Prostitution and Law Enforcement

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/news/tribune-review/news/s_179192.html

Y'all please be careful with posts regarding details. I believe law enforcement members are probably members here.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK:

Monday, March 22, 2004
Travel agents indicted for 'sex tours'
ALBANY, New York (AP) -- Two operators of a New York travel agency have been indicted for organizing "sex tours" to Southeast Asia, the first such case involving a United States-based company, the state attorney general said Monday.

The trips arranged by Big Apple Oriental Tours were allegedly a way to solicit customers for prostitution rings in the Philippines and Thailand.

"These defendants claimed to be operating a traditional travel agency. It is far from that," Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said. He said the travel agency's actions "led to the systematic exploitation and suppression of young women."

Douglas Allen, 59, and Norman Barabash, 58, were charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of promoting prostitution. They pleaded innocent Feb. 27. If convicted, they could face up to seven years in prison.

Barabash's lawyer, Daniel A. Hochheiser, said the case is weak and the indictment is politically motivated.

According to a separate civil lawsuit brought by Spitzer in 2003, Big Apple Oriental Tours conducted a marketing campaign that included videos, a Web site, brochures and customer testimonials.

A brochure promised "unforgettable adventure vacations for single men to paradise," according to Paul Larrabee, a spokesman for Spitzer. The trips cost about $2,500 for seven to 10 days.

I am so happy I live in Australia for
1)The gorgeous beautiful women here who love sex.
2)The far less violent local population, they don't shoot each other up like they do in the USA.
3)Friendlier more outgoing people.
4)The gorgeous weather.
5)The gorgeous beaches.
6)A government that actually cares about people, I don't pay high insurance premiums to see a doctor, because its free here.
7) And I can see prostitutes whenever.

CBGB, Free health care? That must be great! I know nothing about Australia, but my friends in Canada say their taxes pay for it. Just curious who pays those doctors salaries?

Civ2000

CBGB, you forgot the fantastic food and the huge variety of international sporting events. Especially in Melbourne. :)

Don't get me wrong. Australia is a beautiful vibrant placer to live and visit. The people are great, the culture is great too. Food, is not the best, but hey, they have fine beaches.

But lets get one misconception correct. Free healthcare?!?! well you're highly taxed for it #1, #2, if you have a sinus infection you can wait up to 5 months to get in to see the Doc. I don't know about you, but I'll take America's healthcare plan anyday! We have many safety nets in place in this country for those who truly cannot afford healthcare. And these safety nets are far superior to even average care you would receive in Australia.

TANG~!

In this case, Civ, you're mistaken. CBGB is an American who spent most of his time in NYC bemoaning the women there and wishing he was elsewhere. Now he's got his wish.

But yes, he's still singing the same one-note song. Seems that being down under hasn't really much improved his mood about his homeland, although I'm with him that the U.S.'s vaunted healthcare superiority is vastly overblown.

Here's a Good Resource =

A List of the Ages of Consent for all around the World

[URL] http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm [/URL]

CBGB

Long before you say all those I have already been disillusioned with Uncle Sam. That's why I forewent naturalisation. Skirting the issue of politics, the steps you could take are:

Step 1. Take on any opportunity to acquire legal identity through which you'll eventually become eligible to citizenship of Australia or New Zealand, or the country of your choice.

Step 2. During the process, wean yourself from what Uncle Sam provides you, viz. social security and votership. You wouldn't be able to vote your conscience anyway even if you continued to vote whilst overseas.

Step 3. Once you embark on the citizenship you want, go to a U.S. consulate nearby and renounce U.S. citizenship. (WEB du Bois, founder of NAACP, did the same when he was denied passport.)

Step 4. Be a happy citizen of the country of your choice. Make sure that you make the most out of national healthcare system. America's been spending tax dollars on warmongering ever after the Second World War, not healthcare to its people.

Step 5. [b]Go punting![/b]

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It is known that many locales have been made notorious for being centres of sex tourism. You may not know what I am alluding to but I know that legislators are calling for drastic measures on the floors of many countries' parliaments: Deport foreigners for punting for a certain length of time.

Resistance to this measure is caused more by inability to put a lid on corruption than by potential chilling effect on tourism.

Here's the question to all punters: What would you do if you got deported for this reason?

[quote][i]Originally posted by Brownout[/i]
Here's the question to all punters: What would you do if you got deported for this reason?
[/quote]

Go somewhere else.

Brownout,

Mate, you are way off base on the citizenship thing.

Renouncing your citizenship is a serious matter, and really not required.

I would add that while gaining nationality in another country is possible, it is not trivial, particularly if your desire is to make use of socialized medicine and mongering activities.

While the US does not encourage dual nationality, it is not illegal nor immoral.
Renouncing citizenship as a form of social protest is your right, but a rather drastic measure. My advice is to very carefully consider your options.

Cheers,

Sporadic

Of course punting would not be [i]that[/i] important a consideration, but sometimes citizenship makes a difference.

Some countries/jurisdictions make some or all crimes committed by their citizens outside of frontiers under their jurisdiction. This is similar to but not exactly the same as extraterritoriality.

To illustrate this point, take an example. Say that while touring Country Y I did domething that would constitute a crime under my country of citizenship. I could be caught, tried and punished in that country under its laws when I either go back or get extradited. If I did the same thing after gaining exclusive citizenship of Country Y the question of whether it constitutes a crime would be handled under Country Y's laws.

Renunciation of citizenship while abroad means you no longer have [b]either rights or duties[/b] associated with it. This is not always drastic. Do not commit the mistake of neglecting duties.

It is inaccurate to say whether dual citizenship is illegal. Much better to say whether it is [i]recognised[/i]. In fact, some countries (including the U.S.) recognise dual citizenship, Some others (e.g. Japan) require choice of citizenship on adulthood, and others do not recognise dual citizenship at all.

FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS

Because you are in a profession that can net you a larger than average income, it is easy for those who have to work far more hours for less income to become jealous of the things you have. It is especially important to if take time to sooth their feelings and turn them into allies rather than enemies. If you don't want to tell your friends what you do for a living, that is understandable. Many people are uptight about their own sexuality and can be very critical of you if you have ditched your hang-ups. In the past, some well meaning 'friends' and family members have actually turned in their prostitute friends and relatives to the police when they discover what their friend does for a living. If they are unable to persuade their friend to leave the business, they may mistakenly think that by turning them in to the police, they are saving their friend from a life of degradation and pain. Their misguided intervention can ultimately destroy your life, so it is understandable that some of us try to keep our lives hidden from our non-sex industry friends and family. So, by living a double life, some women are able to keep these friends from discovering their secret.

However, if they discover your profession by accident, you should be ready to discuss it openly and honestly with them. By hedging, you lead them to think the worst about your career, and they may develop a "Good Samaritan" complex and want to 'help' you by calling the police. Assure them that you don't have a big, mean pimp who is forcing you into this business and taking all your money, and that you always practice safe sex, etc.

*Be the best neighbor on your block or in your building. It's best not to have loud parties or have your guests park in other people's driveways or parking spaces. Don't leave your trash where it doesn't belong. You shouldn't play your music so loud that someone has to complain. This goes for your phone ringing as well. Be sure they can't hear your phone or answering machine from outside your apartment. . . for several reasons. Go out of your way to be friendly to your neighbors. Be pleasant, say "hi." Exchange Christmas cards or even gifts with those who are living the closest to you. It is more difficult for someone to dislike you if they see you as a nice person.

*If your clients visit you at your apartment or house, be sure they know which one to come to so that they don't end up knocking at your neighbor's door in the middle of the night and bother them. This can be annoying at any time of day, but particularly if they are sleeping and someone comes knocking and asks for you at three in the morning. Not only will they get upset that their sleep was interrupted, but they may wonder why you are having company at that time of night. If there is a problem, be sure that you speak to them the next day and apologize for the rude behavior of your friends. Smoothing ruffled feathers goes a long way to keeping them out of your business.

* If you have a boyfriend, even if he knows about your work, it's important to be sure he doesn't feel insecure about your relationship with him. [If he doesn't know about your work, be very careful what you tell him you do. Sometimes they want to surprise you at the job where you say you work, but, if you are not there, they become suspicious.] If he does know about your work, it is helpful to talk about how he feels about it and not dismiss his feelings as unimportant.

If he does not know about your work, it is a tough call whether or not to be honest with him and tell him. If you think there is not a chance in the world that he will find out, then maybe you can get away with not telling him. But if you expect to have a long relationship with him or even get married, it is a possibility that your past may crop up eventually, and he may feel that you were dishonest by not telling him. This may threaten your relationship permanently, but then, so can be honest about it. It takes a very secure man to be able to handle knowing about the work we do. This is why is is difficult for many women to establish long term relationships with a man, unless she first meets him as a client or has been in a secure relationship prior to entering the profession. Someday, when society grows up and gives our profession the respect it deserves, perhaps it will make it easier for sex workers to enter into long term committed relationships just as any other worker in any other profession can.


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Well, that about covers most of the questions that are asked concerning the sex industry and your risk of arrest.

If you have been convicted of any prostitution related offense and are facing incarceration, you may want more information about how to survive jail or prison. I think it is easier to go through if you know what to expect than if you don't know what's coming. COYOTE LA will have another booklet available soon which will describe the situation you will face and in what order it will come.

We will also adopt you while you are incarcerated. This means that if you are in a local county jail or a nearby state prison facility, we will try to get permission to be a regular visitor. If we are not able to do that, we will at least write to you, send you stamps and writing material, and if possible, send you items that you will be allowed to have during your incarceration.

While it is terribly unfair that any of us have to spend one minute of our lives away from our family and friends for engaging in activity that is none of anyone's business, the fact is that you will survive it. With a support team of friends outside to give you encouragement, this traumatic event will be over sooner than you think and this unthinkably unjust situation will one day be far behind you. If it should happen to you, remember that, until the law is changed, there will be many who are incarcerated after you who will need your encouragement and support.

We encourage you to write or call us and share any experience you may have with law enforcement agents- good or bad- so we can warn others and perhaps prevent someone else from getting arrested.



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HOW TO DEAL WITH A HIGH PROFILE CASE - THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

If you are unfortunate enough to get arrested at a time when there is a spotlight on prostitution (such as during television ratings periods like February, May, September and November) or if your case is unusual and would likely cause the media to be interested in your case, there are things you should know about what can happen to you and how you can fight back. If the media picks up on your case and flashes your name and perhaps even home address on the television screen, you will find your whole life will be altered- if not forever, then for some time to come. It is traumatic to have your privacy shattered for the sake of television or newspaper ratings, but the journalist who calls attention to your case to the public will not be concerned for your welfare. Even though prostitution is against the law to protect women from being exploited, you will find that there are few reporters who care about protecting your rights. They figure that if you were involved in an illegal or sexually explicit business, you have given up your rights to privacy and protection.

Most of the time, reporters do not view women in the sex industry as human beings whose lives can be destroyed by the publicity that they receive- that we can even be put in danger of being murdered when our home address is revealed to the public and to some psycho out there who figures that society is better off without the "sinful woman." It has happened in the past, unfortunately, but the media doesn't apologize and doesn't get it that it is wrong for them to put us at risk through their efforts to get ratings. It makes the media our worst enemy in some cases.

However, once the "cat is out of the bag," the most important thing you can do for yourself is to make a friend out of the media. If you have nothing to hide, it will only help you if you are friendly to the press rather than ignore them. Ignoring the press will only allow them to give the police version of the events, and, it will make it more difficult later on to get them to print your version. You do not need to tell them your whole story. Rather, if you want to wait until after you have had your arraignment in court and see if you are even going to be charged and have to go to trial, you can just tell them that you would be happy to give your side as soon as it is possible for you to do so. Appear friendly and cooperative, so that you bait them and make them want to talk to you.

Unless your attorney has had experience dealing with a high profile case, they will probably not want you to speak to the press at all. In the circumstances where someone is charged with a serious crime where there is a victim, this is probably good advice, but in the cases of prostitution and related charges, there is no good reason not to try to make friends of the press. There is every reason for you to do so, however, including getting your reputation back. Your friends and family who may not have known what profession you were in before, may want to disown you. If they see only the police version of the events, they may never know what really happened. Since the media has already exposed you to the world, it is up to you to reclaim your reputation.

If you have the opportunity to appear on a talkshow, be careful which one you do. If the talkshow has a reputation of tearing it's guests apart, you don't need to have that experience! Other shows like Oprah or Donahue are better, and will give you an opportunity to state your case without being verbally ambushed. One other side effect of appearing on a national tv show is that it tends to make your family, friends and neighbors view you differently and perhaps even think of you now as a celebrity rather than just an accused prostitute. For whatever reason, people do treat you differently if you have been on national tv than if you are just mentioned in the news.

If you decide to appear on a talkshow, you might want to wait until it has been determined if the city or district attorney is going to file charges. If they do, you need to be careful what you say on television so that you don't implicate yourself or make it impossible for your lawyer to defend you. The talkshow host/ reporter or any other member of the media is going to try to get you to say whatever they want to hear- but you have the right to determine how much you will tell them. Do not let them bully you into saying anything that will get you into more trouble. If you feel they are going too far, tell them so. Just like anyone else, they will try to take advantage of you if you let them. You set the boundaries and determine what information you are willing to give.

You can also get paid for your appearance, so be sure to ask the producer about a fee. Depending upon how much they want you and whether or not you are giving them an exclusive interview, they can pay you from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, although the Donahue Show seldom pays anyone at all. Shows like "20/20," "60 Minutes," and "Dateline" do not pay at all, but other so called tabloid shows like "Hard Copy," "Inside Edition" and "A Current Affair," will pay you and sometimes pay you a lot of money which can help you take care of your legal fees. If you get a lot of offers to do shows, you might think about hiring a publicist to represent you and negotiate your appearance fees.

Back to your lawyer. If your lawyer absolutely refuses to let you speak to the press, it is your decision. The lawyer is working for you, and only you can decide if it is worth risking your case. Ask the lawyer what the risks are if you do speak to the media, and if it is okay if you just inform the press that you will be happy to speak to them when your lawyer permits you to. Again, unless a lawyer has handled a high profile prostitution case, they may not understand the importance of being nice to the press. A press statement from your lawyer is not going to be the same as one from you, and the media may ignore it.

Also, if your case is not in the category of a Heidi Fleiss, even if your story is "hot" for a few days, eventually the media will find someone else to shine the spotlight on. Your opportunity to cash in on your notoriety is limited, and if it is a sweeps or ratings month, you have a better chance to get your side of the story told then you do when the month is over. Your story becomes a cold one in a short time, unless you can lure the media to wait for an interview with you at such time as you can give one.


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ALL THIS SOUNDS AWFUL . . . IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM GETTING ARRESTED?

To be honest with you, if the police want to arrest you, no matter what you do or say or don't say, they can and will arrest you. The charges might very well get thrown out of court or never get filed at all, but, you will probably end up spending money to defend yourself even if it goes nowhere. And not to mention you may have some explaining to do to your family and friends if your arrest makes the eleven o'clock news. When it comes to men and women in whatever branch of the sex industry, society would prefer not to know if the police are violating your rights. They figure the police wouldn't have arrested you in the first place if you weren't doing something illegal. So, it is up to you to take an aggressive posture and fight for your rights.

There are some things that you can do to keep angry neighbors, jealous boyfriends, etc from turning you in, as well as some signs to look out for if the potential client is actually an undercover cop.

Keep in mind that nothing you can do is 100% arrest proof. Exercise every precaution that you can, and hope that someday soon we will get these silly protectionist laws repealed so you can work in peace without the stress of wondering if it's your day to "go downtown."


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MORE TIPS

Be extra careful on multiple girl calls. The cops like to set up as many women at a time as possible because it saves time on paperwork. Beside, cops are just like other men and they like menages, too!

If you go to his hotel room and he asks you to sit in a specific seat, rather than where you want to, he may be angling you for the video camera. Either make sure they get your good side for the tape of tell him you will sit wherever you want.

*If you are an exotic dancer, and a customer wants to see you privately, don't think that just because he has been into the club before and spent lots of money on you that he is safe. Cops can and do spend lots of the taxpayer's money to set up sting operations, and so it is not safe to assume that the customer is not a cop because he has given you big tips in the past. Even if you turn him down to see him privately, he can still arrest you if you allow him to touch your genitals, or he asks you to touch his, for a tip. If he has an erection, it is still no proof that he is not a cop- after all, cops are human too, and they can get aroused as easily as any other men when they are dealing with attractive and sexy women.

IF LITTLE BELLS START GOING OFF IN YOUR HEAD - LISTEN TO THEM DON'T EVER TALK ABOUT SEX AND MONEY AND IF HE INSIST UPON GETTING YOU TO DISCUSS A SEX ACT GET UP AND LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. IF HE IS VISITING YOU, TELL HIM HE HAS OFFENDED YOU AND ASK HIM TO LEAVE AT ONCE.


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OTHER WAYS TO POSSIBLY AVOID GETTING ARRESTED

Sometimes, it seems as though for some women in the sex industry', their worst enemy is themselves. Without realizing it, they allow the people in their orbit to become the means that destroys them. By behaving in a certain way, they give their friends, neighbors, lovers and relatives the opportunity to report them to the police and thereby risk getting arrested. Here are some common mistakes to avoid- and thereby avoid making your friends, neighbors, boyfriends and even your fellow sex workers, jealous or angry at you and turning you in.

OTHER SEX WORKERS

It would be nice to think that everyone in this business is ethical and honest, but, I realize that in every profession there are those who you can trust and those you cannot. If you want to keep your fellow sex worker from turning on you, and reporting you to the police, you need to behave toward them in a way that won't make them angry or jealous of you. This means that you should practice the golden rule. Don't do anything to them that you would not want them to do to you. Don't steal clients from them, don't cheat them out of money you may owe them. If you do doubles together, tell them if you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease so they can get a medical check up, too. Keep your word to them. If you have called them to arrange for a double but the client cancels, let them know as soon as possible so they can make other plans.

If you work for more than one madam, be up front about it. She will probably find out about it anyway. Don't get greedy and try to go around her to see one of her clients on your own. If she has a policy that allows you to see him on your own after you pay the first or second cut to her, that's fine. If you and a fellow sex worker agree to exchange clients rather than a cut, then you should be fair with them and give them as much work as they give you or let them know you can't and offer to pay a cut instead.

CLIENTS

It has happened in the past that clients have turned in the sex worker they see. If they feel they are getting cheated out of time or money, they might feel it is okay to report you to the police. Be sure that you treat all clients in a fair and reasonable manner. If you think they are cheating you out of money, tell them to their face rather than try to get even by shorting them on time or taking money out of their wallet while they shower. Sometimes they will write bad checks, or not show up for their appointment, and we may feel that we can get even by calling them at work and telling their secretaries or calling their wives and telling them where their husbands spend their time. This is never acceptable to do to anyone for any reason. You may be mad that you got cheated, but by pulling a stunt like that, it may backfire and get you arrested instead. If you are worried about getting bad checks, don't take anything but cash. As far as not notifying you about missing an appointment- it is rude for anyone to do. There is nothing one can do about rude behavior except to politely let him know you will not be available for him again if he calls. If he really wants to see you again, tell him that in the future, he must pay you something extra if he doesn't give you notice of a cancelled appointment or if he is late. It is a good policy to always be polite to your clients even if they behave rudely to you, because it will be you and not them who gets arrested if they want to "drop a dime' on you.

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WHAT IF I USE A DIFFERENT NAME FOR MY BUSINESS, DO I HAVE TO TELL THEM MY REAL NAME, AND IF I DON'T, WILL THEY FIND OUT ANYWAY?

Actors and actresses often use aliases. If the police bully you because you may use a different name for work, remind them that one of their heroes also used a 'fake' name- John Wayne. You can take the chance of not giving them your real name, and if you have no fingerprints on file, the chances are you will get away with it. If you have ever been arrested in another state, it may take more time, but with technology advancing as rapidly as it is, they will undoubtedly catch up with you. It is not illegal to use a fictitious name, or else plenty of actors and actresses would be in jail for doing so. It may, however, be a crime to deliberately withhold information from a law enforcement agent. (???)


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WHAT IF I DON'T SHOW UP AT MY ARRAIGNMENT?

Unless you gave them a false name when they arrested you and they have no way to find you again, it is wise to show up at your arraignment. One of the reasons that many bail bonds people have stopped posting bail for prostitution arrests is because the women they post bail for don't show up at their arraignment and the bail bonds people lose their money. When you don't show up in court as you agreed to do when you were released, you make it more difficult for the next woman who gets arrested to be able to get out on bail. Of course, if you continue in your occupation and you should ever get arrested again, it will be on your record.


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IF THEY TAKE PROPERTY FROM MY APARTMENT, WILL I EVER GET IT BACK, AND IF SO, WHEN?

You should eventually get back everything they take from you, with the exception of drugs, of course, but it does take a long time sometimes for you to get it back. Sometimes you will never get it back unless you sue, and even then it is not for sure. Insist that your lawyer keep trying to recover your property, and keep track of the times you asked him or her to do it, what their response was, and if they gave you a time that you might get it back.


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WHAT KIND OF LAWYER DO I NEED AND WHAT WILL HE OR SHE DO FOR ME? HOW MUCH WILL THEY CHARGE ME?

For a prostitution, pandering or pimping charge, you will need a criminal lawyer. As I said earlier, it is best to have a lawyer with experience handling these kinds of cases, or someone with enthusiasm for this cause. They will appear in court with you at your arraignment, file the necessary motions and papers that need to be filed with the court, and obtain all the information they need from the police records. HOWEVER, DO NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THEY WILL KNOW EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN YOUR CASE. It is your job to make a list of the events that led to your arrest and give them possible reasons that led to your arrest, such as a jealous neighbor, a boyfriend, or a client you might be upset with you. Lawyers are not mind readers and only know what is in the police records. If you think that something is important to your case, be sure you get a clear answer from your attorney what they intend to do about it. Do not assume that just because you told your attorney about something that they will pursue that information.

You have a right to know what is going on with your case at all times. If your lawyer won't give you a straight answer, keep after them until you know exactly where you stand. If your attorney uses language to explain your case to you that you don't understand, insist that they tell you so that you do understand everything that is going on.

Lawyers charge different fees for different services, so it is important to get in writing exactly what they are going to do for the money you pay them. Some charge by the hour and others charge by the case. And they usually charge more to go to trial, so you need to know what the fees are for up to trial and what they will be if you decide to go to trial. If you are paying the lawyer by the hour, you may want to work out an arrangement to pay a flat fee for the trial. If you are paying the lawyer by the hour, be sure that he/she keeps track of the hours they spend on your case and give you a copy. . .don't take their word for how many hours they spent on it. You need to know if there are some questionable charges to your bill, such as phone calls to you or someone else that never took place, so be sure that you keep track of every phone call to your attorney or their calls to you. Keep track of how long the call is- because they will try to bill you for a whole hour even if they only talked to you for five minutes. Some lawyers want all their money upfront, and others will allow you to pay as the legal case proceeds. You will not get a refund if they lose your case, but if there is deliberate malpractice or incompetence, you can sue although it is difficult to find a lawyer who will sue another lawyer.

If you have a question about your case, you have every right to call your attorney to ask them. A word of warning- attorneys are notorious for not returning phone calls- no matter how much you are paying them. If it is an emergency, you should state that when you leave a message with their voice mail or secretary. If it is a question that can wait, it may be a while before they get back to you, so be prepared. While you are waiting to learn your fate, it can be extremely frustrating if your attorney doesn't call you back right away. Don't panic. I found it helpful to write down the questions I had as they came to me so I could remember to ask my attorney whenever he did call me.

The court must notify your attorney of anything that is important to your case, so don't worry that the police or the court can do anything to you without letting your attorney know first.


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IF THEY HAVE ME ON TAPE, DO I HAVE A CHANCE TO FIGHT THE CASE OR SHOULD I JUST PLEAD GUILTY?

As we discussed earlier, pleading guilty and getting a probation sentence can be a very bad thing, so, I suggest you demand that it go to trial. If the court is overloaded with cases, the city attorney or district attorney is not going to want to waste valuable court time and will try to get you to plea bargain. If you insist on going to trial, they may just throw the case out altogether. (You can't count on this, of course, but, it often happens.)

If you have a public defender as your attorney, they will do their best to get you to take the offer that the city or district attorney offers you. Insist upon your right to go to trial. It is more work for them, but that's what they get paid for. Since you are facing a mandatory 45 days in jail, the least you can do for yourself is fight it.