But when the U. No one has the right to buy and sell people. It looked like they were supporting the sex workers and doing everything possible to keep everybody safe in this situation. Acting U. Attorney Joshua Levy said the charges were just the beginning of an investigation that should provide more information over time. Engaging in commercial sex rings, as alleged in this indictment, is illegal. She said cases like this can take a long time because they are complicated, involving different jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies.
The debate is reflected in competing bills in the State House β including legislation supported by Morrissey that would decriminalize sex work but still hold buyers and exploiters accountable.
A similar bill was approved in Maine last summer, the first in the nation. Cox supports legislation that would decriminalize the commercial sex industry altogether. Morrissey and her group argue that a full decriminalization of prostitution would hurt vulnerable people by expanding the sex trade. She says men who have bought sex say the fear of getting caught could affect their decisions. Joel Ziff, a psychologist in Newton who works mainly with clients who are addicted to sex, said that, since prosecutors have generally focused on the sellers of sex, some buyers felt the transactions would never come back to haunt them.
Even while purportedly providing their full names and credit card information to the sellers, Ziff said, they may have felt a sense of immunity. He also maintains that not all sex workers are exploited. Levy said the public should be aware that prostitution and trafficking are much more prevalent than people think.
He said likely hundreds of buyers were involved in this prostitution ring. Search Query Show Search. Sign Out Sign In. Support GBH. All Live Streams. CRB Classical News Local News. Share Email Facebook Twitter. A mural next to an apartment building in Cambridge, Mass.
