From bad to worse - the draconian oppression by the government continues....

From: https://www.themarysue.com/police-ar...-over-condoms/

Pittsburgh Police Now Calling Condoms “Instruments of Crime” in Bizarre Effort to Arrest Sex Workers for…Having Safe Sex?

themarysue.com
by Chelsea Steiner
June 18th, 2018

Pennsylvania, a state where you can openly carry a gun, is now classifying condoms as “instruments of crime” in their ongoing efforts to arrest and criminalize sex workers. Police in Allegheny County, PA have been using condom possession to charge sex workers with first-degree misdemeanors in a roundabout way to crack down on sex trafficking. Confused? You’re not alone.

“This is a very broad crime and is often loosely interpreted by the police when they are charging individuals,” said Casey White, a defense attorney and former prosecutor in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. “If using a condom is ‘possessing instruments of crime,’ I guess wearing eyeglasses during the commission of any crime could be considered ‘possessing instruments of crime?’ You could really use your imagination.”

This bizarre and downright dangerous classification is one of many in the Trump administration’s ongoing war against sex workers. In April, Trump signed the FOSTA/SESTA acts aimed to crack down on sex trafficking. The House bill known as FOSTA, the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, and the Senate bill, SESTA, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, are both targeted at sex workers and both bills are incredibly dangerous to their safety and livelihoods.

FOSTA/SESTA rescinds the “safe harbor” rule of the internet, barring sex workers from using online classifieds like Craigslist or Backpage to vet clientele. This forces more sex workers onto the streets, endangering their lives and the lives of those who depend on them. Criminalizing sex workers for trying to conduct their work safely, then penalizing them for carrying condoms is willfully putting their lives at risk.

P.J. Sage of Sex Workers’ Outreach Project (SWOP) responded to the charges, saying:

“Sex workers are on the front lines and could really help to identify cases of abuse or trafficking, but these policies cause distrust. Prostitution is the lowest level of misdemeanor; if law enforcement chose to prioritize fostering relationships with the community over trying to inflate charges against low level offenders, they would be better equipped to prosecute felons and combat sex trafficking.”Obviously this is a public health risk. This impacts sex workers and their clients and their clients’ spouses.”

“I think another part of this story is the people who are targeted are often the most vulnerable people–trans workers, workers of color, trans women of color in particular. Those people often don’t have resources or lawyers to represent them, and if you don’t have representation, you’re just going to accept a plea bargain.”

Also, how does any of this stop sex trafficking? Have any massive trafficking rings been busted or victims rescued by prosecuting sex workers for carrying condoms? This makes about as much sense as barring women from gathering in groups of 8 out of fear that they will spontaneously decide to rob the Met Ball.

No laws or rulings in the history of the world around criminalizing sex work has ever resulted in abolishing the practice. People have been paying for sex work since the dawn of time. If everyone could just grow up and admit that sex work is work, we could put laws and programs in place to protect sex workers and clients. Instead, we continue to make sex work less safe for everyone involved. Criminalizing condoms can only result in a health crisis of spiking STI rates.

Found another related article here:

https://www.advocate.com/hiv-aids/20...titution-cases

So I am a guy who carries 4 condoms on me because I practice safe sex.

So that automatically makes me a sex worker, a victim of sex trafficking and also a criminal???

Yeah!

More stupid logic by our elected officials and government!

I also been to massage parlors where they don't have condoms and I have to bring my own.

The girls told me if condoms are found in the place by the law, it's considered contraband and illegal activities are immediately assumed.

MORE BS!

What makes this even more PATHETIC and ABSURD and HYPOCRITICAL is we have a sitting President who is well known for paying women money for sex.

Stormy Daniels is not the only woman he paid money for sex.

I guess the old adage is true:

the government doesn't like competition especially when they don't get a cut of the money pie.

What makes this even more PATHETIC and ABSURD and HYPOCRITICAL is we have a sitting President who is well known for paying women money for sex. Originally Posted by CG2014

Yes, because the commander in chief has nothing better to do than to run the Allegheny County, PA law enforcement and prosecutors office.

Tell me, SFB, what party controls the Allegheny County Council and executive offices? What political party does the Sheriff belong to?

Stupid libtard shooting off your yap without knowing any facts.

I am not a libtard.

It's folks like you who thinks everything is fine and the government and law can do anything they want to the citizens which is why we are here today after SESTA FOSTA and why this site had to close and come back with all the changes,

and after all that, if you still think nothing is going on these past 3 months, you are even stupider than you pass yourself to be with above your asinine reply.

First of all, anyone who makes a habit of using the word 'liberal' is a stupid person to me. Fucking stupid, and I don't even like calling people stupid.

I get so FUCKING TIRED OF HEARING THAT GODDAMN WORD...

I don't give a shit what your personal views are, but find a better way to get your point across without sounding like an inbred moron with a limited vernacular.

Any fucking time there's a point someone opposes, when they make their own, they can't even get halfway through a sentence without saying 'liberal'.

For FUCK'S SAKE, find another way to disagree with someone...unless you like being stupid.

As far as this anti-condom bullshit goes...more stupidity.

These same morons are ok with everyone...well, a PARTICULAR group, walking around with GUNS. But a condom? Oh, you have an instrument of crime.

FOHWTB!!!

What the hell's going on with this country?!?!!!

CG- On the contrary, You post about some political stupidity in a County a thousand miles from here and then try and link it to the POTUS. Couldn't you just leave it without commentary? No, of course not. Libtards gotta 'tard. That's precisely why we got Trump in the first place and why he's likely going to be in office until 2024... but as Napolean famously said, "Never interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake."

Randy - I'm sorry if I offended your delicate sensibilities about what should and should not be written in a thread. Please avert your eyes from words that you don't like in the future. You obviously can't read that well since it is the Democrat party that controls the county under discussion.. not the folks that advocate for gun rights... just the opposite. So apparently at least in Alleghany County Dems don't want you fucking or defending yourself.

You don't agree? well, by all means, spend more time on this here forum and bitch about it...that's a better use of your time than volunteering for a local candidate or running for office yourself! I bet it's 10 times more effective! Again.... not gonna stop you in the middle of a mistake. ;-)

I stand by my previous post.

Looks there...can't even help yourself, which, pretty much validates my point.

Carry on, dude.

Flushing all the condoms down the toilet may still be not good enough to get rid of evidence:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-t...-idUSKBN17D2GM

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/austin-...ed-drain-pipe/

I stand by my previous post. Originally Posted by Randall Creed

where else ya gonna stand?

Looks there...can't even help yourself, which, pretty much validates my point. Originally Posted by Randall Creed

In your mind at least. You’re under some mistaken assumption that just because you’re tired of hearing it, it must be wrong. Get over yourself.

You get what you elected and in the case of couch potatoes citizens what other elected for then!