The Advocate, pg. A27
February 19, 2008
Bob Herbert
This article examines prostitution, but it looks at it from a different view. The author, Bob Herbert, does not think we should go out looking for the prostitutes and lock them up for life. Bob Herbert explains the story of a New York City police detective and his girlfriend that were accused of kidnapping and forcing a 13-year-old girl into prostitution. The detective and his girlfriend purchased the young girl for $500. Herbert said that the big story in New York City was that a police detective did this NOT that a girl was forced to prostitute. Herbert wants everyone to realize that our views are twisted. It is common for under-age girls to be arrested for prostitution, but isn't it statutory rape for an adult to have sex with a minor? Herbert has a good point. He said, "If no money is involved, the youngster is considered a victim. But if the man pays for the sex- even if the money is going to the pimp, which is so often the case- the child is considered a prostitute and thus subject in many venues to arrest and incarceration." He goes on to criticize the officials in New York for not imposing the Safe Harbor Act which would not allow underage children to be criminalized for prostitution. They would have had to offer the children counseling, medical care and shelter, if necessary. Instead, the officials use the threat of jail to make them rat out their pimps.
I really liked this article. The author got me interested, and made me sympathize with the young children. I don't think he could have done anything different to make this article better. Stories like this one make me sick. It is so sad to think that children are forced into prostitution then are put into jail. I think people need to rethink many laws in our country.
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3 comments:
Wow, I have never heard anything like this going on in the US. This article seems very interesting and informative. I like how it points out that our laws are a little twisted.
The examples given make the article; it is very true that our society focuses on the wrong doing of the girl for accepting money and not so much on the wrong doing of the adult. This article is very interesting and makes me wonder what other areas in our society are twisted like this. I think the author did a good job.
Oh my, this article definetely got me thinking. Our society portrays a rigid sterotype, and we usually fail to see outside of it. This article allowed us to go beyond the sterotype.It is terrible that things like this go on, and I admire this author for bringing it to the surface.
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