Prostitution WorkshopProstitution WorkshopMinnesota Community Corrections Minnesota Community Corrections

AssociationAssociationBrown CollegeBrown CollegeJune 13, 2008June 13, 2008

Bill Nelson – Director, Correctional ServicesBill Nelson – Director, Correctional ServicesVolunteers of America, 2825 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN Volunteers of America, 2825 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 5540655406(612) 721-6327(612) 721-6327

Workshop OverviewWorkshop Overview BackgroundBackground Professional BiasesProfessional Biases Prostitution MythsProstitution Myths Cultural Influences – Women’s MovementCultural Influences – Women’s Movement Criminology – Victims – VictimologyCriminology – Victims – Victimology Views of Former Prostituted Women and Views of Former Prostituted Women and

“System” Representatives“System” Representatives Treatment ApproachesTreatment Approaches Community ResponseCommunity Response TraffickingTrafficking Special GuestSpecial Guest

Minnesota Community Corrections Association Presents:

One of the more perplexing problems within the criminal justice system is that of prostitution. It affects not only corrections but many other community institutions such as public health, child protection, drugs/alcohol addictions, and law enforcement. Prostituted women are variously referred to as victims, perpetrators, responsible/not responsible for their behavior and each definition carries with it the use of community resources to address the problem and its consequences.

This training will cover:

The growing recognition of trafficking for purposes of slave labor and prostitution and the federal government’s tying of funding to foreign nations conditional on their commitment to end human trafficking.

Address how our culture is divided on whether prostitution should be legal or decriminalized. Give participants a greater understanding of the factors creating and reinforcing the lifestyle of

prostituted women and girls. Provide information on the modalities of current response aimed at deterring prostitution

activities in the community. Discuss the role of chemicals in perpetuating the prostitution lifestyle. Provide one model treatment option which has demonstrated effective outcomes at a cost far less

than the deployment of the criminal justice model. Present a whole community solutions strategy for prostitution abatement.

Our Presenter – William (Bill) Nelson is a career corrections professional with over 44 years experience in most correctional settings. He and his team approached the Minnesota Legislature in 1999 to secure funds for the creation of a women’s recovery center. This center has become an award winning model for correctional innovation. Bill has published an article describing the program in Corrections Today, and has twice made presentations in Sweden at the University of Goteborg and the University of Stockholm, along with work in other states including Montana, Oklahoma, Illinois and Massachusetts. In February 2006 he provided Congressional testimony supporting the Second Chance Act and in Fall 2007 he co-produced a documentary with Twin Cities Public Television on the subject of prostitution which later earned two film awards. Date: Friday, June 13, 2008

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Location: Brown College – Room 324

1440 Northland Drive (494 & Pilot Knob Road) Mendota Heights, MN

Registration should be emailed to Dani Harrington at dharrington@rseden.org

This training is free to all current MCCA Members. If you are not currently a member, a training fee of $30 will be owed. This annual investment pays for one year of monthly training

sessions and your complimentary membership to MCCA.

Prostitution MythsProstitution Myths

World’s oldest professionWorld’s oldest profession

Average age of entry: 13Average age of entry: 13

Prostitution is empoweringProstitution is empowering

Prostituted women enjoy their workProstituted women enjoy their work

12-1310%

14-1512%

16-1714%

18-199%20-21

8%

22-235%

24-257%

26-274%

28-295%

30-318%

32-334%

34-365%

37-405%

10-112%

<91%

>401%

<910-1112-1314-1516-1718-1920-2122-2324-2526-2728-2930-3132-3334-3637-40>40

Age of Entry Into Prostitution:

424 Total

Average Age: 22.3

Cultural InfluencesCultural Influences Society has been greatly influenced by the women’s movement and Society has been greatly influenced by the women’s movement and

its variations of feminismits variations of feminismFirst Movement Seneca Falls Convention = 19First Movement Seneca Falls Convention = 19 thth Constitutional Amendment Constitutional Amendment 19201920Second Movement 60s-70s: Equal Pay Act 1963; Title VII-Civil Rights Act Second Movement 60s-70s: Equal Pay Act 1963; Title VII-Civil Rights Act

of of 19641964

Promoting protections for battered women, victims of sexual assaultPromoting protections for battered women, victims of sexual assault

Recognition of prostituted women as victims not always consistentRecognition of prostituted women as victims not always consistentDecriminalization issuesDecriminalization issuesProstitution as a legally protected professionProstitution as a legally protected professionGroups/organizations promoting safe environments for prostitution activities Groups/organizations promoting safe environments for prostitution activities

e.g. Coyote, SWOPe.g. Coyote, SWOP

Models in Sweden, Amsterdam, Nevada, etc. Models in Sweden, Amsterdam, Nevada, etc.

VictimologyVictimology VictimizationVictimization is an asymmetrical interpersonal relationship that is abusive, is an asymmetrical interpersonal relationship that is abusive,

painful, destructive, parasitical, and unfair.painful, destructive, parasitical, and unfair.

VictimologyVictimology is the scientific study of the physical, emotional, and financial is the scientific study of the physical, emotional, and financial harm people suffer because of illegal activities.harm people suffer because of illegal activities.

Rediscovery of crime victimsRediscovery of crime victimsBattered women, young women who have suffered date rapes, kidnapped children, Battered women, young women who have suffered date rapes, kidnapped children,

targets targets of bigots/hate crime, targets of road rage, victims of drunken driving, prisoners of bigots/hate crime, targets of road rage, victims of drunken driving, prisoners sexually sexually assaulted by fellow inmates, and detainees killed in government custodyassaulted by fellow inmates, and detainees killed in government custody

3 Stages of Victim Discovery3 Stages of Victim DiscoveryStage 1:Stage 1: Identifying an overlooked problem – moral entrepreneursIdentifying an overlooked problem – moral entrepreneursStage 2:Stage 2: Winning victories, implementing reforms – MADD ExampleWinning victories, implementing reforms – MADD ExampleStage 3:Stage 3: Emergence of opposition and development of resistance for further Emergence of opposition and development of resistance for further

changeschanges

Minimalist versus maximalist viewsMinimalist versus maximalist views

Prostituted women as victims?Prostituted women as victims?Documentary: Prostitution: Beyond the MythsDocumentary: Prostitution: Beyond the Myths

Treatment ApproachesTreatment Approaches

A “Relational Approach”: Women heal differently than menA “Relational Approach”: Women heal differently than men

Recognition of age and ethnicity differencesRecognition of age and ethnicity differences

Recognition of unique needs of prostituted women and women in Recognition of unique needs of prostituted women and women in general in achieving a recovery through healing of a variety of inter-general in achieving a recovery through healing of a variety of inter-related issuesrelated issues

Diversity of approaches depending on level and intensity of Diversity of approaches depending on level and intensity of involvement, mental health state, and level of usage of chemicalsinvolvement, mental health state, and level of usage of chemicals

One size does not fit all, therefore a need for planful use of the right One size does not fit all, therefore a need for planful use of the right resource based on level of needresource based on level of need

Community ResponseCommunity Response Street level/court/jail interventions; statutoryStreet level/court/jail interventions; statutory

PRIDE, Breaking Free, Volunteers of America Women’s Recovery CenterPRIDE, Breaking Free, Volunteers of America Women’s Recovery Center

Other interventions: John SchoolOther interventions: John School, , stings, etc.stings, etc.

Whole neighborhood/community coordinated responseWhole neighborhood/community coordinated response

Oklahoma City, Alton, Illinois, BostonOklahoma City, Alton, Illinois, Boston

Key questions – whole community intervention strategiesKey questions – whole community intervention strategies

What is the problem?What is the problem?

What do we do about it?What do we do about it?

Who will do it?Who will do it?

* HHS: Human Trafficking, Janua* HHS: Human Trafficking, January 24, 2008ry 24, 2008

TraffickingTrafficking Trafficking is widely considered a “modern-day form of slavery”, Trafficking is widely considered a “modern-day form of slavery”,

trafficking occurs when the powerless “are subjected to force, fraud, or trafficking occurs when the powerless “are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor”*coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor”*

Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000; reauthorized in 2003 and 2005Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000; reauthorized in 2003 and 2005

Federal government has identified approximately 1,500 victims that have Federal government has identified approximately 1,500 victims that have been trafficked into the US since 2000been trafficked into the US since 2000

Civil Society – an agency involved locally in providing services to victims Civil Society – an agency involved locally in providing services to victims of traffickingof trafficking

Out of 616 women at the VOA Women’s Recovery Center, 116 report Out of 616 women at the VOA Women’s Recovery Center, 116 report having being trafficked.having being trafficked.

a)a) 89 report trafficking to other cities89 report trafficking to other citiesb)b) 96 report trafficking to other states96 report trafficking to other statesc)c) 10 report trafficking to other countries10 report trafficking to other countries

Special GuestSpecial Guest

Jane McCormick, author “Breaking My Silence”Jane McCormick, author “Breaking My Silence”

References and Contact InformationReferences and Contact Information Prostitution: A Community Solutions Alternative – Corrections Prostitution: A Community Solutions Alternative – Corrections

Today, October 2004 – Today, October 2004 – www.aca.org/publicationswww.aca.org/publications

Freedom and Justice Center for Prostitution ResourcesFreedom and Justice Center for Prostitution Resources

A variety of topics including community level prostitution abatement; A variety of topics including community level prostitution abatement; position paper; bibliography; various press releases; prostitution – position paper; bibliography; various press releases; prostitution – health consequences studyhealth consequences study

Google Freedom and Justice CenterGoogle Freedom and Justice Center

William (Bill) Nelson, Volunteers of America – Minnesota, 2825 E. William (Bill) Nelson, Volunteers of America – Minnesota, 2825 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55406, (612) 721-6327Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55406, (612) 721-6327

bnelson@voamn.orgbnelson@voamn.org