Backpage ads go hand in hand with Nashville, TN. patronizing prostitution charges. Most Nashville prostitution cases start with a false ad set up by the police. An unsuspecting person answers the ad. A confidential informant answers the door and the sting starts. It usually ends with the issuance of a criminal citation for patronizing prostitution.
Backpage has been referred to as "the world's top online brothel" and it is easy to see why. Once Craigslist stopped advertising erotic services, Backpage took over. Now law enforcement is trying to crack down on the Backpage site. Will shutting down Backpage stop sex trafficking? In California, the Attorney General filed criminal charges against Backpage. It appears that most of the ads on Backpage likely come from consenting prostitutes. However, there are concerns that shutting down Backpage may lead to sex trafficking cases to go under the radar.
Dr.Kimberly Mehlman-Orozco wrote an article that expressed concerns about shutting down Backpage Dr.Mehlman-Orozco urges state legislators to focus on adopting policies that encourage cooperation and data sharing with law enforcement. Here is one reason why Backpage should not be shut down. It requires third parties to provide working phone numbers and valid credit cards so there could be a paper trail for police. More solutions should be explored rather than a knee jerk reaction that could potentially drive sex traffickers underground.