West Greenfield Avenue, on the city’s South Side, has long been a hub for prostitution in Milwaukee.
In efforts to attack the ever-present issue of sex trafficking and prostitution in Milwaukee, the Common Council unanimously passed an ordinance to increase the fine for soliciting prostitutes Tuesday.
Now, those who solicit prostitutes (also known as johns) will face a fine of $2,500 to $5,000, up from the previous fine of $500 to $5,000. This is being done in an effort to target those who pay for sex, as prostitutes are often victims of human or sex trafficking.
Ald. Russell Stamper is the lead sponsor of the ordinance. He said prostitution in his 15th District, which encompasses parts of Milwaukee’s North Side, is “very prevalent.” Stamper also discussed a future database for those who are prosecuted and convicted for soliciting prostitutes, listing the individual's name and information about the offense in a practice known as “john shaming.”
“What we have to do is eliminate the source,” Stamper said. “One way that’s been effective is to hit people where it hurts. And that is in their pockets.”
Wide Support
The ordinance was met with wide support from the Common Council. Ald. Chantia Lewis said that “taking the spotlight off the ones who are victims,” and “returning the spotlight onto the ones who are demanding this type of service,” is important.
Ald. Milele Coggs, a co-sponsor of the measure, said that oftentimes offenders will quickly pay the fine without fighting it. She said she hopes this measure will shame johns into choosing not to re-offend. “The problem that the city of Milwaukee has… is a problem that I think we all know is not just going to go away,” she added. “Unfortunately, we can’t be the moral police, but maybe exposing, shaming and making it cost a little bit more might influence some people to think twice before they come into our neighborhoods to participate in prostitution and human trafficking.”
Ald. Robert Donovan also said that the city should look for ways to go after pimps next. “We as a council, and as city leaders, need to think outside the box and explore every possible way we can come at this issue,” said Donovan.
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The fine will now also include the word “prostitute,” as before it was labeled as “loitering-soliciting.”
How Bad is the Problem?
Milwaukee has often been considered a haven for human and sex trafficking. A 2018 report estimated that 340 children and young adults were victims of sex trafficking in Milwaukee over a four-year period.
Numbers have gone down in recent years, however. According to the Milwaukee Police Department, there were 94 arrests for soliciting a prostitute in 2017, compared to 46 in 2018. In 2017, there were 85 citations given for “loitering-soliciting” a prostitute, compared to only 41 in 2018. To crack down on the issue, Milwaukee and area police often perform stings that go after prostitutes and johns. Just last month, Glendale police arrested 11 escorts and seven johns in a sting operation.
There are also numerous local organizations that offer help and support to prostitutes and victims of human and sex trafficking.
However, some areas across the nation take different approaches when it comes to prostitution. In Dallas for example, they take a “victim-centered approach,” which views the prostitute as a sexual assault victim. But these approaches are few and far between.
Some Oppose the Ordinance
In response to the passed ordinance, Red Umbrella Justice, a sex workers’ rights group in Milwaukee, released a statement saying they fear the ordinance will lead to “riskier situations” for prostitutes. RUJ is run by current and former sex workers and allies.
“Although publicly shaming and increasing fines for clients may sound helpful in theory, in reality it results in men being more afraid of arrest while still seeking out sex workers,” a RUJ press release said.
“The ordinance also fails to take any steps to actually address and solve the reasons why many people engage in sex work in the first place—poverty being a large factor. Penalizing clients while not taking steps to actively help sex workers will still leave sex workers in the community with little to no resources and put us at further risk of job loss, homelessness and hunger,” their statement also said.
Ald. Stamper was contacted to respond to RUJ’s statement, but he did not respond before this article was published.
