It's Time to Demand an End to Sex-buying.

• Author: Ujifusa, J.R.

AS A FORMER MEMBER of Multnomah County's Neighborhood Deputy District Attorneys program--and current member of Multnomah County's Human Trafficking Team--I work closely with several communities throughout Oregon. Overseeing the county's Sex Buyer Accountability and Diversion Program, I know firsthand how the crimes of prostitution and sex trafficking hurt these neighborhoods. I've seen the violence, drugs, and exploitation the illegal sex trade breeds, often in close proximity to our schools, businesses, and homes. But, while most prosecutors agree prostitution is a community problem that must be addressed on a local level, there's often much debate on how that can be achieved.

I have handled more than a thousand prostitution and sex trafficking cases over the past eight years. In that time it's become clear to me that the old way of addressing the issue--only arresting prostituted women and expecting it to solve the problem--is a dead-end. Too many times I've seen these women arrested, processed, and released, only to be back on the track or street corner within a matter of hours.

But running these women through a revolving door justice system isn't just inefficient, it can often be unjust. I've spoken with hundreds of prostituted people in my work, many are extremely vulnerable individuals that were forced into the sex trade by pimps, traffickers, or circumstance. For them the sex trade isn't about choice; it's about having no OTHER choices.

But there is one party in every commercial sex transaction that has plenty of options: the sex buyers. These men have the power NOT to take advantage of others for their own gratification, and yet thousands of them seek out prostitution in Multnomah County, exploiting vulnerable people and funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into the hands of gangs, pimps, traffickers, and other organized crime rings that are so deeply entrenched in this industry. Of course, policies to end sex trafficking must target traffickers and offer support to their victims--but a truly holistic approach to the problem must also hold sex buyers accountable for fueling this criminal enterprise. If they are arrested more often, and prosecuted more vigorously, it will have a greater impact on human trafficking than current efforts. For instance, fines collected from convicted buyers could provide funding for many anti-trafficking activities, including support services for victims. And when buyers face increased likelihood...