Credit: iStockphoto. Technology has reshaped the contours of prostitution, with an estimated 80 percent of all sales of sex now occurring online. Law enforcement has focused most of its efforts on monitoring sites used frequently by the public, mainly Craigslist and Backpage. But most pimps said they still advertise on those sites, albeit deceptively—hiding the solicitation under the auspices of a massage or date, for example.
Specialty websites have also taken off, and online-savvy pimps use their own language, symbols and disingenuous photos to advertise their services and communicate with customers. Finn interviewed Atlanta pimps in the conference room of a university building, while her co-investigator, Loretta Stalans with the University of Loyola Chicago, interviewed Chicago pimps in a public teahouse. Finn says that pimps not only are used to interacting with strangers, but also to connecting them to an illegal service.
Ultimately, she says, police can focus only so much on attacking prostitution. With limited resources and personnel, law enforcement generally targets the most egregious cases of exploitation first, such as those involving sex trafficking and minors. As long as the demand is there for illicit sex services, there will most likely be a market for it, Finn suggested. Source: Michigan State University. Search for:. Science Health Culture Environment. Share this Article. You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.
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