Oakland faces its Prostitution Problems

Posted April 21st, 2008 by kdunlap
in

For some time now, I have been reporting about the epidemic of the commercial and sexual abuse of hundreds children in Oakland.

Councilwoman Jean Quan says "Teen and child prostitution is a dirty secret."

In reporting about this issue I wanted to expose how children under 18 are being by victimized by these drug dealers turned pimps. Many drug dealers have realized that selling young girls for sex on the street and on the Internet is far more lucrative and less risky than selling crack-cocaine.

No one city or county agency or church alone can fix this prostitution problem destroying our community day by day.

"It takes a village to prosecute a trafficker," Bock said. "You can't do this kind of case alone," said Sharmin Eashraghi Bock, Alameda County's assistant district attorney for human exploitation and trafficking.

To learn more about what you can do, the public is invited to attend a town hall meeting from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Youth Uprising Center, 8711 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland.

Also continue to read the rest of the series that will run in the paper and check out the multimedia videos and photos on line.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors has declared April 20 through 27 Sexually Exploited Minors Awareness Week. A coalition of social workers, law enforcement agencies and government agencies hope to shed a light on the growing problem that some have said has reached an epidemic in Oakland — girls as young as 10 being recruited as prostitutes.

Kamika Dunlap -- Oakland Tribune

I will love to attend this

On April 24th, 2008 Anonymous said:
I will love to attend this is something I have been longing to fix for so long now I can taste it...

Prostitution:

On April 23rd, 2008 Anonymous said:
I was not only galvanized by what I discovered but imbued with a sense of righteous anger at how so little significance, if any, is placed on these victims of sexual exploits. The level of human degradation in exchange for making a financial profit reinforces my belief that people will do just about anything to fuel the appetite of greed and lust for power. When one becomes as inhuman to sell an individual into sexual bondage by means of intimidation and fear, that individual person, (pimp) from my perspective is considered among the filth that gives filth its name. My belief is that harsher measures should be aimed at those directly involved in cajoling or manipulating these women/children to commit these acts of degradation. I have determined from reading this article that my objective is in mobilizing an awareness unprecedented. Daniel Uchenna