On November 19, 2023, a 34-year-old, York County woman was arrested and charged with each of prostitution, making a false report, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft. Although she has not been convicted of any offense, the woman was remanded to York County Prison, given that she was unable to post the $5,000 bail set by the Magisterial District Court.
Early on Sunday morning, Northern County Regional Police (NYCRP) were called to a shooting at a Days Inn Motel in Manchester Township. When they arrived, officers spoke with the woman and noted that there were several inconsistencies in her story. After pointing out the inconsistencies, the woman allegedly stated that she agreed to urinate on a 66-year-old man from Harrisburg in one of the motel rooms in exchange for money. She then told police that, following the incident, the man approached her in the parking lot with a handgun and purportedly fired one shot at her vehicle.
During their investigation, officers found a 9mm shell casing in the parking lot where the woman’s vehicle was parked. After contacting the man, authorities reported that he allegedly confirmed the incident and stated that he followed the woman to the parking lot because he believed that she had stolen his wallet. The man later found his wallet in the parking lot and returned to Harrisburg. While on the way to meet with officers in person, the man was involved in a car accident and has since been hospitalized. When officers responded to the crash, they located the handgun used in the shooting. While the woman has been arrested and charged, the man has yet to be charged.
The CSE Institute is disappointed in ABC15 News for choosing to publicize both the first and last name of the woman in this case as well as her photo. In publishing her name and photo, the news outlet is promoting the notion that prostituted persons are criminals, rather than exploited persons.
Additionally, the CSE Institute is disappointed in the decision to charge the woman with prostitution. The practice of prosecuting people who are bought and sold for sex perpetuates the harmful ideology that people in prostitution are criminals rather than people who are exploited. It increases the traumatization and stigmatization of this population and creates even more barriers for victims attempting to exit “the life.” A single criminal conviction can serve as a massive obstacle to stable employment, housing opportunities, and much more.
although the man allegedly shot at the woman, he has yet to be charged. While this may be due to his current hospitalization, he should face charges once released. The CSE Institute encourages law enforcement to hold sex buyers accountable for the exploitation they perpetuate. Charging people with prostitution does nothing to eradicate the sex trade. It is the traffickers and buyers who perpetuate sexual exploitation and keep the commercial sex trade alive. The CSE Institute advocates for the Equality Model to combat commercial sexual exploitation. The Equality Model seeks to reduce the demand for commercial sex by criminalizing sex buyers and traffickers and decriminalizing prostituted people. The four pillars of the Equality Model are: (1) decriminalization of the person who is selling sex, (2) criminalization of sex buyers and facilitators, (3) educating the public about the harms of prostitution, and (4) funded, holistic exit services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Accordingly, we encourage law enforcement and district attorney’s offices to use their power to do justice for victims, rather than perpetuate their criminalization, by targeting the demand for commercial sex. To fully combat commercial sexual exploitation in Pennsylvania, authorities must also recognize the victimization of those exploited in the commercial sex trade. The “choice” to commit the “crime” of selling sex is often rooted in a place of economic insecurity, addiction, and other vulnerable situations. We believe that a “choice” made in an effort to survive is not a choice at all. On the contrary, a sex buyer always has the choice whether or not to purchase sex.
The CSE Institute will continue to provide updates as this matter unfolds.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or Villanova University.