The Pretty Woman myth among law enforcement and the culture hinders arrest and prosecution of johns
SubscribeDo you remember the B.W. case? It was on the media's hot spotlight for a while when the Supreme Court of Texas reversed the lower court's decision criminalizing a 13 year old victim as a child prostitute. B.W. was arrested when she offered to engage in oral sex with an undercover officer for $20.00. Regardless of the history of her sexual and physical abuse and an apparent exploitation of B.W. by her 32 year old boyfriend, the prosecutor proceeded against B.W. on the charge of prostitution in the juvenile court. The trial court found that B.W. was engaged in delinquent conduct of prostitution and the appellate court affirmed that decision. It was only after the Supreme Court of Texas reversed the lower court's decision that B.W. was able to walk free as a victim instead of being incarcerated as a criminal. But, there is another issue that was overlooked in this B.W. case. It is that no johns who molested and raped the 13 year old victim was even arrested by the police though the prosecutors and the law enforcement were quick to arrest and prosecute B.W.
The johns were never prosecuted
Aside from the issue that the prosecutor accused a 13 year old of willfully engaging in prostitution, none of the johns were prosecuted for raping and molesting B.W., a 13 year old child as mentioned above. In the defense of the law enforcement and prosecutors, johns are difficult to prosecute in a case that the prostituted woman or girl was arrested during the undercover cop sting. It is also unlikely that B.W. would have kept the contact information and the names of johns who molested or raped her in the past. It is particularly unlikely that she kept the information about johns if she were being prostituted on the street. But, what is really hindering law enforcement from arresting johns lies elsewhere.
The myth of Pretty Woman: johns walk free
Dottie Laster, of Laster Global, a company that specializes in training law enforcement and media on human trafficking and other human rights issue, reveals an interesting reason why law enforcement is less likely go after johns but more likely go after the prostituted women:
The culture of law enforcement is such that the prostitues are willing and their expereinces are similar the movie Pretty Woman. The reality is that most prostitutes experiences are actually terrfiying and horrific. Due to this inacurate myth, the blame for the crime of prostitution lies on the vicitms and the johns are most often not even detained while the vicitms are arrested.
In order for progress to be made to stop the spectrum of heinous crimes that make up human trafficking, investigations must change their focus to address the demand side- the investigations must shift focus off of the victims and onto the two parties who always have a choice to participate in the crime- the pimp/trafficker and the buyers also known as johns. [emphasis added]
What this means to the fight against human trafficking
As. Ms. Laster rightly pointed out above, the American culture and the law enforcement have overlooked the importance of arresting and prosecuting johns. In a case like In re B.W. case, whether they knowingly have engaged in prostitution with a minor like B.W. or not, it does not change the fact that johns have molested or raped a 13 year old child and took away her innocence. Then let's suppose B.W. never goes back to prostitution after receiving counseling through victim assistance program. Also, suppose B.W.'s 32 year old pimp was prosecuted and locked away for a few years after conviction on pimping charges. But, unless these johns are prosecuted and penalized enough to stop them from going back to the brothels, there will always be other pimps and traffickers who will supply trafficking victims in order to meet the sexual demands of these johns. While these johns consider prostituting women as sports, hobbies, and a stress-reliever, our children are torn apart in their minds, bodies, and spirits as a result of prostitution. Now, will you still turn blind eyes and say to johns that "boys will be boys"?
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