I have an opinion too. Actually I have 2 opinions. (Well I have a ton of opinions, but 2 as it relates to the situation on the prostitution law in Rhode Island) While I am against laws that would criminalize sex between consenting adults, I fear that the over abundance of media is forcing the General Assembly to create a law. Since a law may be passed, I am hoping for one that will not imprison the women who I have come to know in the process of making “Happy Endings?” I guess you can say my second opinion is a compromise, a “plan b” as it were.
My “plan b” was printed in the Boston Globe today. This “plan b” is known as the Sweden law. I know that people who are in the sex industry will be upset with me for advocating for this law, but because it looks like a law is going to pass I am going to advocate for the lesser of two evils.
I recently bought the documentary and learned a lot from it. Good job on it. I had a couple of comments about your boston globe piece.
First, are you citing a study that found the decline in prostitution in Sweden was attributable to their law change? My coauthor, Todd Kendall, and I have been studying the online prostitution markets for the last year and a half. Even here in the US, from 1999-2009, prostitution arrests fell dramatically without any law changes. We argue that some of this is attributable to the growth in online prostitution markets. I was therefore wondering what measure of prostitution you were using in the op-ed piece, and whether you were comparing that decline to other countries over the same time period or if it’s an unconditional decrease (ie, no control group) that you’re reporting.
Second, I had a question about Rhode Island that I cannot get answered. Exactly when does the 1980 loophole that is created *practically* take effect? I’ve read some who argue that decriminalization de facto happens in 1999 and others who say 2003.
sincerely,
scott cunningham
assistant professor
department of economics
baylor university
waco, texas