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2009

Prostitution

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Institution
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Articles 1 - 25 of 25

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Self-Advocacy Of Women In Sexualized Labor, 1880-1980s, Kim Marie Matthews Dec 2009

Self-Advocacy Of Women In Sexualized Labor, 1880-1980s, Kim Marie Matthews

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study is to centralize, into women's history, the marginalized historical voices of women activists working in sexualized labor (and/or those using sexualized economic strategies). This thesis situates the work of Josie Washburn, a former madam who turned self advocate in 1907, squarely within the Progressive Era debate on prostitution, By centralizing women's voices of sexualized lahor, it provides a means to track the long-term evolution of the intersections between women's sexualized labor choices, traditional labor choices, self-advocacy, popular media, and social/political movements on behalf of women. This study asserts that a majority Progressive Era working women …

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Whores And Other Sex Slaves: Why The Equation Of Prostitution With Sex Trafficking In The William Wilberforce Reauthorization Act Of 2008 Promotes Gender Discrimination., Elizabeth Kaigh Dec 2009

Whores And Other Sex Slaves: Why The Equation Of Prostitution With Sex Trafficking In The William Wilberforce Reauthorization Act Of 2008 Promotes Gender Discrimination., Elizabeth Kaigh

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Congress should vote to exclude the William Wilberforce Reauthorization Act from the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA).  The William Wilberforce Reauthorization Act concerns prostitution, whereas the VTVPA concerns human trafficking. Lawmakers dealing with sex trafficking and prostitution in the United States wrongly combine them as one unified activity. A significant difference between sex trafficking and prostitution concerns the consent of the women having sex. Nevertheless, it is unfair for states to strengthen prostitution laws on a federal level, which is what the William Wilberforce Reauthorization Act would do. The Act would effectively turn prostitution into a federal …

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The Citizens Were Heard, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Oct 2009

The Citizens Were Heard, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Congratulations to the citizens of Rhode Island and national anti-trafficking advocates for the legislative victory in Rhode Island. This past week, the Rhode Island Assembly passed an unprecedented pieces of legislation that will protect victims from sex industry predators and give law enforcement the tools they need to arrest pimps, traffickers, and “johns.” 

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Victory In Rhode Island, Donna M. Hughes Dr., Michael Horowitz Oct 2009

Victory In Rhode Island, Donna M. Hughes Dr., Michael Horowitz

Donna M. Hughes

In stunning culmination of a David-Goliath struggle that, at least until lately, few believed the David side had the slightest chance of winning, the Rhode Island legislature enacted three major anti-trafficking bills last night that the Governor will soon sign into law. 

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Testimony On Prostitution Bill, Senate Judiciary Committee, Oct 2009, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Oct 2009

Testimony On Prostitution Bill, Senate Judiciary Committee, Oct 2009, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

I am here to support a bill that will give Rhode Island the prostitution law it needs to combat the growing sex industry and sex trafficking. 

Many letters and reports have been written describing the problems that decriminalized prostitution has created for Rhode Island. We know that women from foreign countries are here in the spa-brothels. We know that U.S teens are trafficked here from other states. We know there is much evidence of sex trafficking in the Asian spa-brothels and strip clubs. 

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Sex And Slavery: An Analysis Of Three Models Of State Human Trafficking Legislation, Melynda H. Barnhart Oct 2009

Sex And Slavery: An Analysis Of Three Models Of State Human Trafficking Legislation, Melynda H. Barnhart

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

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Prostitution Destroys Families, Anonymous In Providence, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Sep 2009

Prostitution Destroys Families, Anonymous In Providence, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

The bill against indoor prostitution should be passed. [Prostitution] destroys many families. What happens when a wife catches her husband going to spa or strip clubs? Divorce usually, and then the children involved go to counseling and so does the wife. Medical costs rise, not including STD’s the men catch from these women. To worry about what jobs they’ll get if they can’t do sex acts, well dancing for men is one thing, having sex with them is [another]. If [prostitution] is no longer allowed, the club owners should pay the fines if they cannot control what happens in their clubs. 

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Life Is Precious, Donna L. Landry, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Sep 2009

Life Is Precious, Donna L. Landry, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

 Human Trafficking is Slavery in our lifetime. Many women and children are deceived, coerced, or forced into a life of bondage and exploitation 

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Behavior And Attitudes Of Johns, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Sep 2009

Behavior And Attitudes Of Johns, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

No abstract provided.

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Levesque Misrepresents View Of Laura Lederer, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Sep 2009

Levesque Misrepresents View Of Laura Lederer, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Last week (September 4, 2009), Senator Charles Levesque (D-Portsmouth and Bristol) sent an email that misrepresented the view of Laura Lederer on the need for a prostitution law in Rhode Island. His email is reproduced in full below. Senator Levesque’s letter was printed in the Providence Journal (September 9, 2009) under the title “Anti-prostitution law means more deaths.” 

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Senators' Prostitution Bill Is A Sham, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Sep 2009

Senators' Prostitution Bill Is A Sham, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

RHODE ISLAND needs a good prostitution law to halt the metastasizing problems of prostitution and sex trafficking. The growing number of spas and clubs are sordid destinations for foreign women and teens from around the Northeast. To address this problem, both the House and the Senate have passed bills they claim “close the loophole.” But the competing bills are profoundly different in their probable effectiveness. 

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Protect Our Children, Jenny Meyen, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Protect Our Children, Jenny Meyen, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

There is something very disturbing about a business that advertises they are for “men and children” and evidence exists that this business has sexual acts occurring in the same building. That business is Gateway Barber and they advertise that they do haircuts, but that is not the only thing they do. According to the internet they are known as Salon 657 and described as offering erotic services. Gateway Barber is located on West Main Road in between two family restaurants. By all appearances one would assume that this is a “family business”. 

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Rhode Island Law Makes It Pimps Paradise, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Rhode Island Law Makes It Pimps Paradise, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

In June, a 16-year-old Boston runaway was found beaten in Providence. She was being held against her will in a basement apartment by a 40-year-old convict and alleged pimp. He had her stripping in a local club. In Rhode Island, there is no law that prohibits 16- or 17-year-old girls from stripping. She had a purse full of condoms, indicating she was probably being used in prostitution as well. 

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Evicted Brothel Relocates, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Evicted Brothel Relocates, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

As it has become apparent that Rhode Island will pass a law prohibiting prostitution, property owner Joseph Paolino moved to evict a spa-brothel in his building. The Bali Day Spa has relocated to a sister spa-brothel at Smithfield Avenue.

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Asian Woman Fled Middletown Brothel Last Year, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jul 2009

Asian Woman Fled Middletown Brothel Last Year, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

A business owner has told Citizens Against Trafficking that late last year, an Asian women fled a spa-brothel nearby and came to their shop to ask for assistance.

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Analysis Of The Arrest Of A Pimp And The Identification Of A Victim, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jul 2009

Analysis Of The Arrest Of A Pimp And The Identification Of A Victim, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

An illustration from Cambridge, Massachusetts, on why Rhode Island needs a prostitution law to assist victims of pimps and traffickers

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Rhode Island's Carnival Of Prostitution, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jun 2009

Rhode Island's Carnival Of Prostitution, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

AFTER MY EXPERIENCE at the Senate Judiciary Committee last Thursday, I believe Rhode Island is headed for a human rights disaster and nationwide political embarrassment. It is becoming apparent that the Senate is not going to pass a much-needed prostitution bill. Rhode Island will continue to have an expanding number of spa-brothels, prostitution of minors in clubs, and no law that will enable the police to stop it. 

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Action Alert For Senate: Comments On Human Trafficking Bills, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jun 2009

Action Alert For Senate: Comments On Human Trafficking Bills, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Rhode Island Senate President Paiva-Weed has said that she is “confident that we will address the issue of prostitution and human trafficking” this session (, Sunday, June 21, 2009, p A6). The votes in the Senate are crucial to Rhode Island getting a prostitution law and improving our trafficking law! There are competing bills, so it can get confusing. Remember, there are two versions of the prostitution bill (a House and Senate version) and two versions of the trafficking bill (a House and Senate version). 

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Governor Carcieri Calls For Passage Of Prostitution Bill, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jun 2009

Governor Carcieri Calls For Passage Of Prostitution Bill, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

On Thursday (June 18, 2009), Governor Carcieri held a press conference to support Gianinni’s prostitution bill (H 5044A) and her House trafficking bill (H 5661A). Giannini’s bill will create laws against prostitution to “close the loophole” as it is often referred to. Joining the governor were Representative Joanne Giannini, the sponsor of the bills, Stacey Pires Veroni, Assistant Attorney General, Col. Doherty, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, Representative Roberto DaSilva, and Donna M. Hughes, Professor at the University of Rhode Island. 

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Review Of Happy Endings, Donna M. Hughes Dr. May 2009

Review Of Happy Endings, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Tara Hurley, the filmmaker, has testified before the RI House Judiciary Committee and said on talk shows that based on observations making the film, there is no sex trafficking in Rhode Island. This is the view that is conveyed by “Happy Endings?” There are serious omissions of information about the people in the film and political biases that the filmmaker does not acknowledge. 

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Sex Trafficking And Decriminalized Prostitution In Rhode Island, Melanie Shapiro May 2009

Sex Trafficking And Decriminalized Prostitution In Rhode Island, Melanie Shapiro

Senior Honors Projects

Rhode Island is the only state in the United States where prostitution is decriminalized indoors. Since decriminalization in 1980, the sex industry has expanded and Rhode Island has become a destination for commercial sex in New England. Rhode Island is one of only three states that have not had a human trafficking prosecution. Rhode Island has had no prosecutions of sex trafficking since the state anti-trafficking law was passed in 2007. The goal of this project was to research the history of decriminalization, gather information on Asian massage parlor brothels, and determine if sex trafficking is occurring in these establishments. …

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The Government Menage 'A Trois: Unraveling The Government Sex Partner In Undercover Prostitution Stings, Kelley Frances Stieler Mar 2009

The Government Menage 'A Trois: Unraveling The Government Sex Partner In Undercover Prostitution Stings, Kelley Frances Stieler

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

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Trafficking Of Women And The Harmonious Society: The Chinese National Plan Of Action On Combating Trafficking In Women And Children Within The Context Of Chinese Patriarchy And Reform, Sean Michael Barbezat Jan 2009

Trafficking Of Women And The Harmonious Society: The Chinese National Plan Of Action On Combating Trafficking In Women And Children Within The Context Of Chinese Patriarchy And Reform, Sean Michael Barbezat

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The Chinese National Plan of Action on Combating Trafficking in Women and Children, an evolution of prior regional cooperative work in coordination with the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Trafficking (UNIAP), is a considerable accomplishment. It represents a comprehensive, practical foundation for counter-trafficking work, and addresses the most serious concerns raised by Chinese and international anti-trafficking research over the last dozen years. However, a statement of this magnitude produced by a state not known for its sweeping human rights instruments leads to suspicion.

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Systematic Approach To Prostitution Laws: A Literature Review And Further Suggestions, Dana Lynn Radatz Jan 2009

Systematic Approach To Prostitution Laws: A Literature Review And Further Suggestions, Dana Lynn Radatz

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

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‘Whore-Friendly People’: Heritage Tourism, The Media And The Place Of Sex Work In Butte, Montana, Christina E. Dando Jan 2009

‘Whore-Friendly People’: Heritage Tourism, The Media And The Place Of Sex Work In Butte, Montana, Christina E. Dando

Geography and Geology Faculty Publications

In 1997, the International Sex Workers Foundation for Arts, Culture and Education (ISWFACE) began the process of purchasing a historic parlor house brothel (the Dumas) in Butte, Montana to create a cultural center and museum. This business transaction drew national and international attention while Butte citizens questioned the presence of ISWFACE in their community. Using media accounts of the Dumas, I examine the framing of sex work and its place in the heritage tourism landscape of the American West. The case of the Dumas captures the complicated relationship between history, a community, tourism and the media on local as well …

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