Since the creation of this blog, there have been a series of comments left which express a belief that prostitution is a career choice, and that it should be decriminalized as in Europe. It should be noted that all comparisons to European laws, systems of government, and political processes for purposes of effecting social policy change is not an American tradition and should not be. What I mean by this is that this country, and the New World generally, was founded as the antithesis of the European model. In fact, the United States has been the progressive engine of paradigms for all social, political, and economic solutions for European nations, not the other way around. All one need do is ask a grandparent or any naturalized American citizen about the "old country."Citizens of the United States should question how the European political elite treat the lower class members of their population. Should a woman be forced to become a prostitute to avoid losing government unemployment benefits? Yes, that is how Europe now deals with it's unemployed women. This is a fact and well documented. http://fathersforlife.org/feminism/chastity_is_a_crime.htm
Of course, most people who have seriously looked at the phenomenon of prostitution reject Europe's misguided public policies and realize that it simply the exploitation of women, and usually imported third world nation women.
Another aspect of this case which has struck this writer most profoundly is the willingness, even eagerness, of some persons to judge Alycia Martin. Some comments have been vitriolic, and in extreme circumstances, actually rationalize the motivations of the users of these women. The comments relative to Alycia have ranged from, "she made her choice," to "she deserves what she gets." It appears that the commentators' perspective is that Alycia or any person, male or female, similarly situated has "chosen" to be where they are, and therefore, no one should care about what becomes of them. Additionally, there has been regionalism interjected, i.e. Westland a/k/a/ "Wasteland" is where the "trash" of Southeastern Michigan resides. Finally, there is the opinion that Alycia is responsible for the alleged actions of Thomas Athans and that the embarrassment caused to Senator Stabenow is Alycia's fault. A far more progressive approach is that taken by defense counsel and his wife. The young woman should be given help to break out. Alycia Martin, or any person similarly situated, deserves a chance at a dignified fulfilling life, period.
To condemn a person to a life of sexual servitude by accident of birth is unconscionable and UN-AMERICAN. Few of these critics know what it is actually like to be emotionally and economically adrift. When a person has no place to live and drifts from home to home of friends, acquaintances and near strangers in order to eat and stay warm, they make a "choice" to eat, stay warm and survive. In an arrest record in Wayne Michigan, Alycia was arrested on an outstanding warrant in a house which was in foreclosure. There are thousands of these homes where the owners just walked away. The report indicates that a half dozen young people were living in the abandoned house. Again, the need for shelter, particularly in sub zero weather is a "choice" few have had to make. The range of human experience is a finite bandwith, there are thousands of young people, "throw aways" living under these circumstances. Some would consciously "chose" to ignore them. If they are young and attractive, they are quickly assimilated into the sex industry as strippers, escorts, or prostitutes.On the issue of being an exotic dancer, many persons have adjudged Alycia of moral turpitude. However, as any person with more education and job skills knows looking for a job in Southeastern Michigan knows, it is difficult and practically impossible to find any work. If you would like proof of this fact, put an ad on http://www.craigslist.com/ for any employment position, and you will receive literally hundreds of emails of local men and women out of work. Since her arrest on February 26, 2008, Alycia has had not contacts with law enforcement. Alycia has only been able to find part-time work in fast food. Granted there is a choice made. However, if the menu is limited such as the popular dollar menu at McDonalds, how much choice does one really have? Why the critic would ask, does she not eat steak like the rest of us? Of course, not widely publicized is the fact that Alycia has chosen not to be a dancer anymore. She has "chosen" to have little or no money, and live in poverty. This writer does not disagree with her choice, since it is this writer's humble opinion that it is better to have self-respect and dignity than all the riches in the world.
A "Gentleman's Club" is a linguistic paradox. The men who frequent strip bars are not by definition "well-mannered and considerate men with high standards of proper behavior." Strip clubs are, no matter what apologists might argue, covers for prostitution and pseudo-prostitution activities. The patrons, or "Johns" are usually loners that have difficulty forming and sustaining meaningful relationships. Additionally, dancers are groomed for future use in the prostitution industry. Included in the grooming process is the use of pseudonyms and "stage names" and the intense competition between young women for tips. The further a girl will go in debasing herself the more desirable she becomes to the "regular customers." The process slowly disarms and strips the young woman of her identity, inhibitions and moral compass. In a totally sociopathic and destructive environment, everyone involved, owners, dancers and customers all believe they are taking advantage of everyone else involved. The owners of the clubs, such as the strip club in the "Sopranos" HBO series, are little more then pimps and criminals acting under color of legitimate business enterprises.
Interestingly, there is tremendous concern, and considerable resources expended, at the Federal level combating the trafficking in young women from foreign countries, but little concern for the servitude of American citizens at "gentleman's clubs." Literally, millions of dollars are taken from the individual dancers by pimps, handlers and "boyfriends." One case prosecution ended in 2007, and occurred right here in Detroit.
In that case, two young Ukrainian women were tricked into the country with promises of waitress jobs in Virginia, then forced to dance at a strip club on 8 Mile Road named Cheetahs. Over $2 million dollars was ordered in restitution by a Federal Judge after taking proofs of the amounts of money taken pursuant to the "quotas" set by their captors. The defense had argued that they "voluntarily" worked, but in the face of the evidence collected by the FBI, pled guilty and were sentenced to long prison terms.
"They forced me to work six days a week for 12 hours a day," the 22 year old woman said of the men who made her work at Cheetah's in Detroit. "I could not refuse to go to work or I would be beaten." While she was forced to dance at the strip club, she said she was not made to be a prostitute."I was their slave," she said in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee and its chairman, Detroit Democrat John Conyers. The committee is looking at reauthorizing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, which was intended to stiffen penalties for people engaging in human trafficking and make it easier for victims to get temporary visas..
When arrested, the defendants were found to have had over $500,000 in cash in their house and over $1 million dollars in safety deposit boxes. http://blog.kievukraine.info/2007/11/ukraine-woman-forced-to-dance-at-strip.html. As in the case of the Ukrainian girls, only when the woman is secure and self-assured, is she deprogrammed and begins to recount the truth of her former condition. Escape only became possible when a patron they could trust was approached and took them to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the FBI became involved. Michail Aronov, a Lithuanian national who lived in Livonia and the Chicago area, was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison in August and ordered to pay $1 million in restitution to his victims.Another man, Aleksandr Maksimenko, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Ukraine who also lived in Livonia, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution. This concern is for these foreign women, however, identical patterns exist:
"I wish our language [about trafficking] could change," Carr said. "Saying someone is a prostitute denotes a choice. These women were prostituted. They were held against their will." But when authorities talk about prostitution, Carr [Law Professor at Notre Dame University] said, they fail to specify that many of the women were prostitutes under duress. "They do not mean [to say] that these women chose to do it as a profession," she said. An advocate for human trafficking victims since meeting Katya, Carr said she is currently working on a number of other trafficking cases. http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/12/05/News/Professor.Discusses.Sex.Slavery.On.Nbc-3133535.shtml
There seems little or no interest that an entire generation of American working class' female children are being swept up into working as dancers, escorts and prostitutes because of their socio-economic status.
"The defendants in this case took advantage of innocent women from Eastern Europe by enticing them to come the United States and then holding them in bondage for commercial and sexual exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Murphy. “In sentencing Mr. Maksimenko to 14 years in prison, the Court underscored the gravity of this type of crime. Criminal operations involving human trafficking, such as this one, will be pursued with the greatest vigor by my office." "Human trafficking, as exemplified in this case, is nothing short of modern-day slavery,” said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to vigorously prosecuting these crimes wherever they occur.”
Why does your Federal Government, and a University of Notre Dame Law Professor care so deeply about two foreign women while tens of thousands of American young women are systematically tricked, brainwashed, beaten, and sexually slaved in strip clubs all over the country? The Feds would counter that it is up to State and local law enforcement.
Alycia Martin's case is an exemplar how the local law enforcement deals with a similar situation. City of Troy Police perceptions of proper law enforcement are so distorted, and so perverse, that women actually prostituted are targeted for arrest and prosecution and the johns and pimps are unscathed, inconvenienced or bothered. To make the travesty complete, even a confessed John such as Thomas Athans is allowed to drive away after his suspended driver's license is confirmed and actually discussed at the scene of the stop.
The John confessed, orally on video tape and in writing, and was, in accordance with Official Police Policy in Troy, Michigan, not arrested and charged. Even more disturbing is the failure of the detectives involved to request for an arrest warrant for the fully identified (and recognized by the assistant hotel manager) pimp, the very person who according to in court testimony rented the hotel room on February 25, 2008, and a different room in July 2007 for prostitution of an african-american female. There is no reasonable explanation here for this dereliction of duty and countenance of criminal activity; just a stark misogynist double standard, or special treatment for Thomas Athans because he is rich and powerful. Troy police deny the later. Finally, the Police Chief, Troy City Attorney, County Prosecutor, State Attorney General, all aware of the facts of this case, acquiesced and refused to charge the John or the pimp.
To drive the point home, Troy police conducted raids again on May 8, 2008 at the Hilton Hotel in Troy, Michigan and again released the johns and charged the women. Assuming that these raids were not just a cover or misdirection for being called on giving Athans' total pass on Febrary 26, 2008, it seems it is the City of Troy's Public Policy to briefly detain the Johns, not prosecute pimps, and prosecute the hapless prostituted woman in a kind of "John heaven." http://www.cityoftroypolice.com/alerts_tips/alerts/2008/may/5-16-08.htm
Alycia Martin's experience as a dancer was no different then the Ukrainian girls. Yet, neither the Federal Governemnt agents or any Notre Dame law professors came to her assistance. Martin is an American citizen, yet her story, unfortunately, is so common and mundane that it does not merit attention or enforcement by peace officers. Even if a girl decides to dance for the easy money, how long before the girl is asked to take the next step? Granted a tiny fraction may not succumb, but the vast majority of young women will lose their bearings and submit. Most do not work their way through college and graduate school by being strippers. I have never met a doctor, lawyer, or college professor that was a stripper to achieve their professional goals.
When someone tells some fairy tale to the contrary, I ask myself whether this is what the girl told him at a "gentleman's club." More plausible is that it is merely a myth or urban legend used to dissuade critics and law enforcement from demanding strict compliance with the law and assuage the conscience of a society that allows the exploitation of impoverished and desperate women.
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