I'm calling bullsh!t
CNN is reporting that the DC Madame has committed suicide in Florida. She was convicted of money laundering, etc back in mid April. Now I am not going to take the time to discuss if it is morally abhorrent to sell sex or not. I do think that if you believe it morally abhorrent to sell it, you should hold those who *buy* it in equal disdain.
However that has not been the reality in this case. The trial, which was rather short, was so incredibly invasive and twisted, that most of the reporters were mortified. The prosecutor went after the women/escorts in such a manner that if it were Law and Order, one would think the twist at the end of the show would be this dude's own personal sex dungeon.
Some of the articles during the trial are here and here. What one learns from this is that the prosecutors asked a 63 year old woman if she was sent on assignments during her menstrual cycle and went after some women so intensely that the judge had to tell them to knock it off. And what did they learn? That they were paid $250 for normal, vanilla sex. Oh - and a few them caught an STD. The prosecutors also ensured that the names of all of the Madames' employees were made public.
Can we take a wild guess which names were kept private? DING DING! If you guessed the customers, the people who paid for the sex, the MEN, then you get a gold star! It seems there was a female Navy Officer who was an escort and she has been discharged. It seems there were high ranking (aka nice shiny stars) military officers who were clients and not one of their names has been made public (that I know of) and all of them are still in the military. Oh, and did I mention Sen Vitter of Louisiana is also in the client list? Still serving in Congress I see. In fact, of all the clients, only one man - who worked at the State Dept - has been let go from him position.
I cannot tell you much this pisses me off. The incredibly hypocrisy of this entire mess makes me want to break things. Sure Vitter had to make a public apology, but his life has not been altered (unless his wife altered him). However, the lives of every single women in that organization has been and now the Madame has killed herself.
So, I ask you - can someone please explain to me why the women are judged and labeled and prosecuted, but the men basically get to walk away?
The Post also had interesting follow up article about the woman who won the silver star recently. It primarily talks about the role of women in combat zones and the serious disconnect between regulations/rules and reality. I especially like the difference between some of the higher ups who enforce the rules and the men on the streets who think they are stupid and not feasible in light of the reality of Iraq.
And I think I am doing ranting.