EDITORIAL

The end of shameful scourge this September?

Posted

The Rhode Island General Assembly, scheduled to return in September, will afford legislators the necessary time to address the serious problem of prostitution in our state.

The time has long passed for both the House and the Senate to pass the best bill possible and close the legal loophole in the state’s prostitution law. Currently, the state has the ability to prosecute only prostitution that occurs outdoors but not indoors. This glaring flaw in state law has led to an unprecedented growth in the indoor prostitution business with brothels disguised as spas popping up across the state.

The time has come for the General Assembly to reform the prostitution law that State Police Commandant Colonel Brendan Doherty, other law-enforcement leaders, URI Professor Donna Hughes, other leading opponents of human trafficking and political leaders like Governor Donald Carcieri and Speaker of the House William J. Murphy fought for earlier this year. The ever-tenacious Representative Joanne Giannini (D-Providence) has long led a charge to stop this scourge to our state and her commitment and hard work are to be commended.

In fact, earlier this year the House passed Giannini's bill (H-5044A) — by a resounding margin of 62 to 8 — which will fix this flaw. This bill provides law enforcement the necessary tools to prosecute both indoor and outdoor prostitution. However, the Senate has been unwilling to comply, and passed its own bill that law-enforcement officials suggest does not adequately address the legal loopholes but in fact makes it easier for indoor prostitution to escape prosecution.

Prostitution is an immoral activity regardless of where it occurs and demeans the human dignity of all those involved. Across the nation, such acts are prosecutable crimes except in Nevada where it is strictly regulated by the state in certain counties. Rhode Island's infamous "indoors only" legal loophole must be eliminated now. Not only is it an embarrassment to the state, but the continued exploitation of women and criminal activity associated with prostitution continues to grow. The closing of legal loopholes should be a priority for the General Assembly, especially the State Senate, during their September session.

While Rhode Island is known for its independent spirit, this spirit is diminished in every woman forced into prostitution and human trafficking because of a flaw in the law. Rhode Islanders will continue to hang their heads in shame until the scourge of indoor prostitution is addressed in our state and can be properly prosecuted. The Church stands firmly opposed to prostitution of any kind and we call upon the leaders of the Senate to follow the wise lead of Representative Joanne Giannini and the members of the House in outlawing indoor prostitution. This shameful scourge must end in September!