RI Coalition co-chair says state transforming into 'sex tourism destination'

11/07/08 - Prostitution is a taboo subject, though it is an act that has been taking place in the United States since the country's founding. But in the small state of Rhode Island, where a center for prostitution may seem unlikely to some, the act of prostitution is actually becoming more frequent.

According to professor of women's studies at the University of Rhode Island Donna Hughes, there are no laws banning prostitution as long as it's performed indoors.

This is stated in section 11-34-1 of Rhode Island's General Law. In Rhode Island, only outdoor prostitution, commonly referred to as "streetwalking," is illegal.

Hughes is a leading international researcher on human trafficking. She has done research on the trafficking of women and children in the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Korea.

According to co-chair of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Melanie Shapiro, "Rhode Island has become a sex tourism destination . I know there has been exponential growth in the industry in Rhode Island in recent years."

Authorities are currently aware of 28 sex spas, including 27 Asian massage parlors and one American massage parlor. Shapiro said police estimate there are at least 12 sex spas in Providence alone.

"This does not include the number of hotels, nail salons, strip clubs, apartments and other venues of sex trafficking," Shapiro said, adding they are harder to keep track of and analyze because of their anonymity.

"Since the decriminalized status of prostitution has become known, there has been an increase in the number of spas and massage parlors opening up. These names are just euphemisms for brothels," said Hughes.

According to statistics from the Rhode Island Coalition Against Human Trafficking, there are approximately 1,350 sexual assaults that go unreported everyday attributed to prostitution in sex parlors.

Shapiro added, "The annual revenue of the massage parlors, not counting other forms of trafficking, is conservatively estimated at $23 to $125 million."

The current laws in place are very disproportionate in their prosecutions. The laws end up prosecuting what is seen as the victim, or the prostitute, more then their customers and pimps Ruth WartenBerg said National Association of Social Workers Rhode Island.

"According to the Family Life Center, in 2005 116 prostitutes, five Johns (customers) and three pimps were arrested and incarcerated." This was explained to the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee last year.

"In 2006, 49 prostitutes were incarcerated for an average of 80 days. Nine women were incarcerated for technical violations of previous sentences for an average of 73 days. There were no incarcerations of pimps or Johns in 2006."

Organizations such as the Rhode Island Coalition Against Human Trafficking are fighting for a change in legislation.

They are currently planning to meet with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D - R.I.) and R.I. Attny. Gen. Patrick Lynch to discuss the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2007.

The act is meant to shut down and pressure all types of human trafficking, from the use of child soldiers to international sex trafficking.