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2009

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Inequality and Stratification

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Full-Text Articles in Social Work

When Personal Dreams Derail, Rural Cameroonian Women Aspire For Their Children, Akuri John, Susan Weinger, Barbara Barton Nov 2009

When Personal Dreams Derail, Rural Cameroonian Women Aspire For Their Children, Akuri John, Susan Weinger, Barbara Barton

Social Work Faculty Publications

Data gathered from a convenience sample of 36 women who reside in rural villages lying on the outskirts of Buea, Cameroon is not consistent with the "culture of poverty" proposition which states that personal characteristics of the poor tie them to a life of poverty. These findings run counter to an assumed "culture of poverty" in which persons do not hold career aspirations and socialize their children with attitudes that assure the generational transmission of poverty. Respondents, as a case vignette illustrates, conveyed that besides marriage they had wanted a career in order to achieve a living wage. After their …

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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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Testimony For Trafficking Bill, Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee, Oct 2009, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Oct 2009

Testimony For Trafficking Bill, Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee, Oct 2009, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

I am here to support a trafficking bill that will do two things: 
1) Criminalize forced labor as a form of human trafficking. 
2) Make it easier to prosecute sex trafficking of minors by removing the requirement to prove force, fraud, or coercion. 

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John Contracts Skin Disease At Spa, Donna M. Hughes Dr., Melanie Shapiro Esq Oct 2009

John Contracts Skin Disease At Spa, Donna M. Hughes Dr., Melanie Shapiro Esq

Donna M. Hughes

A virus that causes a skin disease called Molluscum contagiosum is being spread at a spa-brothel in Providence. Molluscum contagiosum is a skin disease caused by a virus. The infection causes small white, pink, or flesh-colored bumps or growths on areas which came in contact with the infected skin of another person. Molluscum contagiosum can be treated or will disappear on its own, although it takes time. According to the Center for Disease Control “the bumps disappear on their own within 6 months. However, they may not go away completely for up to 4 years.” The person can infect another …

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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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Senate Prostitution Bill Weakens Law, Jim Meyen, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Sep 2009

Senate Prostitution Bill Weakens Law, Jim Meyen, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

No abstract provided.

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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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The Limits Of Paternalism: A Case Study Of Welfare Reform In Wisconsin, Thomas S. Moore, Swarnjit S. Arora Sep 2009

The Limits Of Paternalism: A Case Study Of Welfare Reform In Wisconsin, Thomas S. Moore, Swarnjit S. Arora

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper uses a pooled sample constructed from the Food Stamp Quality Control data for the fiscal years 1993 to 2006 to assess the effects of welfare reform upon the employment, earnings, income, and poverty trends among poor, single-mother families, both in Wisconsin and nationwide. It finds that the employment and earnings gains of the Wisconsin families exceed those of comparable families nationwide. However, there has been no significant change in the average income of the Wisconsin families, and the number of extremely poor families has increased more rapidly in Wisconsin than in the country as a whole. These findings …

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Rescuing Children And Punishing Poor Families: Housing Related Decisions, Corey Shdaimah Sep 2009

Rescuing Children And Punishing Poor Families: Housing Related Decisions, Corey Shdaimah

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Child welfare policy is not self implementing; an understanding of child welfare policy must therefore include the decision making practices by those whom Michael Lipsky (1980) has called "streetlevel bureaucrats." This article reports data from a qualitative study exploring perceptions of child welfare professionals about housing-related child welfare decisions. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 18 child welfare lawyers, judges, and masters level social workers from a large city in the mid-Atlantic U.S. All agreed that there is insufficient affordable adequate housing. They held conflicting views, however, on: 1) the standard for adequate housing in the absence of …

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Institutions And Savings In Low-Income Households, Jami Curley, Fred Ssewamala, Michael Sherraden Sep 2009

Institutions And Savings In Low-Income Households, Jami Curley, Fred Ssewamala, Michael Sherraden

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper examines the influence of structured savings program arrangements on the saving performance of low-income households in individual development accounts (IDAs). Data are drawn from the American Dream Demonstration (1997-2004), which looked at the saving performance of low-income households in matched savings accounts across the United States. Hierarchical multivariate regression is used to identify which specific structural program arrangements are important in influencing the saving performance of low-income families. Findings suggest that overall, structured program arrangements, including financial education, peer mentoring groups and saving targets are important in influencing people's saving performance-including low-income families.

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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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Speak Your Voice On Prostitution Bill, Donna L. Landry, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Speak Your Voice On Prostitution Bill, Donna L. Landry, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Now is the time to speak your voice and urge your Senator to pass the House bill H5044A. Now is the time to close the loophole of indoor prostitution in Rhode Island. Negotiations are ongoing, so please write letters to your senator and circulate petitions now. 

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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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Sex Radicals Target Rhode Island, Margaret Brooks, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Sex Radicals Target Rhode Island, Margaret Brooks, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Citizens Against Trafficking responds to the letter from 50 academics who support the status quo of decriminalized prostitution (indoors) in Rhode Island.On July 31, 2009, a letter co‐authored by Ronald Weitzer and Elizabeth Anne Wood and signed by 48 other “members of the academic community” was sent to the Rhode Island General
Assembly opposing any bill banning prostitution indoors.

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Updates From Middletown, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Updates From Middletown, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Asian spa-brothel closes; Middletown Council passes anti-prostitution resolution

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Rhode Island Left Out Of Fbi Initiative, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Rhode Island Left Out Of Fbi Initiative, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Rhode Island has been excluded from federal law enforcement investigations of sex trafficking of children because there is no law against prostitution.

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Citizens Confront Officials In Middletown, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Aug 2009

Citizens Confront Officials In Middletown, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

The parking lot was overflowing for the Middletown Town Council meeting on Monday evening. Dozens of citizens, including local business owners and parents, were there to express their concern about the presence of spa-brothels in the community and the loss of a children-centered business as a result.

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Prostitution At The Strip Clubs In Providence, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jul 2009

Prostitution At The Strip Clubs In Providence, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Ruth moved to Providence six years ago when she was 18. Young and on her own, she was swept up by a rough crowd of guys who dealt and used crack and cocaine. Hanging around the strip clubs with them until early in the morning was “the thing to do when you were bored.” After hours, her friends would sell cocaine to the women working at the clubs. 

They visited Club Fantasies, Club Desire, Satin Doll Gentlemen’s Club, Cheater’s, the Sportsman’s Inn and Club Balloons. Over a period of several years, Ruth “hung out” at the strip clubs. She talked …

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Middletown Loses Childrens Science Center, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jul 2009

Middletown Loses Childrens Science Center, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

After years of problems and the inability of the police to do anything about the brothel next door, science education store is relocating to another part of the state.

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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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Salon 657 American Brothel In Middletown, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jun 2009

Salon 657 American Brothel In Middletown, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Most of the spa-brothels in Rhode Island are run by Asians with Asian women engaging in prostitution. Salon 657 is one of the increasing numbers of prostitution venues with American women. Salon 657 advertises in the “adult entertainment” section of the Providence Phoenix that it offers “erotic massage and hair cutting services” for men only. 

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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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Testimony In Support Of "An Act Relating To Criminal Offenses--Prostitution" At Governors Press Conference, Rhode Island, Donna M. Hughes Dr. Jun 2009

Testimony In Support Of "An Act Relating To Criminal Offenses--Prostitution" At Governors Press Conference, Rhode Island, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

Prostitution is harmful to individuals involved, their families and the community. It is not a victimless activity or just a private sex act. Up to 90% of women in prostitution are beaten and raped by pimps and the men who buy sex. Approximately 90% are addicted to drugs and alcohol. They suffer depression and hopelessness; suicide attempts are common. For visual, physical evidence of the harm caused by prostitution, please look at this collection of serial photographs of prostitutes as they are being destroyed over time by prostitution and drug use. 

Because of decriminalized prostitution indoors, the sex industry is …

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