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Lewiston police cracking down on sex traffickers instead of johns

Police say they are trying to figure out if the sex workers are being forced into prostitution to line the pockets of sex traffickers.
Credit: NEWS CENTER
Preventing sex trafficking in Maine

LEWISTON (NEWS CENTER Maine) — Seven people were arrested Wednesday night in Lewiston, all for engaging in prostitution, and police there say they are worried that the arrests are just a small piece of a much bigger and troubling issue: sex trafficking.

Police say they are trying to figure out if the sex workers are being forced into prostitution to line the pockets of sex traffickers. As they continue to investigate this larger problem, they say they are not going to release the names of the seven people who were arrested on Sept. 20.

While police continue to try and reduce the demand for those being sex trafficked by arresting “johns” who pay women for sex, they are also trying to stop those who are trafficking women, tackling the problem from the top down.

People who are arrested for engaging in prostitution are only fined if they have prior convictions, police point out.

Force, fraud or coercion are the ways sex traffickers get women who often have substance abuse disorders to work for them.

Lewiston Police are working with Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services and Safe Voices to assist those being sexually exploited to receive needed counseling and treatment.

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