A California advocate against human trafficking says the method of shaming men who buy sex is a helpful tool to fight against traffickers.
Men who purchase sex services may now see their faces on the Internet or in a newspaper. The method of shaming nameless “Johns” is a tool for fighting sex trafficking that is being adopted across the country. In California, the website “Operation Reveal” posts photos of suspects; while in Oklahoma, “JohnTV” reels through possible sex customers.
Daphne Phung is the executive director of California Against Slavery. She says that while it may be somewhat unorthodox, this method does have success.
“We know that fighting human trafficking requires every tool available to us,” she says. “Certainly, ‘John-shaming’ is one available tool. It attacks the problem on the demand side.”
Officials say shaming these men has been one of the most effective tools against prostitution.
“We know that anonymity of the Internet has fueled the growth of child sex trafficking,” Phung said. “That’s why it’s important that we recognize the role of the Internet in our daily lives, and that predators are also on the Internet to recruit and exploit children and young women.”
Rather than prosecuting the prostitutes, officials are trying to rid the industry’s demand. Police say they hope to slowly release hundreds of names over the next several weeks. OneNewsNow.
