Complaints drive up prostitution charges
Posted By ERICA BAJER, THE DAILY NEWS
Posted 1 day ago
Prostitution-related charges dropped in most of the province between 2000 and 2007, but the opposite is true in Chatham- Kent.
The number of charges laid for prostitution-related offences decreased by 24 per cent provincewide -- 1,992 last year from 2,644 in 2000, an analysis by .
Locally, police charged eight people for soliciting sex between 2000 and 2003.
At least 16 people were charged between 2004 and 2007.
"Our charges are up specifically because they are complaint driven," said Chatham-Kent Police Service Chief Carl Herder.
He said police have received many complaints about the activity by members of East Side Pride (ESP), a group which patrols Chatham's east side in an effort to thwart crime.
As well, he said there have been reports about prostitution in the area of Richmond and Raleigh streets.
"We've had a number of small sting operations to eliminate prostitution," Herder said.
He said some members of the CKPS have attended training courses in Windsor to learn how to catch people involved in the sex trade.
Chatham-Kent is certainly proactive," he said.
There is generally little "proactive enforcement" of prostitution laws, said Alan Young, a lawyer and professor at Toronto's Osgoode Hall law school and longtime champion of a more liberal approach to issues like drug enforcement and prostitution.
Young is currently spearheading a constitutional challenge to strike some of the Criminal Code provisions against prostitution- related activities.
"For the most part, they turn a blind eye," he said of the typical police approach to sex workers.
Only eight other Ontario cities saw an increase in
charges -- Belleville, Cornwall, London, Barrie, Kitchener, Sudbury, Windsor and St. Catharines.
Meanwhile, the Toronto and Ottawa areas saw decreases of 36 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively.
In Kingston, the number fell from 25 in 2000 to just three last year.
Chatham Coun. Marjorie Crew, founder of ESP, has been outspoken about Chatham's prostitution problem and has appeared in court to give a victim impact statement on behalf of the community.
She said the sex trade isn't welcome in Chatham and residents have made that known to the individuals involved and the law.
"Chatham's an urban area but we won't accept the problems of larger urban centres," she said. "I think it's important to have a consistent, clear message that this won't be tolerated."
Crew said ESP continues to monitor prostitution-related activity and members don't hesitate to call police with concerns.
She urges other citizens to also report crimes, such as prostitution.
Crew said she took her concerns about the impact to the courts because she wanted to let the justice system know that prostitution is an issue here and that the community is fed up.
Herder has also written a victim impact statement that has been used in the sentencing of local men convicted of soliciting hookers.
"It's so easy to write off," he said of why he took the unusual step to submit his opinion to the court.
He said too often prostitution is minimized in the criminal justice system and he wanted to paint a picture of the actual cost.
"The local prostitution problem is directly connected to the illicit drug trade," Herder said. "It is one of those crimes that is linked to other, more serious, crimes."
The chief said prostitution is not a victimless crime.
"There are many victims -- the individuals, neighbourhoods and the community are all impacted negatively by this crime,' he wrote in his victim impact statement.
Is this why we are called "Toronto the good"?
Posted By ERICA BAJER, THE DAILY NEWS
Posted 1 day ago
Prostitution-related charges dropped in most of the province between 2000 and 2007, but the opposite is true in Chatham- Kent.
The number of charges laid for prostitution-related offences decreased by 24 per cent provincewide -- 1,992 last year from 2,644 in 2000, an analysis by .
Locally, police charged eight people for soliciting sex between 2000 and 2003.
At least 16 people were charged between 2004 and 2007.
"Our charges are up specifically because they are complaint driven," said Chatham-Kent Police Service Chief Carl Herder.
He said police have received many complaints about the activity by members of East Side Pride (ESP), a group which patrols Chatham's east side in an effort to thwart crime.
As well, he said there have been reports about prostitution in the area of Richmond and Raleigh streets.
"We've had a number of small sting operations to eliminate prostitution," Herder said.
He said some members of the CKPS have attended training courses in Windsor to learn how to catch people involved in the sex trade.
Chatham-Kent is certainly proactive," he said.
There is generally little "proactive enforcement" of prostitution laws, said Alan Young, a lawyer and professor at Toronto's Osgoode Hall law school and longtime champion of a more liberal approach to issues like drug enforcement and prostitution.
Young is currently spearheading a constitutional challenge to strike some of the Criminal Code provisions against prostitution- related activities.
"For the most part, they turn a blind eye," he said of the typical police approach to sex workers.
Only eight other Ontario cities saw an increase in
charges -- Belleville, Cornwall, London, Barrie, Kitchener, Sudbury, Windsor and St. Catharines.
Meanwhile, the Toronto and Ottawa areas saw decreases of 36 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively.
In Kingston, the number fell from 25 in 2000 to just three last year.
Chatham Coun. Marjorie Crew, founder of ESP, has been outspoken about Chatham's prostitution problem and has appeared in court to give a victim impact statement on behalf of the community.
She said the sex trade isn't welcome in Chatham and residents have made that known to the individuals involved and the law.
"Chatham's an urban area but we won't accept the problems of larger urban centres," she said. "I think it's important to have a consistent, clear message that this won't be tolerated."
Crew said ESP continues to monitor prostitution-related activity and members don't hesitate to call police with concerns.
She urges other citizens to also report crimes, such as prostitution.
Crew said she took her concerns about the impact to the courts because she wanted to let the justice system know that prostitution is an issue here and that the community is fed up.
Herder has also written a victim impact statement that has been used in the sentencing of local men convicted of soliciting hookers.
"It's so easy to write off," he said of why he took the unusual step to submit his opinion to the court.
He said too often prostitution is minimized in the criminal justice system and he wanted to paint a picture of the actual cost.
"The local prostitution problem is directly connected to the illicit drug trade," Herder said. "It is one of those crimes that is linked to other, more serious, crimes."
The chief said prostitution is not a victimless crime.
"There are many victims -- the individuals, neighbourhoods and the community are all impacted negatively by this crime,' he wrote in his victim impact statement.
Is this why we are called "Toronto the good"?
