It just got a little harder to post Erotic Services ads on Craigslist. Bound Not Gagged reports that the online listings site has signed an agreement with 40 states (interestingly enough, California, where Craigslist is based, did not sign the agreement.) to require Erotic Services posters to pay a fee with a valid credit card, much like "straight job" postings.
This is another example of the misguided hypocrisy that surrounds decisions regarding sex workers: while much hoopla has been made of the Erotic Services section, a click on over to "Casual Encounters" reveals that any other form of illegal activity can be found on the site, yet no one appears to care about policing dudes looking to "blow clouds" or "go skiing". Last I checked, possession of cocaine and crystal meth were just as illegal as prostitution. Why no DEA crackdowns of the same magnitude that has hit Erotic Services
Furthermore, while law enforcement claims that this will cut back on human trafficking and child prostitution on the site, I think the keywords there are "on the site". You can bet your ass that people engaged in these kinds of activities are not going to hand over their real credit card information over to Craigslist. What will end up happening is all those activities will be taken offline, to the streets, or to other sites. And how about independent sex workers who use Craigslist because it was free? They may be forced to work for someone else or risk getting their privacy exposed by handing over their information.
Craigslist traditionally has a very hands off policy regarding what goes on there, which naturally, comes at a price. While this measure may appease people who think they are helping sex workers, in the end, it's just another fucked policy that'll end up harming the very people it's supposed to be helping.
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