Idiots in Georgia Declare: We Have A Solution for Prostitution!

Prostitution is a touchy subject for anyone. But I think we can agree on a few items about the profession:

1. It is one of the most dangerous professions for women (and men) to be involved in

2. There is a very high demand for sex trade workers

3. The general public tends to vilify the sex trade worker, and forget that there was another party involved in the transaction

4. There are some women who work in the sex trade who lead productive, fulfilling and, yes surprisingly, healthy lives

5. Prostitution and the sex trade are never going away. Ever.

Now that we've decided on these five truths, let us continue to our irritating journey with this newest article that I stumbled across, "Georgia Man Offers Hookers Free Bus Tickets" http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19479789/detail.html.

The gist of the article is that local business owners (specifically a motor company) don't want prostitutes hanging around their upscale lot, getting customers.

Their solution to the problem is...wait for it...bus tickets out of town! Yes! This is awesome! Why aren't we all doing this? Oh, wait I know why we aren't all doing this- because it's a freaking ridiculous notion. THAT'S WHY.

Honest to god- who the hell thinks of this shit? Buy a few Greyhound bus tickets to Las Vegas where they think prostitution is legal and they get back their Mayberry-esque community to sell over priced cars and motor oil? Near the end of the article there are some doubts raised. Most vocally that these ladies of the night will return right back from where they came from.

I have to rant a little about the community involvement when it comes to prostitution and the sex trade in general. It's incredibly irritating to me when people get upset about prostitution and we never look at what the community's responsibility is. It's as if the majority of people believe that women in the sex trade are conniving together to figure out the best way to bring down the community. Yes, those evil women, they have nothing better to do but figure out how they can make real estate worth plummet and become public targets of disgust. Damn them!

However, let's just pretend that these women who are outside of this business are not trying to disrupt these ignorant a-holes' business, but instead trying to, um, stay alive? Maybe when they are out waiting to be picked up by the men of this community their perception of control is a bit different than these idiots who want to ship them to Las Vegas.

And while we're on the subject I have an alternative option for these business owners. Instead of shipping the prostitutes out, maybe we can ship out these disgusting guys (yes, their guys, and I'm not afraid to type it) out the state. How about that? What do you think about THAT? DOESN'T THAT MAKE MORE SENSE? GET RID OF THE MYSOGINISTIC MEN? GOD!

That being said, this community sounds like a frickin' nightmare, and if I was offered a Greyhound ticket to Las Vegas, I would totally take it.

Sidenote: Prostitution is illegal in Clarke County (where Las Vegas is), the morons buying the tickets are better off shipping people to Reno. Get your effing facts straight before you start doing stupid publicity stunts, it does nothing for your credibility of your half-baked ideas.

What A Surprise...

Virginity Pledge Doesn't Stop Sexual Activity

Washington (ECN) - A new study has found that a virginity pledge by teens does not stop sexual activity at all.

A new study was carried out by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to see if a virginity pledge was actually meaningful from a teen.

The pledge would mean they would not have sex until they were married.

They discovered though that over 50% of teens who made the pledge were sexually active before marriage.

There were no differences in sexual activity when comparing those who made the promises and those who did not.

Those who made the pledges were 10% less likely to take birth control precautions.

The study has been published in the journal Pediatrics.

Heather Mallick's Interpretation of Sean Avery's "Sloppy Seconds" Description of his Ex

CAUTION: This post contains sexual references :-0

Alright, I was just reading Heather Mallick's recent piece on CBC about the whole Sean "Douchebag" Avery's disgusting remarks about his ex-girlfriend (and former Popular Mechanics for Kids host!) Elisha Cuthbert as "sloppy seconds".

I laughed out loud, because it seems as though Heather misinterpreted the meaning of "sloppy seconds".

Here's an excerpt:

Seconds on radio

I only mention this because I was on a CBC radio program last week called The Point, in which I and several men discussed, well, the point. Was hockey player Sean Avery punished excessively by the NHL for publicly referring to his ex-girlfriend as "sloppy seconds?"

I was warmed by the unity of the group. We agreed it was hypocritical in the NHL world, which is misogynist by nature, to ban Avery for six games. I even defended Avery, saying I didn't think his remark was extreme, especially compared to what this hopeless thug regularly says to players and female fans. The guy was just hurt, I said.

Done and dusted.

Flash forward to that evening. I read a kind message on my CBC e-mail from a woman listener who agrees with me about the Supreme Court's EI decision. Er, just between you and me, she wrote, you do realize that Avery's phrase refers to "a woman's vaginal opening being enlarged by having multiple sexual partners."

Huh?

I stormed (I really did) into the living room where my husband was sitting. "Stephen," I said. "Does 'sloppy seconds' mean 'a woman's vaginal opening being enlarged by having multiple sexual partners'?"

"No, I believe it refers to having sex with someone when there's semen in the vagina that is previous, so to speak…"

"Oh is it," I said. "And you let me tell a national radio audience that it was kind of sweet to refer to your ex that way?"

"What did you think it meant?"

"I THOUGHT IT MEANT CHRISTMAS DINNER LEFTOVERS! I THOUGHT IT MEANT TURKEY, MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY THE NEXT DAY! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME IT MEANT SEX PUDDLES?"

"But when you told me that you thought the Avery thing was a big overreaction, I just assumed you were being very liberated. As you usually are."

Here's a link to the whole article:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/12/f-vp-mallick.html

Weekend Paper Reading Is About To Get Scary

Yes, you may have heard today that media tycoon and arrogant asshole, Rupert Murdoch purchased the The Wall Street Journal.

Great.

Now we know what this means. The right wing owner of Fox "News" now owns one of the most influential financial tomes in the land.

I wouldn't be surprised if all of a sudden the $1 million debt the US is accumulating every minute
is characterized as some sort of economic fake out.

HE'S GUILTY.

Robert Pickton was just found guilty on all charges.

6 women were represented during this trial.

He was only convicted of 2nd degree murder, but the point the man is G-U-I-L-T-Y.

He can suck it.

Jack ass.

Truro: Nova Scotia's London

Well, here we go.

It seems as though the mayor of Truro, Nova Scotia refused to vote in favour of raising the rainbow flag.

He 'rationalized' that if the council were in favour to raise the GLTB flag, then what was stopping pedophiles from asking to raise a flag.

Yep. He compared homosexuals with sexual deviants.

Here is an open letter to Mayor Bill Mills:

Dear Your Worship,

Hi. You don't know me, I'm from a town called London, Ontario in the Southwestern part of the province.

I recently saw your ruling over at CBC about your refusal to raise the rainbow flag in Truro.

I know I'm not a resident of Truro, but here in London we went through the same predicament with the gay community.

Our mayor, Diane Haskett felt the same way as you. She refused to vote for the flag to fly because of the same reason...religious beliefs and a fear of pedophiles.

And let me tell you...Mayor Haskett did pretty well for herself after that whole debacle. She went on to win another term in office and became know far and wide.

Now, yes the City of London became the first Canadian municipality to be brought before a human rights tribunal AND found guilty, but she did go on to a career in provincial politics...only to come in third behind the Green Party.

And it only cost the City a whopping $25,000 to fix her self-righteous and bigoted decree. That homeless shelter didn't need to be built immediately.

But I will have to ask you one thing. You said that if you granted permission to the gay community to fly their flag, you might be asked by the pedophilia community to do the same.

Ok, two things.

First, hasn't the insinuation of the GLTB community being sexual deviants been done? No one really takes it seriously anymore. How many more peer reviewed journals do you need before you get the facts? It's kind of annoying. And, frankly outdated. Get with the times. It's been done, over and over and over again. No one with an ounce of brain power really believes this anymore. And those who do are usually the same ones who believe every damn thing that Leviticus says (including the piece on wearing corrective lenses).

Second, are you some kind of bizarre freak who would actually consider declaring "Pedophile Day" in Truro? What kind of sick fuck are you? Anyone with a backbone or an ounce of common sense wouldn't do this. For Cripes sake. You're disgusting.

So, if I'm right London will be losing it's title of the only municipality who has been brought before a human rights tribunal and found guilty. But trust me, that's a title we're willing to give up.

Sincerely,

JR

Dad's A Published Photog!

Recognize this photo? If you read the Sunday edition of the London Free Press, you should!

This photo was in the London Free Press, with an article about the woman's (a Freeps reporters) ride up in the balloon.

I'm not mentioning her name, because she neglected to give my dad props in the paper.

Saturday morning Dad dragged Annie, Papa and myself to Harris Park at 5:30AM to watch the balloons take off.

Once Annie had harrassed the Tim Horton's Staff...

Counter Help (to me): Would you like anything in your coffee?

Annie: I WOULD LIKE TIMBITS.

Jessie: Hehe. Milk, please.

Counter Help (to me): Would you like a straw for your juice?

Annie: I WANT CHOCOLATE, HONEY DIP AND SOUR CREAM GLAZED.

Jessie: Umm...no, we're good. Keep the change.

We were off to the park.

We stood around for a while and the first 2 balloons to be filled were a Canadian flag and maple leaf, and as always Dad was armed with his camera.

I'm guessing this woman picked the person with the flashiest camera, but she asked Dad to take a few snaps. I'm not sure if what she defined as a "few" meshed with Dad's interpretation. In any case, he sent her about 150 photos.

And, come Sunday morning, here's the result!

So, now he can officially call himself freelance, even though he didn't get paid or any credit.

Oh, well. He's enjoying cold margaritas in Monterrey, California, so I find it difficult to sympathize.

Exciting!

Come back soon because I just may have some of the most exciting news ever.

Seriously.

It's gonna blow your MINDS.

There Are Better Things To Get Worked Up Over...

...than these metal trees.

Seriously, if people in this city made as big a stink over the ridiculous rate of kids in the sex trade in London in this city as they do about those metal trees that were put downtown I would hear those two special words everyone in social services melt at: 'core funding'.

I think we all need to take a collective breath and realize a couple of things.

Firstly, tax dollars didn't pay for the trees. The Downtown Business Association did. So calm yourself.

Second, the downtown core can't really get any worse, don't you think? A bit of colour and (wait for it) art isn't going to hurt anyone.

Third, don't you people have better things to do than to write letters to the editor about some silly little metal trees? As a future resident of downtown area I don't really care. They're actually a nice addition to the garbage in the streets.

And finally, this is directed to the London Free Press. You people have published over TEN letters to the editor in your paper from people getting angry over metal trees. And yet, you can't publish my letter about a situation that is far more important and damaging to the downtown area...PIMPS.

Argh. You people will never listen.

My BIG News! I Signed A Lease!

THIS IS MY BUILDING!

I signed the lease this afternoon for a 1 bedroom apartment in Wortley Village, 5 minutes from the Covent Garden Market!

Perfect!

Move in date is September 1st (a Saturday, Labour Day Weekend!)...so if you can help move me in...that would be great....beer and pizza at the end!

Ah...calm.

AH! Anxiety!

Oh, boy.

This Is The Crap I'm Talking About...

Men on pimp rap as teen flees
By JONATHAN JENKINS -- Sun Media


TORONTO (Sun Media) - A teenage girl held against her will and forced to have sex with men at strip clubs and private parties sneaked away from her captors and flagged down a passing police officer for help.

"It was fortunate for her that she was able to find him, he was virtually right across the street," Toronto Police Det.-Const. Eduardo Dizon said.

The victim, 17, escaped on May 30 after three weeks of forced prostitution, Dizon said.
Three men have been arrested in the case in the past two weeks and all face a variety of prostitution-related offences, including living off the avails of an underage prostitute, forcible confinement and sexual exploitation.

Dizon said the young woman met the main culprit through a friend and he quickly lured her into turning tricks.

PAID FOR SEX

Any illusion she may have had of having a say in the matter quickly faded, Dizon said, and she was not allowed to keep any of the money she was paid for sex.

"She was physically restrained from leaving," he said. "At times when she tried to leave or questioned whether she could leave she was assaulted and choked."

At one point, the man who first lured her left town, leaving two other suspects to watch over her.

That's when she was able to slip away from the men holding her and find the passing police officer.

Christopher Lewis, 22, is to appear in College Park court today. Garnett Grant, 25, also known as G and G-Money, is to appear in Old City Hall court today.

Released on bail June 22, Donovan Lewars, 25, will be back in court July 19.

An Open Letter To The London Free Press

Re: Billboards pimping beer dumb, not offensive

Being able to connect cause and effect is vital to solving our community’s problems. It seems as though Ian Gillespie’s column “Billboards pimping beer dumb, not offensive” missed this valuable opportunity to draw connections. For those of you who are unaware London does have pimps.

Those of us working with our eyes open are very aware of this fact. What is a pimp? The short definition is that a pimp is a coward, a liar who sexually exploits others. In London’s case many are sexually exploiting children and youth.

Most people constantly ask the question “How is it that child after child is being recruited into the sex trade and is being sexually abused in London?” Campaigns such as this beer ad and Mr. Gillespie’s response don’t help by using the word in a humourous and playful manner. The word pimp is not playful.

I think reclaiming words is an interesting way some social groups go about gaining some of their power back; however in this case the persecuted people are not the ones trying to re-instate the word pimp. And since we have pimps in London and rarely in our community do the adult sex trade workers have pimps, it can only be deduced that we are trying to glorify people who take part in the sexual abuse of our children youth. That is simply disgusting.

Just because we have television shows like “Pimp My Ride” (MTV) and contests like “Pimp My Garden” (Toronto Star) and “Pimp My Library Cart” (Wisconsin Library) doesn’t mean we’ve taken back a word.

You can’t identify a pimp by what they wear. Far from popular opinion pimps do not wear grillz, bling, fur coats, feathers in their hats, carry canes or challis’ filled with alcohol. Nor do they drive Cadillacs’ with hydraulics. They look like every other person on the street. They can be young or old, male or female, affluent or poor. In fact 30% of the sexual predators (pimps included) make more than $50,000 a year from a legitimate job. 10% make more than $80,000 a year. These folks are “upstanding” citizens.

Pimp is not a word we can reclaim until we recognize the fear and violence (sexual, physical, and emotional) they disseminate throughout the young people they hurt on a continual basis in London.

As well, I take offence to Gillespie’s implication that this issue shouldn’t be talked about. Using the word pimp in our vocabulary is disgusting, hateful and offensive. Talking about this is the only way to ensure London’s youth stay safe.

This attempt to stifle conversation about this topic is reminiscent of pimps threatening kids if they talk about what’s going on, they’ll kill them or the people they love.

I guess it’s reminiscent because I see and hear it on a daily basis.


Jessie Rodger

Our Article!

Online survey 'shocking'

Mon, June 4, 2007

More than half of London pupils surveyed have posted information that puts them at risk.
By JENNIFER O'BRIEN, SUN MEDIA

A shocking number of London kids are making themselves easy targets for sexual predators who cruise the Internet, an informal survey has found.

The alarming figures suggest one in four children 11 to 14 have met face-to-face with strangers introduced only online.

Despite years of warnings about stranger-danger, more than half of them have put identifying information such as phone numbers and addresses on public-access websites, youth workers say.

"We were shocked," said Shannon Liddington, outreach worker with RISE for Youth, a project that aims to reduce sexual exploitation.

"The children we talk to are absolutely putting themselves at risk. The level of naivete they have is incredible.

"Every one of these kids knows that if someone drives up to you at a bus stop and asks for your name and school you don't give it to them."

During education seminars, the group has surveyed 600 Grade 6, 7 and 8 London pupils and found 60 per cent have put personal, identifying information on websites such as MySpace and Facebook.

Twenty per cent of the children also admitted posting pictures of themselves online .
But most disturbing is the fact 25 per cent have met people they only knew online.

"That really did blow us away," said project co-ordinator Jessie Rodger. "It is absolutely the most dangerous thing a kid can do."

Compounding that statement is the fact London police have charged seven people with Internet luring in less than two months since the department launched its Cyber Crime Unit in April.

"It's like shooting fish in a barrel to zero in on (predators) out there," said Det. Sgt. Kelly Johnson, head of the Cyber Crime Unit.

In the seven recent local cases, Johnson said officers posing as someone else nabbed predators who thought they would be meeting youths they had befriended online.

There are likely many cases that haven't been intercepted, Johnson said, adding the unit has heard about London girls being sexually assaulted by people they met online.

Like others, Johnson warned against giving out identifying information.

"It is alarming, the number of students that give out personal information," agreed Ray Hughes at UWO's Centre for Prevention Science. "It's like posting up a sign on the (Highway) 401 with all your personal information."

The local numbers are consistent with Canadian findings, according to RISE, but slightly higher than those recorded in the U.S., said Jeff Godlis of iSafe America.

That federal web education group has surveyed more than 100,000 American children and found 20 per cent -- one in five -- met strangers off line.

The findings show that even as kids become savvy about Internet use -- through social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook -- they aren't always being safe.

"Youths don't equate strangers on the Internet with those on the street," Rodger said.
As a result, kids who would balk at giving their names or schools to a stranger on the street are willingly offering details up to online contacts.

"When they start talking to people for months online, they don't feel that is a stranger," Liddington said.

"They are like, 'It's my friend. I know what their favourite food is, I know what movie they like . . .' "

"Now predators don't even have to leave their bedrooms to find out everything they want to know," Liddington said.

Rise for Youth is a 15-month project run by Western Area Youth Services, a London group home agency that offers counselling.

The aim is to educate kids and parents about sexual exploitation. The project focuses on the Internet because that's what has opened the playing field for predators, Rodger said.

"It used to be poverty and homelessness were the biggest risk factors for kids being sexually exploited," she said. "All that has changed because of only one thing -- the Internet."
Dangers are illustrated with horrifying cases such as that of Kacie Woodie, a 13-year-old Arkansas girl murdered in 2002 by a 47-year-old predator who had befriended her while posing as a teenager online.

Liddington and Rodger suggest parents need to know their kids' online activity.
But they've met parents who don't even know how to get on the Internet, she said.

MORE INFORMATION

- www.myspace.com/riseforyouth or call 519-432-2209, ext. 3203.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

- Talk to young kids about Internet activities and Internet safety.
- Learn how to use the Internet by signing up to networking sites.
- Keep computers in a common area, not in a bedroom or secluded basement.
- Remember kids also can get online outside your home.

TIPS FOR YOUNGSTERS

- Don't post identifying information such as telephone numbers, addresses, school information or last names online.
- Don't post pictures of yourself.
- If you're going to meet someone for the first time who you've only talked to online, tell an adult, take friends and meet in a public place.

Jessie Rodger: News Media Savvy Pundit

Check it out! Shannon (the woman I'm towering over in the photo) and I were interviewed a couple of weeks ago by The Londoner newspaper...www.thelondoner.ca...

CITY LIVING: OUR CITY

Breaking the circle of youth exploitation
London program takes to the street to educate teens

By BEN BENEDICT, The Londoner

It's exploitation and it's happening in London. Whether by force, need or want there are young people in London trading their bodies for a variety of things like smokes, drugs or even food and shelter.
That's the message Western Area Youth Services (WAYS) wants you to hear because it may just be happening to your child.
Their information campaign is called RISE - Reduce Incidents of Sexual Exploitation for Youth - was initiated by Kim Hall, a youth worker with WAYS for 15 years, in response to what she was seeing on the streets of London. Funding comes from the provincial attorney-general's ministry and is aimed at young people in Grade 7 and up.
The program is entering a second phase, says WAYS project coordinator Jessie Rodger.
"This time the funding will run for 15 months not seven," Ms. Rodger says. "I was the student in the last phase. One of the things we found last time around was that as phase one ended, we were just beginning to make inroads. Time is something that is required to build trust and to allow people to open up. We're realistic in understanding that we need to go to them."
In her efforts to raise awareness this time out she will be assisted by Shannon Liddington, a youth outreach worker.
"My position was created so I can be in the community - in schools, at the Youth Action Centre and on the streets - so I'll be the face they'll see. I'm a child and youth worker and am sensitive to their needs," Ms. Liddington says. "Forming partnerships with leaders, caseworkers and in some cases parents will help build that bond. We're not pretending that we know what these youth are going through but we have the education and passion to help make a difference."
What's going on is a cultural shift that marginalizes and exploits more vulnerable youth where often, the youth themselves may become exploiters.
"When we introduced this idea of trading stuff for sex it wasn't seen as exploitive. There was a lot of minimalizing going on and an understanding that they were in control. But once we broke it down and talked about the legal aspects and consent it doesn't matter if they are under 18. Age of consent is 14 but if I give consent to an older adult (or another youth for that matter) in exchange for a pack of smokes it becomes illegal," Ms. Rodger says.
Liddington concurs. "By exploitation we mean any time anyone under the age of 18 was given anything like drugs, money, food or a place to stay in return for sexual favours. With the exchange of goods for sex it doesn't matter about age. It's also important to say that although we're dealing with street youth it is also happening in better class neighbourhoods because of children's free access to the internet. Our aim is to provide resources and provide our crisis number - 519-433-0334."
Their concern is back up by some very telling statistics.
"Only about 20 per cent of youth exploitation happens on the street. The other 80 per cent happens at home, school or clubs," Ms. Rodger says. "Another important element is that the statistics are about equal for what we found when we asked about the stats saying 75 per cent are girls and 25 per cent are boys. They are quick to respond that guys deny it more because of the social factors of being labelled gay. It's an added stigma for boys."
These numbers become even more telling in response to a survey conducted following phase one of the project.
"In London, following that last phase, we had talked to 300 youth from across London. We gave them all questionnaires and from that found that 20 per cent responded that they were being sexually exploited. We also asked if they knew others in their peer groups and 54 per cent said yes. In our experience, the numbers are under reported," Ms. Liddington adds.
It's something of which London youth are fully aware.
"We found in the first phase that by high school they were completely aware of the situation," Ms. Rodger says. "We found that prevention was easier than trying to get them to stop once they reached that point."
While youth on youth exploitation may seem like an easy way to get stuff, much of the exploitation is active in the form of grooming.
"With the grooming process it does take time. What will happen is the recruiter, who can be anyone, they will create a relationship whether romantic, platonic or economic - they'll start giving them things like drugs and a place to stay. They then get introduced to a new peer group and changing behaviours," Ms. Rodger says.
"At this point the individual becomes even more detached from the family unit," interjects Ms. Liddington.
"That's the point when parents, teachers and friends will start to notice that something is going on and will confront the young person and often not very effectively. The youth then returns to the recruiter and will be bated, meaning they'll either move out or run away and it is at this point when things begin to go down hill. It's the one thing about runaways that we found, kids who run away are at a higher risk of being exploited," Ms. Rodger says. "The youth often call it survival sex as a way of re-empowering themselves but it's important to remember that it is still abuse."
The largest barrier the two social workers have encountered is with those who need to hear the message most - parents.
"The only barrier we've had is with parents. Adults often want a warning sign. We have to tell them that there is no one sign and it's a number of things that put youth at risk. The number one sign is isolation and it can happen to anyone. If you are isolated you don't have any resources for help," Ms. Rodger says.
There are no single indicators for those exploiting others or those being exploited.
"What I think is important is that it's not a question that can be answered in a check box. It's a series of understanding and visual clues that indicate there may be at risk issues. It's that message that is important to bring to social workers and service providers," Ms. Liddington says.
Heather Miko-Kelly is the street-team leader for mindyourmind.ca and was the project coordinator for the first phase of the project. She offers this advice to parents.
"The best way not to engage in this is to build their self-esteem. It all comes back to having strong relationships in their life so they don't feel isolated and vulnerable," Ms. Miko-Kelly says.
Since the programs inception there has been a solid response from social workers within London.
"We've had an overwhelming response so far and are booked into April. The Children's Aid Society has been really open to having us come and speak. They're keen to hear about the program. WAYS and the city's group homes are also interested," Ms. Rodger says. "Front line workers are very open to talking about it and want to learn - it's not something that is taught in college. They definitely see and know that things are going on in London."

WANT MORE INFO?
For more information and resources about exploitation of young people, phone the WAYS crisis line 519-433-0334 or visit one of these London websites: Western Area Youth Services http://www.ways.on.ca/; Mind Your Mind http://www.mindyourmind.ca/; RISE (Reducing Incidents of Sexual Exploitation) www.myspace.com/riseforyouth

News!

Big, Big, BIG news!

Come back here for updates or visit:

http://www.mindyourmind.ca/mind-tools/play-stuff/sfs-quiz.htm

For a clue!