From Newsgroup: alt.law-enforcement

Crazy!
Seattle has always had quite a bit of prostitution.
Seattle is the nearest big city to me, and one of the main strips
prostitution is about 6 miles from my house.
A large part of Seattle does not like that, because of
underage sex trafficking, and the pimp shootouts that harm
neighborhood homes and businesses (and coroner work flow).
But, being as liberal as they are, you can't possibly take
any action against prostitutes, or effectively disrupt
the trade. It got so crazy, just over 4 years ago,
SEATTLE ACTUALLY ELECTED A REPUBLICAN AS CITY ATTORNEY.
She was actually making some progress. Can't have any
of that, so elect a Democrat to allow the "wild west show"
to continue. Even the city rag sees a problem!
Read it yourself!

from https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/new-seattle-city-attorney-must-offer-plan-to-combat-sex-trafficking/

New Seattle city attorney: WhererCOs the plan to fight sex trafficking?

Dec. 7, 2025 at 8:00 am Updated Dec. 7, 2025 at 8:00 am
Seattle City Attorney-elect Erika Evans (shown speaking during an
Election Day party) has called Stay Out of Area of Prostitution orders
part of rCLracist policies.rCY LetrCOs hope Evans reconsiders or presents an alternative plan for preventing human trafficking, writes the editorial
board. (Ivy Ceballo / The Seattle Times)

By The Seattle Times editorial board
On a recent summer evening, an undercover Seattle police officer watched activities along Aurora Avenue North as three vehicles approached a
group of females standing on the sidewalk.

One of the cars, a Mercedes SUV driven by a 35-year-old man from
Phoenix, chased the women through traffic, making U-turns and crossing
lanes. In a report, the officer wrote the incident was a rCLclear threat
to the safety of these women as well as the other motorists in the area.rCY

Because the defendant was a suspected pimp, the Seattle City AttorneyrCOs Office sought and obtained a Stay Out of Area of Prostitution order from
a municipal court judge.

The order stipulated that the man could not enter a swath of Aurora
Avenue North, subject to arrest and up to a year in jail and a fine.

Prostitution along the busy corridor is widespread, heartbreaking,
dangerous and exploitive.

Seattle City Attorney-elect Erika Evans recently reiterated to KUOW her campaign promise not to request any further SOAP orders or charge anyone
with violating them. In a debate during her successful effort to unseat incumbent Ann Davison, Evans called SOAP part of rCLracist policies.rCY

LetrCOs hope Evans reconsiders or presents an alternative plan for
preventing human trafficking.

SOAP may not be the perfect solution but ignoring the will of the
Seattle City Council and implicitly condoning the actions of those
purchasing sex or controlling victims sends the worst possible signal.

As the Seattle Police Human Trafficking Unit put it: rCLSexual
exploitation is not a victimless crime. Women and girls (and sometimes
boys, men and transgender individuals) involved in the sex trade on
Aurora Avenue North are almost always the victims of criminal trafficking.rCY

HererCOs some legislative history.

Former City Councilmember Cathy Moore proposed commercial sexual
exploitation legislation in the summer of 2024 after outcries from neighborhoods around Aurora Avenue North.

Combating prostitution is tough work for law enforcement. Police stings
are dangerous, resource intensive and costly. Female officers pose as
sex workers to engage with buyers, all under intense surveillance.

SOAP sought a different tactic by giving officers the ability to arrest
people suspected of engaging in the sex trade if a judge orders them to
stay out of high-crime areas. The notion was to disrupt activities long
enough for outreach workers and others to rescue those in need.

During deliberations, council members limited SOAP to buyers and
promoters, excluding sellers. On Sept. 17, 2024, it passed 8-1.

rCLAs a survivor myself, I find it incredibly powerful that the new
loitering law and SOAP bill have shifted focus away from criminalizing
the exploited, and are now holding traffickers and buyers accountable,rCY
said Sarah Ann Hamilton, survivor services manager at The More We Love,
an advocacy organization, in a council news release.

rCLThis change sends a clear message that the women and individuals we
serve truly matter, and that the community stands behind them in the
fight for justice,rCY wrote Hamilton.

What is the message being sent by City Attorney-elect Evans now?

There are 32 active SOAP orders and another 10 that have been issued but
not yet served on the defendant, according to the City AttorneyrCOs Office.

If EvansrCO deeds follow her words, these are all effectively moot.

In November, Evans won by 34 percentage points, a huge margin. ThatrCOs
what effectively painting your opponent as a Republican will do in
Seattle politics.

Evans appears quite certain about what she intends to dismantle come her inauguration in January. For the sake of the community and so many
victims of sex trafficking, she must provide an immediate proactive
agenda that shows she is serious about meeting the many challenges along Aurora Avenue North and elsewhere.

The Seattle Times editorial board: members are editorial page editor
Kate Riley, Frank A. Blethen, Melissa Davis, Josh Farley, Alex Fryer,
Claudia Rowe, Carlton Winfrey and William K. Blethen (emeritus).



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