Panel sheds light on trafficking in area
Joe Beasley and Alex Donnelly
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News
Traveling businessmen are the target for pimps hoping to make money. The pimps scope out convention hotels. After services are rendered, the businessman is gone the next day and no one ever knows he was a party in this illegal business. These businessmen keep a "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" mindset.
Woodward said that, unlike in selling drugs, with prostitution the merchandise never runs out. A person can be sold several times over to make a profit. This makes prostitution very lucrative for pimps.
There are ways to avoid being lured into child prostitution. The most important thing is to be aware of this issue. People who look like decent, regular middle class men and women can be involved in this business as well as the stereotypical night time street walkers.
The consequences of AIDS, drug abuse, and psychological damage is devastating on children and the healing is long is difficult.
"(T)heir self esteem is so severely damaged," said Woodward.
Prostitution is not always the stereotypical hooker standing on a street corner, said Jennifer Swayne of Street Grace, a non-profit group addressing human trafficking in Atlanta. There does not have to be a horrible pimp beating you and drugging you to constituent prostitution.
Swayne said that a boyfriend who demands "special favors" in exchange for paying bills or buying his girlfriend clothes constitute a form of prostitution, especially if he is older and the girl is underage.
"Between 300 and 350 girls under the age of 17 are victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Georgia," Swayne said. This is the number of girls per month in Georgia that are exploited sexually on the streets, through, escort services, and online.
On a busy night as many as 109 young girls are prostituted through these venues in a single evening. That is more than the annual combination of girls killed each year in car accidents, teen suicides in one year, and teens known to have AIDS in one year. The average age of these sexually exploited teens is 14.
65 percent of males who inquire through online ads about these services prefer "young" girls.
There are ways to stop this wide spread underground business from spreading. There has been an increase in prosecutions of adults who exploit children. Society is recognizing children as the true victims of this illicit practice. And the law is working to make Georgia a non-tolerance zone for child prostitution.
The purpose of this event was to bring "awareness of the problem so young girls can stay safe and help friends and neighbors stay safe," said Woodward.
There are volunteer opportunities to help prevent prostitution, as well as educate the public and lobby for stricter laws. Visit www.afuturenotapast.org for opportunities to bring justice to the exploiters and exploited. The hot line is 770-370-4312.
Woodward said that, unlike in selling drugs, with prostitution the merchandise never runs out. A person can be sold several times over to make a profit. This makes prostitution very lucrative for pimps.
There are ways to avoid being lured into child prostitution. The most important thing is to be aware of this issue. People who look like decent, regular middle class men and women can be involved in this business as well as the stereotypical night time street walkers.
The consequences of AIDS, drug abuse, and psychological damage is devastating on children and the healing is long is difficult.
"(T)heir self esteem is so severely damaged," said Woodward.
Prostitution is not always the stereotypical hooker standing on a street corner, said Jennifer Swayne of Street Grace, a non-profit group addressing human trafficking in Atlanta. There does not have to be a horrible pimp beating you and drugging you to constituent prostitution.
Swayne said that a boyfriend who demands "special favors" in exchange for paying bills or buying his girlfriend clothes constitute a form of prostitution, especially if he is older and the girl is underage.
"Between 300 and 350 girls under the age of 17 are victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Georgia," Swayne said. This is the number of girls per month in Georgia that are exploited sexually on the streets, through, escort services, and online.
On a busy night as many as 109 young girls are prostituted through these venues in a single evening. That is more than the annual combination of girls killed each year in car accidents, teen suicides in one year, and teens known to have AIDS in one year. The average age of these sexually exploited teens is 14.
65 percent of males who inquire through online ads about these services prefer "young" girls.
There are ways to stop this wide spread underground business from spreading. There has been an increase in prosecutions of adults who exploit children. Society is recognizing children as the true victims of this illicit practice. And the law is working to make Georgia a non-tolerance zone for child prostitution.
The purpose of this event was to bring "awareness of the problem so young girls can stay safe and help friends and neighbors stay safe," said Woodward.
There are volunteer opportunities to help prevent prostitution, as well as educate the public and lobby for stricter laws. Visit www.afuturenotapast.org for opportunities to bring justice to the exploiters and exploited. The hot line is 770-370-4312.
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