Financiers and Sex Trafficking (Goldman Sachs)

[fasttense]

5. It's involved in sex trafficking

"This emporium for girls and women — some under age or forced into prostitution."

From the link:

"There’s no doubt that many escort ads on Backpage are placed by consenting adults. But it’s equally clear that Backpage plays a major role in the trafficking of minors or women who are coerced. In one recent case in New York City, prosecutors say that a 15-year-old girl was drugged, tied up, raped and sold to johns through Backpage and other sites."

"Village Voice Media makes some effort to screen out ads placed by traffickers and to alert authorities to abuses, but neither law enforcement officials nor anti-trafficking organizations are much impressed."

"In Washington State, the governor signed a bill into law on Thursday that could expose Backpage to criminal sanctions if it advertises under-age girls for sex without verifying their ages."

"That said, for more than six years Goldman has held a significant stake in a company notorious for ties to sex trafficking, and it sat on the company’s board for four of those years."

"There are no easy solutions to sex trafficking. I think the most important single step is for prosecutors to focus more on pimps and johns. Closing down the leading Web site used by traffickers would complicate their lives, and after so many years of girls being trafficked on this site, it’s time to hold owners accountable."

It's the use of children and coercion that is what is so awful. It seems that allowing them to police themselves has created a nice little safe haven for sex traffickers and a business opportunity for Goldman Sacks. Self regulation never seems to work.