As a former reporter at both the SF Examiner and SFChronicle who investigated prostitution in San Francisco, I can attest that the response by Bridget Ruiz Rivezzo is right on the money. The concern must be for the young victims of sex trafficking, and not to protect or shield the abusers. As she writes "Instead of penalizing those being trafficked, the ordinance shifts the burden to where it belongs: on the buyers, traffickers, and nuisance businesses that facilitate this industry." The bad guys in business and in their cars looking to abuse or profit off minor girls know who they are. Good for Oakland for taking this important step to protect the girls. (At one point, SF cops, with the help of nonprofits, started what they called a "John's School,'' requiring men who solicited to take a class in which they heard from the victims themselves -- and were schooled on the health issues like STDs that came w soliciting prostitution. It also appeared to be effective: one look at a genital warts slide, and a lot of the Johns said they were never coming back. Oakland might consider this also. CM
As a former reporter at both the SF Examiner and SFChronicle who investigated prostitution in San Francisco, I can attest that the response by Bridget Ruiz Rivezzo is right on the money. The concern must be for the young victims of sex trafficking, and not to protect or shield the abusers. As she writes "Instead of penalizing those being trafficked, the ordinance shifts the burden to where it belongs: on the buyers, traffickers, and nuisance businesses that facilitate this industry." The bad guys in business and in their cars looking to abuse or profit off minor girls know who they are. Good for Oakland for taking this important step to protect the girls. (At one point, SF cops, with the help of nonprofits, started what they called a "John's School,'' requiring men who solicited to take a class in which they heard from the victims themselves -- and were schooled on the health issues like STDs that came w soliciting prostitution. It also appeared to be effective: one look at a genital warts slide, and a lot of the Johns said they were never coming back. Oakland might consider this also. CM
Hi Carla— Thank you for your comment, it is appreciated. We would like to publish your comment in our next Letters to the Editor column.
https://www.oaklandreport.org/p/oakland-is-beautiful-and-we-deserve
Best regards,