RSSChicago sheriff declares Craigslist 'a public nuisance' for aiding the sex trade
By Tim Conneally | Published March 6, 2009, 11:16 AM
Yesterday, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart filed suit against classified ad site Craigslist in the US District Court of Northern Illinois to shut down the "erotic services" section of the site, and seek redress for all the resources consumed by Craigslist-related prostitution investigation.
"To say Craigslist's 'erotic services' forum makes prostitution accessible is an understatement," opens the complaint, "Advocacy groups consider the website to be one of the largest sources for prostitution in the country."
Dart, a former democratic state representative, won the position of Cook County Sheriff in 2006, his department is the second largest Sheriff's Office in the United States. The department has conducted a number of large scale sting operations to combat prostitution rings that used Craigslist as something of a menu.
"Prostitution arrests in Cook County via Craigslist are incessant. Arrests consume the time, money, and resources of law enforcement agencies... [The Erotic Services] section is a convenient clearinghouse for pimps, prostitutes, and patrons that enables sellers to advertise and buyers to peruse discreetly."
Dart determined that over 300 listings per day are posted in the Erotic Services section of Craigslist Chicago. Using stats from Compete.com, Dart also determined that the section is the most popular on all of Craigslist, consistently getting the highest number of hits, more than double the next closest category.
Due to a 2008 joint agreement with Connecticut's Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, postings in the Erotic Services section are no longer free (each ad costs the advertiser between $5-$10), and Craigslist agrees to donate that money to charities that combat child exploitation and human trafficking.
Dart points out that, "Ironically, the joint statement enables [Craigslist] to receive money for the erotic services posts. While the Defendant says it will donate this money to charity, the joint statement allows the website to generate goodwill and possible tax benefits through its proliferation of prostitution."
Take the time and money we spend on prosecuting prostitutes now and spend it on:
Helping the young children and men/women who are doing it without consent or out of necessity
Cleaning up the industry for the consenting adults - I.E. STD testing, education
Religion should be left out of our governing decisions. We must uphold a sense of morality but I think it's more immoral not to evolve and change with our societies needs.
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|I know Tom Dart and three detectives in the sex crime division in Chicago. It is out of control.
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|not to argue with anyone...so I'll just reiterate some tired theologies...
1) Prostitution has been around since blah blah
2) Child Porn has been around since blah blah
3) Incest has been around since blah blah
Blah blah has been around since blah blah...doesn't mean any of it should. Get the picture? Just because someone does something, and perhaps "you" do the same, doesn't mean I should as well...or that I am missing out on something if I am not.
The sad thing is nobody needs any of this "traditional" past time. It's just that people aren't healthy minded enough to go out and try. For every LOSER that partakes in this, there is some woman for you and vice versa.
This isn't about sex, but sex as a trade, and that sadly has no place in any supposedly civilized, cultured or advanced society. Or at least that is my naive perception of a future world. Surely we aspire to greater things? I try at least.
So...number 2 and number 3...who here wishes to legalize it as well? Nobody? Why not? eh, who knows why "YOU" wouldn't.
lol
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|Laughing... this doesn't merit comment so, of course, I will comment. Prostitution has been around since...well..since the 1st male got a hard-on. The time has come to legalize it and give women freedom to control their own bodies and eliminate the pimp. This is not an advocacy of slave trade or underage sex trade but just a simple recognition of the reality of human existence. We can disagree on this issue on ethical, moral or civil rights grounds but the simple fact is that it is not going to go away and by legalizing it, we give women more control so that they don't have to rely on pimps or men that will abuse them.
Also, open up any Alternative newspaper in any major city including Chicago and you will see "erotic" advertisements that are paid for so using the argument that the ads are paid for doesn't apply since it is not applied to the print media.
Finally, I put this in the same category as porn- boring. Paying someone to say "OH yeah, baby..You're the man" just isn't my cup of tea. Never understood the mentality of those that do like it that way but that doesn't mean I don't recognize the reality and feel the law needs to change. The same thing applies to pot. Legalize it and quit wasting police time and taxpayer's dollars on prosecuting.
Having said that, I wonder if there is a section on this Craigslist for "Corrupt Cook County politicians?"
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|Funny how you can't sell your dog but you can sell a person for a on-night's stay on craiglist.
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|Should we be able to chain you out back as well?
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|Actually one doesn't buy a body therefore one doesn't sell a body. One rents:. Now there might be a "rent with option to buy clause" but I doubt it.
Everyone have a good day:)
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|PC_Tool: It doesn't seem like you got the point of my comment, did you.
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|*laughing*
To make an absurd comparison with no bearing on reality? Yeah, I got that. :)
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|I don't understand, what is the big deal? Why do we have waste time and money on people who want to have a good time and are willing to pay for it? Some of us don't have to pay for it, but there are others who need to. Get over it! This is the year 2009, not 1950.
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|"Why do we have waste time and money on people who want to have a good time and are willing to pay for it?"
Because a good portion of the population is trained instinctively against it, and seem to think (contrary to reasoned thought) the presence of non-consensual prostitution is somehow an argument for keeping it illegal.
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|Their failure was to charge for the ability to post. They are now making money off of it, which makes them accessories.
Solution: stop charging and pull content that is reported.
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|This is a little ridiculous. Some people are manipulating a system put in place. Get them in jail. Craigslist doesn't condone prostitution anymore than Bittorrent protocols condone piracy.
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|Yawn
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|sorry but you can't compare selling for sex to downloading the latest coldplay tune.
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|They're both selling a product/service, so why not?
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|FoxFool,
Whilst you have your mouth open, what's the matter buddy this has to be the most brief post ever by your good self.
As an aside, it was through Craiglist that Lisa Ann came out of retirement for "Who's Nailin Palin".
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|Lisa Ann was back on the scene long before anyone knew who Sarah Palin was....
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