Get out your red umbrella

SWOP Boston will be having an event for “International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers” on December 17 at the Lucy Parson’s Center.

It is believed that 200 sex workers have been murdered this year.  The most notable victim is Julissa Brisman.  Brisman, victim of the “Craigslist Killer”, was an erotic masseuse and became a victim of arm robbery, kidnapping, and murder.

Speakers will begin the event (starting at 7pm), then the names of all sex workers murdered this year will be read, followed by a little walk with our red umbrellas around the neighborhood.

The end is near

The end of the “loophole” is near.  On October 28th or 29th, the RI General Assembly will come back and vote on a new version of a prostitution bill.  WRNI reports House, Senate Close to Agreement on banning indoor prostitution.

Negotiators for the House, Senate and law enforcement officials, including the state police and Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch’s office, have been involved in negotiations to forge a compromise between the two chambers.

Sen. Rhoda Perry, D-Providence,  argued against the tough penalties but now says she is resigned to their approval. Perry says she is pleased that the compromise bill will include sanctions against customers of prostitutes, commonly referred to as `Johns.’

The measure is expected to be approved when the Assembly reconvenes on October 28.

I am sad that the politicians have given up, and decided to appease the zealots who have been pushing for this horrible bill.  We all know that all this will do is hurt the women who are doing sex-work.  I think the politicians are hoping for a little positive press, seeing that the Providence Journal’s Editorial page has been harping on this subject.  However, I do find it ironic that the projo claims that changing this law will help the women, when they (the projo) keep publishing names of the women.  They did it just today, revealing the name of the woman who was attacked by the “Craigslist Killer”.  (I will not link, because I don’t wish to further publicize names of women who are victims).

I have not seen the bill yet, but I doubt that it will not pass.  If Rhoda Perry has even resigned herself to its passage, it is almost a guarantee that Rhode Island will pass the law.  I am starting to think I might want to pick up my camera again, passing a law and enforcing it equally are two different things.  I have a feeling that the real show is about to begin, I mean this is Rhode Island, where the police were taking money from the spas.

Craigslist Killer hits in RI

After all the debate about prostitution being legal in Rhode Island, the Craigslist Killer has struck in our state.  I think this shows that we need to keep prostitution safe, and regulate it.  If you notice, there has never been any violence, murder, or robbery in any of the Asian massage parlors.  That is because there are usually 4-6 women working together, and there is safety in numbers.  A man wouldn’t be able to rob or kill a worker there because she is protected.  If we change the law, the women will be forced to work independently, and we will probably have more news about people like the Craigslist Killer and Jeffery Mailhot who killed a bunch of women working in the streets of Woonsocket back in 2004.