Somebody's Daughter by Julian Sher

Somebody's Daughter is written by investigative journalist Julian Sher.  He dispels the myth that sex trafficking only happens to women and girls from foreign lands and uncovers the truth that the majority of teens caught in the sex trade are American girls.  The book follows the stories of several pimps, their underage victims and the some of the judges, officers and FBI officials that are trying to help. 

This was a very hard book for me to read.  Several times I had to put it down and come back a few days (or weeks) later.  I found myself mad and angry at what I was reading.  Even feeling a bit depressed at the gravity of the situation.  Here are some of the reasons:

Chapter 5:  Taking on Pimp Culture.
It mentions something called the annual Players Ball which is like an Academy Award night for pimps.  On this night, the pimp who has made the biggest pile of money and the biggest name for himself is awarded the Internationl Pimp of the Year award complete with a trophy.  And not just any trophy.  This trophy as described in the book stands almost 4' tall.  Four ornately carved wooden columns are topped with a golden statue of a pimp in a cape wearing a crown and holding a scepter. 

Really?  I could not believe what I was reading.  How are they even allowed to hold an event like this when prostitution is illegal?  It makes me sick.  Why are we glamorizing these people and elevating them to celebrity status?

There are two ideas weaved throughout the book regarding how child prostitution is inaccurately approached. 

1.  Under age girls being prosecuted as criminals rather than having services provided and getting them the help they need.  The legal age for consentual sex varies from state to state, but generally it is between 16 -18.  However, girls of all ages are being prosecuted for prostition even though they are not of legal age to consent to sex. The example given in the book was that a 14 year old girl who is seduced by her high school teacher would be treated as a victim.  But the same 14 year old who was forced by a pimp to have sex and was paid for the act would be arrested and jailed. These are children and they need to be offered social services and protection from their pimp.  Not locked up and then turned back out on the street.

2.  While the young victims are typically prosecuted and treated like criminals, the men who exploit them go largely unpunished.  The book states a statistic from Chicago where 89% of the prostitution arrests in one heavy crime area were the women, while only 10% were of the men buying the sex.

Mad, angry and depressed.  That's how I felt reading this book.  If you find yourself affected the same way by reading this small review of the book I urge to pray about those feelings.  Perhaps God will lead you in some way to get involved or educate others.  These things can't change if people don't know what is happening.