But by taking an increasing percentage of prostitute-and-john contact off the streets, these online introductions are posing a new challenge for Grand Rapids Police.
Anyone can now arrange to meet a prostitute behind closed doors with just a few taps on a smartphone or laptop. This type of private communication is tough for police to get in front of, said Lt. Grand Rapids Police arrests : β β β 80 β 74 β The vice unit enforces on a complaint-driven basis and through sting operations. But no matter how much manpower goes into cleaning up the streets, the Internet offers another avenue for prostitutes and johns.
For those who are caught, the punishment can be severe. A first-offense conviction for prostitution is a day misdemeanor. A second offense could result in one year behind bars, and a third offense escalates punishment to two years in prison. People convicted of a fourth offense can spend up to 15 years in prison. But an online introduction adds an element of secrecy. Flood works mainly with middle-aged men who are typically established in their careers.
Men often believe encounters with prostitutes arranged via online sites lessen the likelihood of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or getting detected by police, Flood said. But other men, those desensitized to risk, tell Flood part of the thrill lies in driving the streets.
And, meetings arranged on the streets are flat-out cheaper, women of the lifestyle say. They're looking for cheap date. They don't want to spend no money β¦ because they know the girls are just looking for a hit," said Debra Wade, a recovery coach at Sacred Beginnings transitional home for women whose past includes trading sex for drugs. Many prostitutes arrange their own dates without a pimp on online websites, police say. And in the last two or three years, advances in technology have made the Internet available to almost everyone.
