Items written by Riley Crouthamel

• Sanitizing the Sex Trade in Film: Anora

  Date: April 30, 2025

  The portrayal of prostitution in cinema has traditionally been filled with depictions that overlook or avoid the problematic nature of commercial sexual exploitation. Over the years, these portrayals have generally fallen into four main categories: normalization,  sensationalization, glamorization, and sanitization. … Read more about Sanitizing the Sex Trade in Film: Anora »

• Staged for the Male Gaze: the Objectification of Women in Music Videos

  Date: April 21, 2025

  In the captivating realm of music videos, where artistic expression is paramount, a concerning trend consistently appears across various genres: the objectification of women. Whether in pop, hip-hop, R&B or rock, the portrayal of women in music videos frequently reduces … Read more about Staged for the Male Gaze: the Objectification of Women in Music Videos »

• Beyond The ‘Happy Ending’: The Truth Behind Illicit Massage Businesses

  Date: April 15, 2025

  The commercial sex industry has evolved in many troubling ways in recent years, with the illicit massage business being one of the most widespread forms of exploitation in the United States. Behind what is often a flippant reference to a … Read more about Beyond The ‘Happy Ending’: The Truth Behind Illicit Massage Businesses »

• Dauphin County Man Charged with Orchestrating Human Trafficking Operation

  Date: April 10, 2025

  On March 25, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the arrest of Michael C. Choma, 45, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania for allegedly orchestrating a human trafficking operation for several years throughout Dauphin County and Cumberland County. According to the Attorney General’s … Read more about Dauphin County Man Charged with Orchestrating Human Trafficking Operation »

• Minnesota Ex-Senator Charged with Soliciting Sex from a Minor

  Date: April 10, 2025

  Earlier this month, Bloomington Police arrested former Minnesota State Senator Justin Eichorn after he allegedly attempted to solicit sex from a minor. Following his arrest, Eichorn, 40, of Grand Rapids, was formally federally charged with attempted coercion and enticement of … Read more about Minnesota Ex-Senator Charged with Soliciting Sex from a Minor »

• Law Enforcement or Law Corruption: Shifting the Focus in Police Paid-Sex Stings

  Date: April 9, 2025

  At the time this article is being written, both buying and selling sex is illegal under Pennsylvania law. One way that law enforcement attempts to identify individuals endeavoring to solicit or engage in illegal sexual activity is through the use … Read more about Law Enforcement or Law Corruption: Shifting the Focus in Police Paid-Sex Stings »

• Three Philadelphia Hotels to Pay $17.5 Million to Trafficking Survivors

  Date: April 8, 2025

  On March 13, 2025, the owners of a Motel 6, Days Inn, and North American Motor Inn in Philadelphia agreed to pay $17.5 million to three women who were sex trafficked at the hotels. The plaintiffs, who were between 14 … Read more about Three Philadelphia Hotels to Pay $17.5 Million to Trafficking Survivors »

• Williamsport Man Found Guilty in Sex Trafficking Case

  Date: April 8, 2025

  On February 25, Allen Arthur Frazier was found guilty of charges related to his attempts to exchange money, drugs, and other goods for sex acts from two minor victims. Following a two-day trial in Lycoming County, the jury found Frazier, … Read more about Williamsport Man Found Guilty in Sex Trafficking Case »

• Blair County Man Arrested for Sex Trafficking a Minor

  Date: April 8, 2025

  In November 2024, Logan D’George was taken into custody for allegedly trafficking and sexually exploiting a juvenile victim. As a result, D’George, a 70-year-old resident of Blair County, Pennsylvania, now faces thirty-two charges, including nine counts of viewing/possessing child sexual … Read more about Blair County Man Arrested for Sex Trafficking a Minor »

• “Shame Must Switch Sides”: Gisèle Pelicot’s Story

  Date: April 7, 2025

  Gisèle Pelicot’s life changed when she discovered that her husband, Dominique Pelicot, had been drugging and raping her for about a decade. Prior to the discovery of Mr. Pelicot’s abuse, Ms. Pelicot and her husband enjoyed more than 50 years … Read more about “Shame Must Switch Sides”: Gisèle Pelicot’s Story »