Seattle PD massage spa 'sting'.

[+ dutchmuch]

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/seattle-pd-arrests-155-men-in-massage-parlor-sting-operation/

 

My favorite quote out of this article:

 

For the “average john,” hiring an escort “is a crapshoot … because you don’t know who is going to show up at the door,” Umporowicz said.

[Becket]

Definitely mixed feelings here. The exploitation of women and especially minors is tragic. But I couldn't get past when the cop said that they didn't anticipate how much business they would get. What do we say then about the possible legalization of sex workers? Many of the escorts I've met are men of quality and character. I'd be heartbroken to see them in orange jump suits. Don't wanna wear one myself either. I dunno.....

[+ harey]

Thanks for posting; interesting and sad. What a waste of tax money.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

When there is so much crime on the streets, drug use etc - and they police focus on a bunch of men buying a service the woman are happy to provide.

 

Priorities, so when the next person is murdered - the resources are catching the johns - redic

[+ glennnn]

Legalize Consensual Sex Work Now!

[+ saminseattle]

Seattle likes to think of itself as an ultraliberal, highly progressive, forward-thinking city, but the Establishment here has always exhibited a strong puritanical streak, going back to the days of the Denny party. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Seattle_before_1900. Full nudity of strippers remains forbidden to this day, and strip clubs are also prohibited from serving alcohol. http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/booze-and-strippers/Content?oid=10257. Last year, the city council unanimously renamed the crime of “patronizing a prostitute” to the crime of “sexual exploitation.” http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime-of-buying-sex-may-carry-new-name-and-bigger-penalty/ At the same time, “vice” has always been a prevalent, if persecuted, phenomenon in the city. http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2010/1/29/red-light-history-0210.

 

I always find it interesting that the comments following these newspaper articles are overwhelmingly outraged at the misallocation of police resources towards victimless crimes (and in this particular operation, there can be no question that the woman was not a victim, but an undercover cop who invited men to get a hand-job for $), yet this view is completely disconnected from official policy. Perhaps the anonymous posters don’t reflect public opinion at large, or perhaps people are just reluctant to speak up publicly for fear that people will accuse them of supporting “sexual exploitation.” It’s almost McCarthyesque really. Anyway, there have been quite a lot of these operations recently, and I would hope that eventually it will result in a widespread backlash. Unfortunately, I don’t see much sign of that yet.

[Despardo]

Seattle likes to think of itself as an ultraliberal, highly progressive, forward-thinking city, but the Establishment here has always exhibited a strong puritanical streak, going back to the days of the Denny party. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Seattle_before_1900. Full nudity of strippers remains forbidden to this day, and strip clubs are also prohibited from serving alcohol. http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/booze-and-strippers/Content?oid=10257. Last year, the city council unanimously renamed the crime of “patronizing a prostitute” to the crime of “sexual exploitation.” http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime-of-buying-sex-may-carry-new-name-and-bigger-penalty/ At the same time, “vice” has always been a prevalent, if persecuted, phenomenon in the city. http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2010/1/29/red-light-history-0210.

 

I always find it interesting that the comments following these newspaper articles are overwhelmingly outraged at the misallocation of police resources towards victimless crimes (and in this particular operation, there can be no question that the woman was not a victim, but an undercover cop who invited men to get a hand-job for $), yet this view is completely disconnected from official policy. Perhaps the anonymous posters don’t reflect public opinion at large, or perhaps people are just reluctant to speak up publicly for fear that people will accuse them of supporting “sexual exploitation.” It’s almost McCarthyesque really. Anyway, there have been quite a lot of these operations recently, and I would hope that eventually it will result in a widespread backlash. Unfortunately, I don’t see much sign of that yet.

I agree. Seattle despite its size and sophistication is much more puritanical than its smaller neighbor Portland to the south. The recent sting operation here suggests I should be more cautious in whom I hire and stick to known professionals. San Francisco is much more relaxed about such things. NYC, even back in the largely unregulated 1970s where few laws of any kind were ever enforced, did not allow strip clubs to serve alcohol. Then Giuliani pretty much banned strip clubs. LA also has never had much in the way of adult male entertainment. For all the shit that goes on in LA, the laws there are also very puritanical. Isn't it rather odd that the best US male strip clubs seem to be in Georgia and Florida?