Support Forfeiture of Motor Vehicles used in Prostitution Crimes Ordinance

The City Council will vote to Introduce the ordinance June 3rd!

Below is the form I used to promote this ordinance:

 


 

Objective: To reduce the demand of street prostitution in the city of Albuquerque

 

Proposed Ordinance: The Mayor’s office shall mirror the DWI auto seizure program when they boot or impound the arrested panderer’s, pimp’s, and/or human trafficker’s vehicle.

 

Why should we seize the panderer’s vehicle?

 

 

  • A study listed 128 cities and counties throughout the United States currently seize vehicles from panderers of prostitution.  They include, Dallas, TX., Denver, CO., Phoenix, AZ., Travis County, TX., Longview, TX. (M. Schively, personal communication, December 28, 2012)
  • “When stopped by police, clients often try to justify their behavior by telling a sob story of personal loss, or will admit to cruising but not soliciting, stating they were just curious” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 7).
  • “Street prostitution thrives along roads where prostitutes can talk to drivers from the curbside.” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 9).
  • “The typical sexual transaction takes around 10 minutes in a vehicle (usually for oral sex), and around 25 minutes indoors” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 8).
  • “Most of the women felt safer with a regular clientele, men that would arrange a specific time and day to meet the women at their house or in their car” (Murphy, 2010, p. 782).
  • “Prostitutes usually take clients to places that minimize the risk of violence and ensure that transactions occur without incident.  These places are often near the street where the negotiation occurred so that the amount of time required for each transaction is limit” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 9).
  • “Police can also post descriptions of dangerous clients and their vehicles on bulletin boards, newsletters, and leaflets” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 32).
  • “Traffic-related factors are especially significant where sex acts take place in vehicles. Many clients stop to solicit prostitutes while on their way somewhere” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 35).
  • “The following foster street prostitution:  Roads that allow drivers to slow down or stop, ideally where the driver’s side of the vehicle is closest to the curb” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 10).

 

Why target the panderers and not the prostitutes?

 

  • Since 2010, APD has arrested and cited 240 panderers of prostitution (J. Peck, personal communication, December 28, 2012).
  • “All participants acknowledged how the work impacted on the women’s sense of self. Several women were self-critical and acknowledged a lack of self-respect” (Gorry, Roen, & Reilly, 2010, p. 495).
  • “Much of the available empirical research on commercial sex indicates that at least some sex workers experience high levels of violence, including, but not limited to, physical assaults, sexual assaults, verbal threats or abuse, psychological abuse, robbery, and kidnapping” (Lowman & Tchison, 2006, p. 289).                                                                                                                    
  • “Due to the sexual promiscuity surrounding prostitution, women involved in prostitution constitute a high-risk group for contracting and transmitting STDs, including HIV” (Murphy, 2010, p. 775).                                                                                                   
  • “Results of the study revealed that drug use not only spurs entry into prostitution, but also contributes to the tenure of prostitution. Further, social support and economic stability are plausible reasons for women remaining in prostitution” (Murphy, 2010, p. 775).

 

Why does Albuquerque need the PASO?

  • “Clients are more easily deterred than prostitutes.  They are more readily ashamed of their behavior, and fear harming their public reputation or their standing in their personal lives. Consequently, they fear being identified publicly more than being fined for their conduct” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 7).
  • “Enforcement strategies are expensive; each arrest costs thousands of dollars to process. By themselves, they are ineffective at either controlling street prostitution or protecting prostitutes from harm” (Scott & Dedel, 2006, p. 20).

 

 

Reference

Gorry, J., Roen, K., & Reilly, J. (2010). Selling yourself? The psychological impact of street sex work and factors affecting support seeking. Health and Social Care in the Community, 492-499.

Lowman, J., & Tchison, C. (2006). Men who buy sex: A survey in the greater Vancouver regional district. Canadian Review of Sociology & Anthropology, 281-296.

Murphy, L. S. (2010). Understanding the social and economic contexts surrounding women engaged in street-level prostitution. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 775-784.

Scott, M. S., & Dedel, K. (2006, November ). Street prostitution 2nd edition. Department of Justice.
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