BY MIKE CETERA
One advertises herself this way: "If you are looking for an hour of bliss...or a night of pure adult fun...I can accommodate your every desire." Another puts it like this: "I PRIDE MYSELF ON GOING THE EXTRA MILE."
Both leave their phone numbers for anyone to inquire about their services along with a picture for all to see. Though the one lady doesn't explicitly say what "going the extra mile" means, the offer is implicit.
These are ads on Craigslist by women looking to sell something in Aurora. Police say the alleged prostitution ring broken up earlier this week also used the Web site to advertise sex for sale. With all of the prostitution busts going, why haven't these ladies gone into hiding? My guess is there's just too many of them for the cops to keep up. But yet they keep getting caught, as we've mentioned here before.
As it turns out, this is a national phenomenon.
From the New York Times:
Sex and the Internet have been intertwined almost since the first Web site, the authorities say that prostitution is flourishing online as never before. And while prostitutes also advertise on other sites, the police here and across the country say Craigslist is by far the favorite. On one recent day, for example, some 9,000 listings were added to the site's "Erotic Services" category in the New York region alone: Most offered massage and escorts, often hinting at more.Law enforcement officials have accused Craigslist of enabling prostitution. But the company's president, Jim Buckmaster, said its 24-member staff cannot patrol the multitude of constantly changing listings -- some 20 million per month -- and counts on viewers to flag objectionable ads, which are promptly removed.
"We do not want illegal activity on the site," he said. Asked whether the company supported the police's placing decoy ads on Craigslist, Mr. Buckmaster said: "We don't comment on the specifics" of law enforcement.
In fact, Craigslist expressly forbids people from using the site for prostitution purposes. But that -- and the attention from police -- hasn't seemed to stop the ads.
A Google search of the words "craigslist" and "prostitution" finds 134,000 hits, many of which are news stories about Craigslist-related busts.
With so much of this going on, is there anything more police could be doing to discourage this illegal activity?
Ladies? There hideous! The Johns must be desperate and hideous themselves to go near that. Unfortunately, these types of quality people are what the rest of Chicagoland thinks populate Aurora.
I'm a great and long time believer in LEGALIZED prostitution. Why should a woman be allowed to rent out her hands for computer work, her ears for telephone answering, her feet for running errands but not her genitals? It's a crime without a victim (and "society is the victim" is a bunch of hogwash IMHO).
A woman is allowed to go to a club or bar, engage some guy in conversation and go home with him for hanky panky but they can't exchange money.
A woman is allowed to go out with a guy for drinks, dinner and a movie before going home for fun and games, but not just take the cash.
How ridiculous.
Joan
What a motley looking crew they are! I can only imagine what they look like in person and the squalor that these activities must occur in. Desperate people do desperate things. I would be curious to know the background of these women--how they got started and what led them to fall so far. I wouldn't be surprised if they were from normal upbringing with good families, but just got caught up in crack and/or other illicit drugs. Knowing their background would be a more compelling read than just another prositution/drug bust. I bet that a year of sobriety and some good diet and exercise would make them look moderately attractive. Maybe the guys from Trading Places could make another $1 bet to see about bringing them to some semblance of respectability. To the author: Why don't you interview these gals and see what led them to this.
to those who think that this is just a bad group of adults that have no responsiblities. Thomas is a father of two childern but has an addiction that has cost him not only his life but everyone that has ever tried to help. Let this be a lesson to all. that think they have all, and that life is great. It can all end as fast as it came.
Joan,
You may find this of interest, you are not alone in your perspectives.
Here is a recent blog post commentary:
Annalee Newitz Nails It or go directly to the full post by Annalee Newitz.
Joan,
Here is an additional commentary piece
Twitter, iPhones Let Sex Workers Spread Their Gospel
~excerpt~
Joan,
You don't think society is a victim? How many of these whores have insurance to pay when they get an STD or AIDS? How many end up at the Health Department at the taxpayers expense? I suppose the families of the johns aren't victims either? It's the same as when drug dealers or gangbangers move into an neighborhood...property values decrease. And what's with the IMHO? I think you left out an A between the M and the H!!!
Its illegal because the government cant regulate it, or tax it.
Simply put!