The time has come for Rhode Island to finally close the loophole in state law that has allowed prostitution to flourish. I have thrown my support behind legislation that defines prostitution and makes the act a misdemeanor regardless of where it occurs. The measure was approved by the House of Representatives in May and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where a hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The bill, which has been introduced for three years, was amended this year so that if a person charged has been forced, coerced or threatened into prostitution, she could use that coercion to defend against the charges in court. The change was added to address concerns that many prostitutes are victims of the industry, not solely perpetrators of it. Opponents of this legislation attempt to paint a picture of prostitution as a victimless crime committed by consenting adults, and that couldn’t be any further from the truth. The act of prostitution is the sexual objectification and dehumanization of women and quite simply a violation of human rights. Women forced into prostitution are victims who need to be rescued, and instead our state has turned its back on them for decades. It is time that we pass legislation to prohibit all forms of prostitution once and for all.

We as a state, through our lack of action on this issue, have chosen to legitimize prostitution and promote it as an employment alternative for desperate women living under dire circumstances. We send the message to our youth that prostitution is an acceptable means of employment. Young, troubled teens are looking to prostitution as a legitimate and legal way to earn some quick money. Pimps are selling our children on the Internet and putting them to work in brothels and strip clubs. Young children are being victimized daily in our state while we stand by and do nothing.

There was a recent case where a 16-year-old Boston runaway was found in Providence beaten and bloodied. She was later determined to have been held against her will and forced into prostitution and stripping.

Pimps are transporting their victims to Rhode Island where they know they can operate with near impunity. They have no fear of a police sting nabbing them in the act since there are no laws against indoor prostitution. The police have their hands tied and need the loophole closed in order to combat the pimps and traffickers. All the human trafficking legislation in the world won’t help as long as the loophole that allows indoor prostitution exists.

Media reporting of the prostitution issue in Rhode Island has lead to a dramatic increase in instances of young people becoming involved in prostitution. In 15 years as a police officer, I have never seen as many instances of juvenile prostitution as I have seen in the last year. Our children are becoming desensitized to this issue. Prostitution is being sold to them by pimps and others, including certain advocates for prostitution, as a legitimate way to earn cash. As a parent, I dread having to raise my children in a state whose policy is to look the other way when young people are victimized.

Those who argue that they are against criminalizing prostitution because they want to protect the prostitutes are misguided. Their efforts are allowing the continued exploitation of our women and children.

Many women who are forced into prostitution are also victims of other crimes, including rape and assault. According to the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 83 percent of prostitutes are victims of assault with a weapon and another study reports that 68-70 percent of women in prostitution have been raped. Moreover, 92 percent of prostitutes stated that they wanted to escape prostitution immediately.

I will do everything I can to ensure that we pass legislation this year to protect women from this modern-day form of slavery. As a law enforcement officer, I understand the importance of this measure and the profound effect it will have on our state. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this vital piece of legislation.

Representative DaSilva is a Democrat who represents District 63 in East Providence and Pawtucket.