, 2009: International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. On The Issues Magazine - Fall 2008
Stopping the Terror: A Day to End Violence Against Prostitutes by Annie Sprinkle
In 2003 "Green River Killer" Gary Ridgeway confessed to having strangled ninety women to death and having "sex" with their dead bodies.
He stated, "I picked prostitutes as victims because they were easy to pick up without being noticed. I knew they would not be reported missing right away and might never be reported missing. I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught."
Sadly, some Seattle area prostitutes, their boyfriends or pimps, knew the Green River Killer was Gary Ridgeway for years. But they were either afraid to come forward for fear of being arrested themselves, or when they did come forward the police didn't believe them over the "upstanding family man" Gary Ridageway. It seemed as though the police weren't working very hard to find the Green River Killer. If the victims had been teachers, nurses or secretaries or other women, I suspect--as Ridgeway did-- that the killer would have been caught much sooner. Ridgeway remained at large for twenty years.
From working as a prostitute myself for two decades I know that violent crimes against sex workers often go unreported, unaddressed and unpunished. There are people who really don't care when prostitutes are victims of hate crimes, beaten, raped and murdered. They will say:
"They got what they deserved."
"They were trash."
"They asked for it"
"What do they expect?"
"The world is better off without those whores."
No matter how people feel about sex workers and the politics surrounding them, sex workers are a part of our neighborhoods, communities and our families and always will be. Sex workers are women, trans people and men of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, classes and backgrounds who are working in the sex industry for a wide range of reasons. Many of us are out and proud, and spend a lot of time trying to explain to the public that we freely choose our work and we are not "victims." But the truth is, some of us have been, or will become, real victims of rape, robbery and horrendous crimes.
When Ridgeway got a plea bargain in 2003, he received a life sentence in exchange for revealing where his victims' bodies were thrown or buried. As the names of the (mostly 17- to 19-year old) victims, were disclosed, I felt a need to remember and honor them. I cared, and I knew other people cared, too.
So I contacted Robyn Few, the founder of the Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP) based in San Francisco and we made December 17th as the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. We invited people everywhere to conduct memorials and vigils in their countries and cities. Robyn co-produced an open-mike vigil on the lawn of San Francisco's City Hall.
Since 2003, each year hundreds of people in dozens of cities around the world have participated in this day to end violence-- from Montreal where people marched with red umbrellas, to protests against police brutaility in Hong Kong, a candlelight vigil in Vancouver, a memorial ritual in Sydney, a dance to overcome pain and traum in East Godavery, India. More events are planned for 2008, the sixth year of the event.
The concept for the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is simple. Anyone can choose a place and time to gather, invite others to gather and share their stories, writings, thoughts, poems, and memories of victims, related news and performances. Or people can do something personal, alone at home, such as lighting a candle or taking a ritual memorial bath. We encourage discussions among friends, by email, on blogs. People are encouraged to list their events at the SWOP website so others can attend them, and to share the power of their actions. People can also participate by making a donation to a group that helps sex workers by teaching them about dangers and how to best survive. Two such non-profits are St. James Infirmary and AIM Healthcare. (Editor's Note: Read more about the St. James Infirmary in this article in On The Issues Magazine.com.
This December 17, 2008 many sex workers will converge in Washington, D.C. on for a National March for Sex Worker Rights where marchers "will take a stand for justice, and the freedom to do sex work safely. We are calling for an end to unjust laws, policing, the shaming and stigma that oppress our communities and make us targets for violence." People are encouraged to join SWOP and other activists in Washington and to endorse this march.
Every year when I create or attend a gathering on December 17, it is a deeply moving experience. I take some moments to feel grateful that I worked as a prostitute for so many years and came out alive. I remember those who didn't survive and I fear for those who won't unless real changes are made -- namely safer working conditions and the same police protection other citizens get without recrimination.
November 18, 2008 Back to Cafe Home
ShareThis Annie Sprinkle, Ph.D. http://www.anniesprinkle.org/ was one of the movers and shakers of the sex positive feminist movement; a prostitute/porn star turned artist/sex educator. Her current project is the Love Art Laboratory where she and her partner, Elizabeth Stephens, do collaborative community art projects that generate and celebrate love. Love is the new sex! Contact dec17@swopusa.org for more information about the December 17 march in Washington.
Also see, Works Hard for Her Money: Feminists and Prostitutes, our Summer 2008 edition of On The Issues Magazine.com.
See Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle by Norine Dworkin in the Fall 1992 edition of On The Issues Magazine, in our free archives. Stay safe, ladies. -Track-
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