Movie Review: Playground.

Where does child prostitution happen? Why does child prostitution happen? Is it a problem Americans have to worry about?

The majority of Americans would probably not like to think about child prostitution as an issue that we have to worry about; we would prefer to maintain the ideas that it happens in other countries, that the only people who have to worry about their children being kidnapped for exploitation are those who are poor or come from impoverished families. But, as the new documentary "The Playground" points out, not only are they wrong, but the mindset of cheerful ignorance helps fuel the robust domestic child prostitution trade.

"The Playground" demonstrates that children in every city are being forced into prostitution and pornography across the nation, from every class and racial demographic. It interviews law enforcement officers, social workers, victims of trafficking, committed sex offenders, and investigators and through their testimonies uncovers startling facts about the domestic child sex trade.

Children as young as 11 are being forced into the sex trade--being arrested for being part of a trade that was forced on them while the "john" that rapes them goes free. (Think about it: if she weren't a prostitute, her rapist would be deemed a pedophile and would be prosecuted as such.)

The Sex Offender registry is so bloated (in some states 6-year olds are being registered as sex offenders) that actual dangerous sex offenders AREN'T LISTED, and can get away with crimes.

By looking at tragic statistics, the viewer must re-examine their understanding of the American legal system, its foster care system, and the American culture--which various interviewees claimed promoted the child sex trade on account of its sexualization of women and children.

For more about the documentary, check out http://www.playgroundproject.com/film/
For more about child sex trafficking, check out http://www.sharedhope.org/

Photo Credit: striatic on flickr.com

Oklahoma man gets only 1 year sentence for raping 4 year old girl

So. Oklahoma. I love you. I really, really do. I remember fondly the days when I lived someplace without constant motorcades or massive hills to scale on the way to work, where wide open spaces are ample and the word "y'all" doesn't get me sideways glances.

However.

Sometimes you disappoint me terribly.

Here's what I don't get - this guy admitted to the crime and they had medical evidence proving that she was assaulted. Whether they judge that a 5 year old is capable of bearing witness to such a horrific event or not should come secondary to scientific evidence, regardless!

Admittedly, I'm not a lawyer. But even if the prosecution didn't feel like they could make a case for lack of DNA tying the accused man to the rape, his admission of guilt to any form of inappropriate contact should be enough to keep him in custody for more than a year.

It's terrifying, that this guy with a prior criminal record (according to this CNN video, he has a 1982 conviction of shooting a man, was sentenced to 20 years for assault and battery in 1996 before being released in 2003 after a terminal cancer diagnosis) will be back out in society at large in September.

Now, I'm no fan of our criminal justice system. The prison industrial complex is highly troublesome to me. But what really burns me here is that this system, set up under the guise of protecting society from harm and vice, is neglecting to protect some of the most vulnerable members of that society - children. To me, this is a perfect example of the system's failure.

It's probably quite obvious that I'm utterly appalled. I want your opinions, though. What should have been done here? What can we do to change things in the future? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks to Vanessa at Feministing for the headsup on this story.