Newspapers carrying prostitute ads 'complicit in sex trafficking', say campaigners (From Your Local Guardian)
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Croydon newspapers carrying prostitute ads 'complicit in sex trafficking', say campaigners
6:40am Friday 13th March 2009 in Top Stories
Anti-sex trafficking campaigners have slammed local newspapers in this borough which continue to fuel the exploitation of vulnerable women by running sex advertisements in their papers.
The Croydon Guardian, and publisher Newsquest’s 305 titles nationwide, took the lead in banning all adult advertisements in July 2008, having been persuaded of the clear link between the ads and women being trafficked for sex.
But eight months on The Croydon Advertiser and its sister paper The Post are continuing to take money from those advertising women for sex, such as adult massage adverts for “Stunning international ladies” and “Japanese and chinese ladies: discreet services”.
A report into the sex industry commissioned by Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, shows over 40 per cent of men who access off-street prostitutes do so through the local media.
Evidence suggests about 85 per cent of the women working as offstreet prostitutes in London are not UK nationals, and the vast majority of them are trafficked.
The Croydon Advertiser is mentioned by name on a website for men interested in visiting brothels, showing a clear link between men accessing sex services through their local newspapers.
The unnamed man visited a Chinese woman named Kelly at a brothel he found advertised in the Croydon Advertiser.
He visited the brothel in West Croydon at 3pm on Sunday December 7.
In a field report he writes: “Found number in Croydon Advertiser / Post, full page of adverts near the back.
“I have been to this place (although it moves around Croydon) many times.
“They said there is only one girl on the premises due to police raids but another is only a phone call away.”
He paid £60 for a 40 minute visit.
Campaigners warn that off-street brothels contain women and girls from around the world who have been lured from their homes with the promise of a better life.
Once in the UK many are kept as prisoners and are exposed to intimidation and physical violence that often includes rape.
A spokesman from local organisation Croydon Community Against Trafficking (CCAT) said if men were unable to access sex adverts in local newspapers, accessing brothels online through their work and home computers would become more risky for them.
He said: “We are thrilled that Newsquest, who have already taken a principled stand in the fight against trafficking, are now initiating a campaign to press other newspapers to do the same.
“The media, by advertising sex establishments, has been complicit in trafficking for sexual exploitation by allowing victims to be advertised in their family publications.
“Disrupting the buying of sex is crucial in the fight against sex trafficking; we have been campaigning for nearly four years for all newspapers to remove these adverts and Newsquest have been the only company who have listened.
“We truly hope that Newsquest’s campaign will finally force other papers in the borough, such as the Croydon Advertiser and Post, to follow their example and realise that they are helping to sustain a vile trade in human life.
A spokeswoman from the Poppy Project, a charity that helps women trafficked into prostitution, said: “We were delighted last year when Newsquest decided to withdraw ‘adult services’ advertisements from its newspapers.
“It is not acceptable in the 21st century that women’s bodies can be bought and sold, and even less acceptable that local businesses are benefitting financially from this continued exploitation of women in the sex industry.
“We encourage other news agencies to stand up and take responsibility in a similar way.”
The publishers of the Croydon Advertiser declined to comment.
Comments(35)
Andrew Bird
says...
11:25am Fri 13 Mar 09
As for trafficking, the only official report from the police operation Pentameter 1 shows a tiny proportion, just 0.11 per cent, of people in the sex industry have in fact been trafficked. A subsequent operation, Pentameter 2, found 167 trafficked people, which is still only 0.21 per cent. While this should be stopped, this does not necessarily mean it should all be banned.
jackie@rowling.org.uk
says...
11:51am Fri 13 Mar 09
Andrew Bird
says...
12:19pm Fri 13 Mar 09
jackie@rowling.org.uDefine 'regular people'.
k wrote:
I really think it is about time that the regular people stand up and say what we want. The minority groups seem to have it all sorted out - shoult loud and long and you get what you want. Now we need to shout out NO!
Do you resent minorities then?
Are you shouting NO to censorship?
Andrew Bird
says...
12:22pm Fri 13 Mar 09
nototrafficking
says...
3:35pm Fri 13 Mar 09
Whatever the actual percentage of trafficked women in the sex industry the life long devastation that follows from being trafficked and abused in this way means that we should do whatever we can to stop it.
NastyMrTom
says...
3:50pm Fri 13 Mar 09
Andrew Bird wrote:
There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.
Disability doesn't confine your sex life to using prostitutes ???
spikewarren
says...
4:51pm Fri 13 Mar 09
ANNE GILES
says...
5:36pm Fri 13 Mar 09
Andrew Bird wrote:There is no social need for men to visit brothels. Men and women have equal sexual needs. Women who need more sex use vibrators, men are quite capable of using their hands. End of story.
There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.
Stopthetrafficking
says...
6:35pm Fri 13 Mar 09
william wilberforce
says...
10:07am Sat 14 Mar 09
One contributor refers to these "legal adverts for services". There seems to be a lot of questionable legality - adverts for 'Massage' but in most cases a cover for brothels. In London Massage Parlours need a licence from the local authority - do any of these advertisers offering massage have one? The field report quoted states "...this place moves around Croydon many times". Why? Girls are kept hidden because of fear of police raids. Again why?
In fact there does seem to be a good base for proposing that newspapers accepting such adverts are thereby directly associated with the many illegalities that are part of this sordid scene.
tramlinker
says...
11:43am Sat 14 Mar 09
ANNE GILES wrote:Believe it or not Anne,some men have emotional needs apart from or in tandem with seual needs and El Manual does not provide that.I absolutley agree that human-trafficing is dreaful,please don't mis-understand.But a cosy little visit to an independant British-born lady can be a blessing.
Andrew Bird wrote: There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.There is no social need for men to visit brothels. Men and women have equal sexual needs. Women who need more sex use vibrators, men are quite capable of using their hands. End of story.
tramlinker
says...
11:44am Sat 14 Mar 09
tramlinker wrote:Sorry for spelling errors,I should have read before clicking!
ANNE GILES wrote:Believe it or not Anne,some men have emotional needs apart from or in tandem with seual needs and El Manual does not provide that.I absolutley agree that human-trafficing is dreaful,please don't mis-understand.But a cosy little visit to an independant British-born lady can be a blessing.Andrew Bird wrote: There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.There is no social need for men to visit brothels. Men and women have equal sexual needs. Women who need more sex use vibrators, men are quite capable of using their hands. End of story.
ANNE GILES
says...
6:07pm Sat 14 Mar 09
Stopthetrafficking
says...
6:15pm Sat 14 Mar 09
tramlinker wrote:...and a prostitute meets an emotional need how??? They may seem to be engaging emotionally with a man but IT'S JUST A JOB for a prostitute, if they're a willing one and any pretence of caring is just that; a pretence. For a sex-slave, the only emotions are extremely negative. And that's not even touching on the emotional damage any form of prostitution does to the prostitute (Farley, 2003). Don't forget that numerous studies have shown that prostitutes are likely to have been subject to abuse themselves as children and this is just a way of continuing that cycle of 'repetition compulsion' (see Napoli et al, 2001). A proper relationship is the only way of meeting one another's emotional needs. Don't be fooled by anything else.
ANNE GILES wrote:Believe it or not Anne,some men have emotional needs apart from or in tandem with seual needs and El Manual does not provide that.I absolutley agree that human-trafficing is dreaful,please don't mis-understand.But a cosy little visit to an independant British-born lady can be a blessing.Andrew Bird wrote: There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.There is no social need for men to visit brothels. Men and women have equal sexual needs. Women who need more sex use vibrators, men are quite capable of using their hands. End of story.
Andrew Bird
says...
12:19am Sun 15 Mar 09
ANNE GILES wrote:A bit judgemental ah Anne Giles? You seem to know everything about a man's needs....
Andrew Bird wrote:There is no social need for men to visit brothels. Men and women have equal sexual needs. Women who need more sex use vibrators, men are quite capable of using their hands. End of story.
There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.
Andrew Bird
says...
12:20am Sun 15 Mar 09
nototrafficking wrote:I absolutely agree. Maybe we should just have brothels with english girls.
I wholeheartedly support the Guardians actions to stop including these adverts. I would like to see the other papers doing the same.
Whatever the actual percentage of trafficked women in the sex industry the life long devastation that follows from being trafficked and abused in this way means that we should do whatever we can to stop it.
Andrew Bird
says...
12:24am Sun 15 Mar 09
spikewarren wrote:Very emotive language. Surrogate pimps. A newspaper is just publishing adverts. If you think that the Croydon Advertiser is culpable then maybe you should also label newspapers 'surrogate loan sharks' for printing adverts offering credit. The thing is we all have a choice in what we do. Anyway if it is banned in print, then statistics would show the source of brothel ads are online. Would you like to ban this too?
I am delighted that Newsquest’s has taken this stand. Well done to you and lets hope those who continue to act as surrogate pimps by carrying this advertising fall into line soon.
Andrew Bird
says...
12:26am Sun 15 Mar 09
NastyMrTom wrote:No it doesn't. But for some people, that is their only choice.
Andrew Bird wrote:
There is a social need for men visiting brothels. Is it right that a disabled person is not entitled to a sexual experience for which he or she would not get the chance to experience? This is just one example.
Disability doesn't confine your sex life to using prostitutes ???
Andrew Bird
says...
12:48am Sun 15 Mar 09
Stopthetrafficking wrote:While I believe trafficking should be stamped out, how can you suggest that all foreign brothel workers are sex-slaves? Have you done any research?, have you spoken to anyone or are you just reliant on what the media feeds you? You don't have to believe my numbers but here are the sources of information. It is strange that Jacquie Smith does not quote these figures when she makes her announcements.
How can Andrew Bird say "there is a social need" for men to visit brothels? If more men used their brains rather than what's in their trousers, there wouldn't be the demand for prostitutes, and therefore trafficking. I agree with Anne Giles' comments. As for his statements about numbers in his first post, whaever the veracity (& I'm more inclined to believe the article than his numbers as it is well-known that the majority of trafficked women are just too scared to come forward officially to police because of the repercussions) does he not realise that women who are trafficked are having their human rights violated every time a man has sex with them - if banning these adverts stops just one woman being violated repeatedly, it is worth it. If he pays for sex, I hope he stops to think that a non-British national is likely to have been sold into sex-slavery - she may seem consensual, but it amounts to rape as she is unwilling; just too scared to try and leave. Keep it in your trousers and engage your brain a bit more! Well done to Newsquest for grasping the mettle and fr encouraging the Advertiser & Post to follow suit!
http://hunterforjust
ice.typepad.com/hunt
er_of_justice/2008/1
0/british-prostit.ht
ml
http://www.leftwomen
snetwork.org/
http://www.pentamete
r.police.uk/
http://www.pentamete
r.police.uk/news.php
?id=5
http://ukinpoland.fc
o.gov.uk/en/newsroom
/?view=News&id=39087
61
Use your brain man, use your brain.
As mentioned earlier the answer to this problem is to have "british only" brothels.
As Gordon Brown would say "British jobs for British Workers".
Finally if every man "kept it in his trousers" then you nor I would be here.
Andrew Bird
says...
12:50am Sun 15 Mar 09
nototrafficking wrote:That won't stop it. It will go online. Don't forget people can browse on their phones if they want to. Trafficking must stop now, but nothing will ever stop prostitution.
I wholeheartedly support the Guardians actions to stop including these adverts. I would like to see the other papers doing the same.
Whatever the actual percentage of trafficked women in the sex industry the life long devastation that follows from being trafficked and abused in this way means that we should do whatever we can to stop it.
Peter Allen
says...
12:00pm Sun 15 Mar 09
As well as communicating with the Guardian perhaps your readers should also write to the Advertiser/Post and simply ask why they don't take a similar stance.
Andrew Bird clearly doesn't go along with trafficking and therefore people illegally offering sex to punters via trafficked people so maybe behind the emotional exchanges everyone who has communicated are not far apart. Surely no one can be duped with the advertising illegal practices under the guise of massage parlours. Presumably the Advertiser/Post simply cannot resist taking advertising revenue. That's the real issue that the Guardian has to its credit decided that no amount of revenue can pay for the equivalent of modern day slavery,
Peter Allen
tramlinker
says...
12:27pm Sun 15 Mar 09
ANNE GILES wrote:Anne,you assume that 'she' does not like 'me'.But that is not accurate in certain 'transactions'.Perso
The thing is, tramlinker, whatever the emotional needs are, the person you are paying for does not actually like you. If she is doing it because she wants to, then she is only after your money. If, on the other hand, she is being trafficked, then she is afraid and really hates your guts. How does that satisfy an emotional need?
nally,I regard an independant working-Lady who so chooses to make her living by satisfying the needs,sexual and emotional of a man (or of a woman) as on a much higher order than politicians,bankers and other parasites.She may not 'like' 'me' but perhaps that is so with my hairdresser,chiropod
ist,doctor and so on.I believe Anne,that in this case you haven't adequate insight into this very delicate subject.Again,I believe that all forms of human-trafficking are evil.I assure you of that.
ANNE GILES
says...
3:00pm Sun 15 Mar 09
tramlinker
says...
6:24am Mon 16 Mar 09
ANNE GILES wrote:Well Anne I'm sure that your 'circles' are very admirable indeed.So,are my 'circles':)
Well - my husband finds the whole thing quite disgusting. I do not, personally, know any men or women who agree with prostitution (in the circles I mix in, anyway). However, we all live by different rule books. As regards disabled people, the wheelchair users I know are happily married. I find the idea of buying and selling flesh quite revolting. My friends and relations (bar one nephew) agree with me.
Brian Sewer
says...
8:45am Mon 16 Mar 09
scoffer
says...
11:02am Mon 16 Mar 09
ANNE GILES
says...
3:04pm Mon 16 Mar 09
Brenda Sewer
says...
3:41pm Mon 16 Mar 09
Brian Sewer wrote:You and scoff should talk!I hope you too dont going to one of these traffiking girls
I think its discusting for ann to talk about her marriage probs on here very offensive
Brian Tarring
says...
6:04am Tue 17 Mar 09
punterpride
says...
12:55am Wed 18 Mar 09
ccat should get their own house in order before preaching morality as there is much paedophilia in the religious industry
punterpride
says...
10:09pm Wed 18 Mar 09
Stopthetrafficking
says...
8:28am Thu 19 Mar 09
punterpride wrote:Why do you assume CCAT is a religious organisation, punterpride? It's a community of people who are against trafficking (the clue's in the name!). Besides which, though there have been some instances of paedophilia in the religious 'world' (not an industry as far as I know), you seem to be suggesting that there is a problem with this in CCAT. Do you have any proof, otherwise my feeling is that you could be bordering on libel?
harman has been caught up in a child pornn controversy as mentioned in the telegraph recently ccat should get their own house in order before preaching morality as there is much paedophilia in the religious industry
Gráinne O'Malley
says...
7:24pm Thu 19 Mar 09
punterpride
says...
1:40am Sat 21 Mar 09
ccat is a front for a religious organisation,there has always been paedophilia in the religious industry which has been covered up,the pope only recently apologised for the abuse carried out by that section of the religious industry,religion is to blame for all the worlds problems,wars,povert
y,paedophilia
1963david says...
10:48am Fri 13 Mar 09