Anna Caplan
A quarter of the 1,000 arrests in a national month-long sex sting operation occurred in Houston, officials announced Friday.
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As part of the National Johns Suppression Initiative, dedicated to ending sex trafficking, 250 people were recently arrested in the Houston area.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the initiative ran from June 28-July 31 and included 37 law enforcement agencies in 17 states.
Their efforts ultimately yielded the Houston arrests of “88 sex-purchasers and nine traffickers, while sheriff’s deputies arrested 161 sex buyers,” part of an overall shift in focus for law enforcement agencies, who are targeting Johns – male sex buyers – more, instead of the sex workers themselves.
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The move comes as many local law enforcement agencies retool their operations to try and tackle demand for prostitution, rather than arresting women who are often forced into prostitution or victimized themselves.
If you or someone you know in the sex worker industry needs help or resources, there are places that can help.
