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Reducing Consumers or Creating New Problems?

May 30, 2005

I have a question for the Social Alternatives Association submission. While I agree that educating potential consumers of sex trade services about the reality of trafficking and exploitation is a good idea, I find your suggestion that potential Johns can serve as "rescuers" of sex slaves rather alarming. First, I assume that you mean that these clients would purchase the freedom of the sex workers, which does nothing to dissemble the system and in fact, perpetuates the profits of the traffickers. Second, the relationship between a John and a prostitute has all sorts of inherent unhalthy power dynamics, which the role of "rescuer" for the John would seem to actually feed. How would you prevent these clients from forming exploitative relationships with the women/ girls? How can you ensure that men so willing to patronize these places can be trusted to chaperone these women to safety?

Cheryl Dahle, Freelance Writer