Sex Trafficking Bill Must Be Amended
Radio Commentary, WMVV 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, March 25, 2011, by Sue Ella Deadwyler
Good morning, Jim. Twelve years ago a legislator introduced a bill to amend Georgia law to protect children from rape. But to my surprise, his bill set the age at ten, which indicated that a ten-year-old could consent to sex. When I asked him to increase the age to at least 12, he said, “We can’t get that!” The bill passed and since then Georgia law has indicated that children age 10 and above can participate, de facto, in consensual sex. If you’re interested in seeing the law for yourself, the Code Sections are 16-6-1 and 16-6-2.
These facts emphasize the absurdity of giving victim status to prostitutes under 18. The argument for giving them victim status is this. Since anyone under 18 is a minor and cannot enter into a contract, they cannot legally “contract” to work as prostitutes. But, my position is this. Since Code Sections 16-6-1 and 16-6-2 indicate that children over ten can consent to sex acts, teenagers should not be given victim status for providing sex to customers.
This is very important because H.B. 200 passed the House March 2nd and is poised to pass the Senate. H.B. 200 was introduced by Representative Ed Lindsey to strengthen sex trafficking laws. But it, also, gives “victim status” to anyone under 18, if sexually explicit conduct is “obtained” from them. That includes prostitution and pornography. Unless it’s amended to reduce the age, it would make prostitutes under 18 eligible for victim compensation, instead of guilty of breaking a law.
If H.B. 200 passes without lowering age 18 to age 13, Georgia could become known as a safe haven where teenage prostitutes, male and female, could ply their trade without interference from police. Also, if H.B. 200 passes as written, Georgia would be closer to the international goal of redefining prostitution as “sex work,” a commercially acceptable form of employment.
Call Senator Unterman at 404 463-1368* and ask her to amend H.B. 200 on page 2, line 62 by reducing age 18 to age 13. Then, just in case she doesn’t agree, ask your senator to introduce the amendment on the floor and vote for it, himself. Otherwise, teenagers will get the idea prostitution is okay. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.
P.S. to email addressees: This is a political “hot potato.” The prevailing sentiment in the legislature is to pass H.B. 200 because Senator Unterman’s S.B. 304 failed to pass last year. H.B. 200’s sex trafficking angle masks the real intent (that was so very clear in last year’s S.B. 304) to remove penalties for anyone under 18, who makes money in prostitution, masturbation for hire, sodomy and pornography. (b) So persons under 18, who provide sexually explicit conduct for money, can be eligible for victim compensation funds, benefits and services. But H.B. 200 can be salvaged by, simply, reducing age 18 to 13 on page 2. If the age is lowered to 13, H.B. 200 would be great!!!
ACTION – (a) Call the governor’s office, 404 656-1776, and ask that a message be sent to the governor’s floor leaders as follows: Amend H.B. on page 2, line 62 to lower the age of 18 to age 13.
(b) Call his floor leaders and ask them to lower age 18 to 13 in H.B. 200, on page 2, line 62.
Senators Chance, 404 651-7738, fax 404 651-5795; Bill Jackson, 404 651-7738, fax 404 651-5795; and Butterworth, 404 651-7738, fax 404 651-5795.
(c) Also, contact Majority Leader Rogers, 404 463-1378, fax 404 657-9887; President Pro Tem Williams, 404 656-0089, fax 404 463-5220; Loudermilk, 404 656-0034, fax 404 651-9703; Shafer, 404 656-0048, fax 404 651-6768.