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Religious coalition wants ban on Village Voice ‘child sex trafficking ads’

By Dylan Stableford | The Cutline – Thu, Oct 27, 2011

(Village Voice)

Village Voice Media, the alt-weekly publisher, has been rocked by layoffs in recent weeks. And now a clergy group has attacked the company for what it calls "child sex trafficking ads" on the Village Voice-owned classified listings site Backpage.com.

The interfaith clergy coalition, called Groundswell, claims that more than 50,000 people have expressed their support for its petition to shut down the "adult" section of the site. "Sex trafficking of minors violates a common morality held by members of all faiths," the group said in a release.

The Phoenix-based group bought a full-page ad in the New York Times on Tuesday, printing an open letter to Village Voice Media signed by 36 clergymen.

"Asking Village Voice Media to shut down the adult section of Backpage.com is just the first step in solving the problem of the domestic sex trafficking of girls and boys," Sharon Brous, a rabbi associated with the Jewish social and spiritual activist group Ikar, said in a separate statement. "We know that we also need to enforce laws that protect girls and boys from sex trafficking, educate people about the extent of this problem, and address the poverty and child abuse that are at the root of domestic child sex trafficking. [But] Village Voice Media can help these girls and boys today by shutting down the adult section of Backpage.com."

"Neither government officials nor God's advocates can dictate such arbitrary control of business or speech," Village Voice Media said in response. The Village Voice published a lengthy letter dismissing the clergy's claims, saying the company has spent "millions of dollars and dedicated countless resources to protecting children from those who would misuse an adult site" while continuing to conduct a legal business. The statement also stresses the company's willingness to work with the Groundswell group privately on the matter:

In August this same religious coalition asked for a confidential meeting regarding Backpage.com. We readily agreed. As we prepared to share our information, we were informed that only four members of the coalition would attend.

Village Voice Media then offered to fly, at our expense, all members of the clerical delegation to New York for the conference.

Backpage.com has extensive, working relationships with law enforcement, from the FBI to local police. This is part of a concerted effort to protect underage kids from predators. We looked forward to sharing this data.

In response to our willingness to confer, the clergy used a public relations firm in Washington to reprint in the New York Times a modified copy of the letter the clergy sent to the Village Voice in August. The version that was printed today had been altered, and left out both the coalition's request for a private dialogue aimed at solutions, as well as Backpage.com's acceptance of the request, and offer to fund air travel for all interested clergy.

The Voice published both the original letter from the clergy and its response, pointing to this quote from Ernie Allen, head of the Washington, D.C.-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as proof that it is taking the problem seriously.

"To its credit, Backpage this year took major steps to police its ads to help curb sex trafficking. Backpage has been aggressively reviewing their ads and trying to remove those ads that are unlawful and suggest they involve the sale of kids for sex."

Allen said that Backpage had reported 1,600 suspicious ads to the center.

More from the Voice response to the petition:

It is true that, in carrying out their crimes, criminals continue to utilize services such as cell phones by Verizon and AT&T, and overnight delivery services such as FedEx and numerous Internet sites. But that does not shift the blame from criminal predators to legal business operators.

If someone is caught shipping contraband through the Post Office, we do not shut down the U.S. mail. Complicated issues require sophisticated solutions, not PR flurries.

Adult advertising, as found on Craigslist, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, Yellowpage.com and numerous other web sites is complicated by those who seek to exploit this technology. And the issues surrounding the exploitation of children are equally complex, often involving homelessness, drugs, and abuse at home.

Groundswell is hoping public pressure will convince the publisher to shut down the adult section. Craigslist, which had been a major competitor of Backpage in the adult classified market, shut down its adult services section last year after a similar public campaign. In 2007, New York magazine, which pulled the adult ads from its back-of-book section after the National Organization of Women complained--a move that prompted criticism from the Village Voice.

Village Voice Media faced similar criticism from the actor Ashton Kutcher earlier this year, after the Voice published an article critical of Kutcher's own campaign against underage sex trafficking.

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16 comments

The Mad Political Scienti ... • 7 mths ago
Arrests of Child traffickers dropped sharply nationwide after Craigslist shut down its Adult Section. The Truth is, such ads are the fastest and easiest way for Law Enforcement to find the kiddie pimps and shut them down. The ads themselves can be used in evidence, We shouldn't drop an important Law Enforcement tool just because some religious nuts are offended.
- wrdsmth 7 mths ago
  the peds just go further underground to find their jollies. no one who doesn't want to be in the sex trade should be forced to pursue it for economic reasons. children, obviously, should not be in it in any way, shape or form. but there will always be those who are willing to pay for sex and those who are willing to sell it (never bought any except through traditional relationship setups; still payin'). instead of fighting wars in foreign countries, why don't we use those resources to protect and educate our children?
John Q Galt • 7 mths ago
I went to my city backpage.com and found that the site is city specific. If you have pedophiles running amok, you will find them on any page that advertise anything. So far, all I see is good clean sin. Ok, maybe some not too clean sin too but you know what I mean. These people are doing a good service bring supply and demand together. Get off of their backs. Go read the bible or pray, leave these people alone to enjoy themselves. I will join them later and will tell you of the fun I found.
Crystal • Houston, United States • 7 mths ago
For anyone who questions backpage's intentions, I invite you to check out their page under escorts. They advertise businesses "with new girls every week" ," atm available". 89% of women in prostitution do not want to be there! (U.S. department of State trafficking persons report) These girls/boys are victims of trafficking!
Joe • Knob Lick, United States • 7 mths ago
Yawn! If they had any actual cases they would go straight to the police. This is a blue-nose group fundraising off tellevangelicals in red states using a New York adult publication to scare the hayrakes. Not news.
PatrickO • Malden, United States • 7 mths ago
Let the FBI investigate.

Then let those same FBI investigators investigate the Catholic church, which has had sex with thousands and thousands and thousands of children in the US alone, and then covered it up. In the case of the Catholic church, it isn't just child sex, its organized crime and cover up.

Use the same RICO statutes that they use to infiltrate the mob.

Thanks, Catholic church. People almost forgot that you are the world experts on having sex with children.
- three 7 mths ago
  where are the pedofiles hiding now, why isnt this important unless your just into bashing faith over helping victems. No one else will touch this issue because people want to keep it as a chuch problem only, which hurts the children
Lawrence D • 6 mths ago
I don't suppose that it ever occured to these people that those ads may, in reality, be part of a law enforcement sting operation. (Just wondering).
KICK OUT TEA GOP • Tampa, United States • 6 mths ago
The Evangelical TEA Party IS ALSO INVOLVED WITH SEX TRAFFICING
Marc • 7 mths ago
Shut down all child sexual exploitation. Period. Send the perps to Lom-POKE for a rim job.
WAKE UP AMERICA! • 7 mths ago
It seems we will urinate all over the Constitution in the name of "protecting the children" and "national security." Where's their EVIDENCE of ANY CHILD sex trafficking, and should we just go ahead and OUTLAW EVERYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY "Endanger" ONE child? A 17-year-old is a MINOR, but is tried as an ADULT when he/she kills someone - so they're "BRUTAL KILLERS" on that hand, but "defenseless VICTIMS on the OTHER? This is what results when women are given power outside the home (bring on the "thumbs-down - you're not wired to lead anyone but children - and that's 3/4 of our moral collapse which has made way for everything else to go down the tubes in the last 35 years.) Don't be late for your abortion by making your outraged tirade back at me.
- wrdsmth 7 mths ago
  paternalistic patriarchal supervision of our lives isn't exactly the answer here (i've known some righteous patriarchs who were serial abusers of the female children). in the 21st century in the US, women will be outside of the home and hold power commensurate, hopefully, with their abilities. the US has been going down the tubes for a long time...ask will rogers: If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out? protecting children and the constitution doesn't require either a tirade or put down of the distaff portion of the species.
- Jade 7 mths ago
  WOW! I'm sorry but I fail to see the relevancy of women given power outside the home has anything to do with child trafficking...??? or that it has anything to do with the moral collapse of our country...??? It sounds to me that you are just on some wild tirade and I wouldn't be surprised if i seen this same post on an article about a monkey escaping from the zoo...there is no sense to make of what you have said...and if there is please please give some more insight. Thank you :)
- WAKE UP AMERICA! 6 mths ago
  Specious argument. I don't suggest "paternalistic" or "patriarchal" anything. Also, there are just as many serial abusers of MALE children - MANY of which are WOMEN (e.g. Mary Kay LeTourneau - part of the hypocrisy to which I refer.) I merely point out the corollary between women assuming positions of power outside of the home, and the collapse of our moral fiber as a nation. The nuclear family barely exists anymore, and this is a direct result of "Women's Lib." We have MANY protections now that were not available pre-1970's, which are, while in spirit "good," are all-too-often themselves "abused" at incalculable costs to the alleged "perpetrators'" Constitutional rights, and society at large. While there is obviously no defense of abuse of ANYONE, let alone minor children, the GREATER GOOD calls for stepping extremely carefully in these areas, which we HAVE NOT done. Ex. See Stossel's "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity re "kids DON'T make this stuff up." Yes, they do - because they know they CAN. The problem I voice is "Maternalism gone amok," affecting EVERY area of our children's perception of where they actually should fall in the "pecking order" of society. The concept of "respecting one's elders" is GONE, and the feminist movement is responsible for this. In turn, this has led to countless situations that would have NEVER occurred prior to this well-intended but gone horribly awry "movement." Finally, snarky name-calling is not conducive to productive discussion, regardless of how far off-base you may believe I am. I will (have) put myself in harm's way to defend your "right to be WRONG." It comes with being an American. If you knew who I am, and how much research goes into whatever I postulate, you would not likely attempt to engage me in this fashion in any debate, let alone this one. So, if I'm wrong, exactly what "stupidity" DID bring about this inarguable (and horribly negative) change?
More

Reply
Blanca • 7 mths ago
To WAKE UP AMERICA,
You almost gulled me! Great job! I read the first part, i.e.

"It seems we will urinate all over the Constitution in the name of "protecting the children" and "national security." Where's their EVIDENCE of ANY CHILD sex trafficking, and should we just go ahead and OUTLAW EVERYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY "Endanger" ONE child?"

and almost gave you a 'thumbs up' before I read the rest.

Others made the point that, had evidence existed that the VV staff or management condoned or ignored ads endangering children, their doors would be padlocked and the people scrambling for bail. Looking at the un-edited text of the letters makes Groundswell's goals (censorship and suppression of free thought) very clear. What were your goals? Defaming 51% of the population and suggesting a return to women-as-chattel to cure society's ills?

Go join Groundswell. It may be a bit liberal for you, but you can try to exhort them to meet your standards.
Blanca • 7 mths ago
Groundswell's real intention is clear. Their opinion of adult -oriented business should trump the public's right to access this legal material. Instead of saying that they want to be arbiters of what is or isn't allowed, i.e. censors, Groundswell is trying to force Backstory.com out of the public marketplace.

While I applaud their desire to exercise their faith, using documents like this is just another way of lying. Don't they have a rule (I think it's called a 'commandment') about that?
davidwr • Dallas, United States • 7 mths ago
I'm sure the police use this and ad-venues like it to catch bad guys. What do the police think? Do they think having the ads means more bad guys are caught and society benefits, or do they think shutting these down will prevent more crime than police actions?

I'll go with their recommendation.
LeoS • 7 mths ago
I thought the church was #$%$ because the only ones allowed sex traffic of children HAVE to be ordained......
three • Providence, United States • 7 mths ago
Athiests and the media want to keep this as a church problem only, so no one has to try to clean house and solve the problem. This issue is about preventing this from happening. Look how quick the Village Voice will blame, but say they cant do anything here to help because it will hurt the bottom line. Look at the groups standing up for this today. Where are these pedifiles hiding now.
- AussieGecko 7 mths ago
  So 3 - is the issue really about preventing the ads from being run or preventing the abuse and catching the perps? It seems the VV is aggressively addressing the problem. Personally, I think you haven't got your "facts" straight and aren't quite sure who the "enemy" happens to be.
- Sam 7 mths ago
  these pedophiles hide in church, schools and at the YMCA
Ghthyt • Fuzhou, China • 6 mths ago
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Sam • 7 mths ago
religious people have always been the worst perverts I have ever known and it is so sick how they use their church to hide in their evil ways. never leave a child unattended for one minute in a church...........

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