This terrible situation is not unique to Duluth. And it's more than simply violence against women by sexual predators, it's going to happen wherever there is great poverty and a lack of opportunity to escape from that poverty by legitimate means. Abject poverty creates a climate where women and girls are going to be much more vulnerable to exploitation. I'm heartened that police and organizations in this area, where we do have pockets of poverty, are addressing the issue of sexual trafficking of women and girls. But it doesn't help matters when Chippie Cravaack and his fellow Republicans vote to cut funds providing educational opportunities for low-income, minority, first-generation-college young people, like TriO. Ironic that this video would be aired by WCCO not long after Cravaack visited Cloquet, near the Fond du Lac reservation mentioned in the video, and told students there that, tough, they'd have to sink or swim on their own, when it comes to escaping poverty through educational opportunities.

I'm glad people are talking about this. 

It's a complicated problem with lots of possible solutions, I like to start with hope and understanding.  B-man notes that parenting is key, I agree and I've got a dog in that fight, too, helping parents.  Jethro likes to start with blaming the city for "attracting people like that."  To each his own, I guess.  

Sometimes when I'm working with little preschoolers in an "underprivileged" environment I wonder which ones are going to be abused, which ones are going to end up in jail, on drugs or mixed up in sex trafficking. I wonder which ones are going to shatter the trend, create a new set of expectations for their generations.  I think about that but I can't think about it too long or I'd never get anything done.  As someone in the hope and acceptance business I can tell you that we don't get to pick who will be successful, though.  I feel bad for Jethro if he thinks the problem is the administration attracting "people like that."  The Minnesota Prostitution connection has been around for at least 40 years, before half of the city leaders were out of diapers.

Yes Barrett, but there are some prostitutes out in the open on Superior and First streets, I don't know about anywhere else. But I agree that the shots they got are probably staged. I also thought it was funny that they used the flashing arrows for the Voyageur Motel in the piece and as far as I know the Voyageur isn't connected with prostitution, I guess the Duluth Family Sauna didn't have a cool enough sign for the producers.

It's just a 5 minute cursory piece and obviously the reporters are playing up the salacious angles for ratings. It is crass, I'll agree with that, but at least someone is telling the story. I can't imagine a local TV station producing a report of even this depth on prostitution/human trafficking.

I agree Bill, you know what? I was gonna put "prostitute" in quotes but then I decided not to. Generally speaking "slave" is a better term.  Some people like "sex worker" but I don't like that, either.  It implies that the person is able to give consent and treats it as a "job." 

I don't dispute what B-man says about the cycle of sex slavery.  I have seen that, too.  People who get in and out of it.  In the cases like that which I have been exposed to there has been an addiction and also mental illness present, and also PTSD either diagnosed or not.  Like I said it's a complicated problem.

Parenting is important because abuse appears to be an antecedent to sex slavery.  Domestic Violence can be considered a form of neglect although I am not sure if that is the point the UMDEthics was trying to say with "abusive husbands" or not.  There are strategies to help reduce child abuse violence and neglect that would be a good startign point. 

Another one that doesn't get talked about enough is that this sex trade is a business.  People are making money on it, although power is a motivator too, I'm sure.  Why not focus on the people who are paying for sex with the victims?  Why not speak out about it as a community?

I'm getting very uncomfortable with comments about blaming "bad/abusive husbands." To me, this statement implies only men are capable of being abusive. Yes, statistically, there are more abusive husbands than abusive wives, but to define an "abusive spouse" as something that only comes bundled with the male gender is ridiculous. Being an abusive spouse is wrong no matter their gender!

Having previously worked at the bank frequented by Mr. Redd and his harem of skanks, I can attest to the fact that his driver's license stated that he was not from Duluth.  I can attest to the fact that he was collecting welfare benefits in at least two states according to his comments.  And I can guarantee you that the "girls" that hung around with him were extraordinarily willing to exploit he and his "friends" based on their commentary.  There was no "sex slavery," no matter how much you'd like to believe so.  These girls knew exactly what they were doing.  To excuse them for their crimes is to reinforce their belief that they are victims and have done nothing wrong.

I'm all for trying to keep children out of prostitution, but as teenagers they have the knowledge of what is right and wrong.  Claiming that someone is controlling them ignores their very actions and motivations.  We're talking about tough, street-saavy teenagers here, not innocent little kiddos from the 'burbs.  Decisions have consequences, and while physical abuse is never OK, you cannot turn a blind eye to the poor decisions made by these young adults.

As for blaming Cravaack for cutting free college money for the poor: They can get loans and come out of college eyeballs deep in debt like the rest of us.  Last time I checked, parents aren't obligated to pay for their children's college education; every 18-year old adult is essentially broke.  Why should the taxpayers pick up the tab for some and not for others?

They are called "teenagers" precisely because they do not have a fully developed sense of right and wrong (or consequence, or cause and effect, or prioritization and time management). Their brains have literally not fully developed into adult brains. To argue different ignores science.

And this is where the discussion leads, Admackbar's (if that is your real name) comment as in "were never going to be able to solve this problem so why even try."  

Adam is right, teenage brains are not fully developed, why do you think so much of our advertising and media is geared toward satisfying the superficial needs and wants of teenagers?  They are easy to convince and exploit due to scrambled priorities.  Even more scrambled if they grew up in a rough environment, failed in school and/or were abused.  Have you ever had a girlfriend or boyfriend lie to you? Maybe cheat on you? Does that mess with your sense of propriety, confuse you, cause you duress?  Imagine what enduring physical, sexual or emotional abuse/neglect does to a person's sense of propriety before you judge.  I find BeastofBurden's perspective to be valuable but I think I have exactly the opposite opinion, to assume they were open minded, clear-headed, cold-blooded exploiters of their "pimp" and his "friends" is to blame the victim.  

Someone in the video talked about how children are being trafficked or used in child pornography and worse as young as 8 years old.  I believe that is true.  Is that person a victim? 

At what age does it shift from victimization to willful participation? 14? the Candy Shop and another "business" that preceded it in the same building had 15 yr olds available for sex, or so I've heard. Are they victims? What about 18 yr olds, they're adults, right? Isn't that why Baci and others on here are always talking about how grown up and mature and level headed college students are?  

Redd allegedly said he used middle school dances to recruit kids per the video, were those kids victims? I mean, they willingly went to the dance, right?

Is there a record of john or pimp arrests in Duluth in the last few years?

Beast:  teens are unable to give consent.  Teens are not "young adults," they are adolescent children.

All societal and moral issues aside, if competent adults choose to have sex with other competent adults choose to pay them for said sex, it is (in my opinion) not an issue that is causing harm. I know that others may not agree with me, but I consider myself a pro-sex feminist and I don't believe in the criminalization of sex-acts between consenting adults.

However, that being said, sex-work does not occur in a vacuum (if it did, I would imagine it would be a lot like the sex-scene in Barbarella...). But anyway, back to my easily distractible point, most of the people who are in sex-work are not educated consenting adults who are free from emotional issues & trauma who are choosing that line of work without outside influence.  A large majority of sex-workers have a background of sexual/physical/mental abuse, substance-abuse issues, mental health issues, learning-development issues, and have a lack of education and work skills.

Many fall into the trade through coercion of some type, others from threats, kidnapping, or imprisonment. They are not choosing sex-work as a "career"; they are exchanging sex for money that can provide drugs, alcohol, protection, housing, relationships, or financial support for family. Even if they are "willing" to do sex-work, they are probably choosing it not out of educated consent, but because of coercion in combination with substance-abuse issues, emotional/mental-health issues, abusive relationships, lack of education/job skills, or severe financial hardship.

I think everyone can agree that someone being forced into sex-work (sex-slavery) is wrong. I think everyone can also agree that sex-work by children (under 13) and  is also wrong. If you do not agree, please pack your bags and move the fuck out of my city - I don't want you here.

Other groups in sex-work are more of grey-area issue for some who think that people knowingly "chose" sex-work. Consider these situations:

An adult woman who is addicted to meth. Her addiction has caused her to sell everything she owns. Her dealer says she can sell her body in exchange for drugs.

A teenage boy who was kicked out of his home after his parents find out he is gay. He doesn't have any money or a place to live. An older man offers him housing in exchange for sex. 

An adult woman who has a very low IQ. She reads and comprehends only at a grade-school level, but was not recognized as such and received no special-education services. A man in her neighborhood offers her money in exchange for sex, which she accepts thinking it sounds fun. 

A teenage girl who has been repeatedly raped by her step-father since she was a young girl. She has never had a healthy relationship with a man and doesn't think of her sexuality as something that is in her control. She figures if she doesn't have the right to refuse sex, she might as well get money in exchange for it.

An adult woman in a dysfunctional relationship with an abusive and controlling man. She does not realize that her relationship is harmful and fulfills all of his requests. He says he would like her to make money having sex with other men.

A teenage girl who idolizes her older sister and imitates her in every way. Her sister is sexy, fashionable, and always has lots of men around her. Her sister says she could have lots of money and nice clothes just like her, all she has to do is go on dates with men.

An adult woman who dropped out of high school. She has a poor-paying job, no medical insurance, and a child who has a medical condition that requires expensive medications. She does not have the education or skills to get a job that would pay her the money she needs.

A teenage girl who grew up in poverty. She has never owned any toys or books, wears used clothing, and goes to bed hungry many nights. The boys in her neighborhood offer her money and the things she could never have in exchange for sex.

An adult woman who agrees to go out to an ore boat and have sex with one man in exchange for money. When she arrives, they tell her she can't leave until she has sex with several other men on the boat.
A teenage girl who has a low self-esteem is with her first boyfriend. He asks her to have sex with other men in exchange for money and says he will break up with her if she refuses.

An adult woman who is offered a job on the condition that she has sex with her boss. She has been out of work for a long time and has no other job offers.

So how many are comfortable saying that these people listed had willingly and knowingly chosen to have sex in exchange for money? That they had the education, opportunity, and financial stability to provide other options? That they were able to identify the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships? The situations I listed are not "few and far between" - this is the reality for many of the people who have sex in exchange for money.

Most of the people here on PDD probably have at least an average job, have an adequate education, have healthy relationships in a stable home, and enough opportunity to choose to do something other than sex-work. How many of those things would you have to loose before you would consider sex-work to be a viable option? Remove your home, your education, your mental health, your sobriety. Take them away one by one until you have no other options than having sex with strangers. Could you really consider that a "choice"?

Bad Cat! said it all, and C-Freak is right, Bad Cat rocks. Don't blame the victim, and don't turn your face from it, for some simplistic reason like "guys get horny," so they need to sexually exploit women and children. It's never ok.

Absolutely ludicrous, BadCat.  There are always options.  Always.  If a person turns to prostitution to make ends meet, their moral fiber is seriously lacking.  We have a basic welfare system that provides the bare essentials for any person, regardless of age or status. While I have major issues with the overall and long-term implementation of these programs, I recognize their necessity as a safety net. This safety net is the perfect example of why prostitution isn't a viable "option." If welfare is more humiliating than prostitution, we have much bigger problems.

Actions have consequences.  People need to be accountable for their actions.  If a person chooses to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money, they are making a very, very poor decision and will need to suffer the consequences -- which should include criminal charges.  This may make me sound crass and unfeeling, but I firmly believe that most anyone over the age of thirteen knows full well that trading sex for money, favors or other material goods is wrong.  Think back to the first time you heard of prostitution: What was your first reaction?  I know mine wasn't "Gee, that doesn't seem so bad" or "That could be a good means of living."  Does this mean I support child prostitution?  Of course not.  What I am stating is that teenagers, regardless of brain development, have the ability to decipher right from wrong.  If this "brain development" argument holds water, then why allow teens to seek abortions on their own?  Why allow teens to drive?  Why is eighteen the age of majority when most comprehensive studies suggest that brain development is not complete until a person's early 20s?  Teens know the difference between right and wrong, bottom line.  An eight year old?  Yeah, probably not.  A 14 year old?  They absolutely know the difference.

If our society has devolved to the point where we have a major problem with people -- including teens -- basing their entire self-worth on material goods or money, and in turn becoming willing participants in the selling of their bodies in the pursuit of those material possessions, to hell with prostitution, child or otherwise -- we have a much, MUCH larger problem on our hands: The devaluation of personal character, the degradation of sound moral values and the total loss of human dignity.

@wildgoose: I've contacted Social Security and St. Louis County numerous times about welfare fraud.  They require proof to prosecute.  Banks require subpoenas to release bank records.  One won't move without the other's prodding.  Catch 22, see?  Yet another way the system is broken.  As for "mandatory reporter" ... I'm not one.  I can only go off of what they're talking about, and that happened to be getting money, cell phones and drugs from men.  I didn't know who the johns were, nor did I know they were sleeping with adults.  Turning in teens for talking about their sex lives in public doesn't strike me as a productive use of my time.

As far as Mr. Redd is concerned: He wouldn't have been here if there were limitations on residency with regards to welfare programs.  There's no excuse for his actions; they were and are deplorable and I am glad he's going away for a long, long time.  That said, you cannot excuse the bureaucracy for rolling the red carpet of public assistance for him.

Beast knows all this because he's an unwed below poverty level addict and single mother living in an inner city ghetto?

sorry sorry...i'm trying to be a kinder gentler asshole.



It doesn't matter how many options you give someone to help them out of the situation they're in, there will always be those who fall between the cracks, Beast. Welfare as it sits is being defunded and gutted by people who think exactly as you do, and is likely to be a shadow of its former self if its demise is allowed to continue and has never been a one size fix all program.

Thanks to Paul, BadCat, and others for the posts and information.  The Star Tribune article (that Paul linked 4 posts above) illustrates the lives of about 90% of the underage girls who are prostituted.  Studies (which I linked above) give good evidence that the trafficked girl's experience in the Star Tribune is typical, since about 86% of these young girls are regularly beaten by pimps.  

It is fear and violence (among other things) that keeps them under the control of the pimps.  The vast majority of prostituted girls have pimps and are controlled with violence, fear, and manipulation.  Thus, I find it extremely difficult to blame a 13 year old who is being beaten and prostituted into having sex with 10-15 guys a day (10-15 is an average day for many).  There may be some exceptions to this, but the exceptions are not common. Most all the prostituted young girls have pimps, and most all pimps beat them.

Almost none of these girls keep any of the money.  Usually all the money goes to the pimps, who might give her a burger and maybe an occasional outfit in return.  These girls are almost never making any money for themselves.  

The New York Times did a series on this issue, and how the pimps control the young girls.

When No One's Looking, Part 2
 
What About American Girls Sold on the Streets?

If you have 20 minutes, you might also want to listen to these December 2010 NPR interviews of trafficked girls who are typical examples of this kind of exploitation and violence.

NPR Part 1 (12 minutes)

NPR Part II (8 minutes)

I have been working at a women's domestic violence shelter in Duluth for the past 4 years. We recently were approved by our funders to open our doors to victims of trafficking and to prostitutes. 

I have met trafficking victims and I have met prostitutes who willingly thrust themselves into "the life." Trafficking victims many times would not describe themselves as such and believe themselves to have willingly accepted their lifestyle. They first meet their "pimp" (which is not what they usually call this person) a lot of the time he will wine and dine them, buy them expensive gifts, tell them they are beautiful and loved and promise to give them the world. When you are an underage, naive girl from a home of little means no matter how caring the parents, this sort of treatment is alluring and makes you feel special. This guy is your white knight come to save you. Then, maybe after a few weeks or a couple months, the guy says "baby...you know I love you...but I'd love you so much more if you'd just sleep with my friend. Then you could help make money and I could buy you more gifts and we'd be so happy together." Then it becomes more men, and more men, and the pimp begins to be abusive. You are brainwashed into thinking this is normal, this is love, and the pimp manipulates you based upon your feelings for him.

We actually had such a scenario happen to one grown woman staying at our shelter. If any of you remember Leroy's Sweet Shop (I think it was Leroy) it was actually in the same building as the infamous Hip-Hop candy shop and has recently boarded itself up and closed down. Everyone in the neighborhood knew what "Leroy" really sold. When you walked into his "shop" there was maybe a Snickers and a Soda...but there were also mattresses all over the floor. One of Leroy's friends began courting a woman at our shelter who had just escaped a long-term abusive relationship and came all the way from the southern states, didn't know a single person and was openly friendly to all she met. He started taking her on dates and telling her immediately that he loved her. When she finally opened up to staff about her new relationship we immediately told her what was going on. She was shocked and felt violated, but had never even considered this as a possibility.

This kind of coercion can happen to people of all ages and it's very closed-minded to think that everyone, even the adults, choose to become a prostitute. As I said, I have met women who chose to get into "the life," but even they didn't do it just because they wanted the money, but because they didn't value themselves. Because they had been abused as children, or raped as young girls, and didn't learn to protect themselves. And when they did do it, they numbed themselves with drugs to forget about it. Many pimps will force their victims to stay drugged up so they are more compliant with their johns. 

Prostitution and trafficking is a complicated issue. You cannot draw a line, even age-wise, and call it a crime or bad decision making. Each person is different, their reasons are different, and their actions are a symptom of another problem. Do I think willing sex-workers who choose to do this for "morally bankrupt" reasons do exist? Sure. There are many clean, safe facilities in Nevada that prove this point. I personally wouldn't have a problem with legalization ... a person has the right to choose what they do with their body even if I don't agree with it. But this is an entirely different issue.