|  |  | | A few weeks ago, the now-septuagenarian actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, who appeared in 1968’s Romeo and Juliet as minors, filed a lawsuit against the film’s distributor, Paramount Pictures, for being forced to perform nude on camera at the ages of 15 and 16 years old. Sadly, the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s were filled with other movies that featured nude depictions of minors such as Pretty Baby, The Blue Lagoon, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Blame it on Rio, and more. While many in our culture – especially in light of the #MeToo movement – now condemn the the way these older films sexually exploited children, the truth is the exploitation goes on. It has just moved from the movie screen to the computer screen. And like Hollywood in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, the exploiters are laughing all the way to the bank. Read more about the problem of online child sexual exploitation, what NCOSE is doing to combat it, and how you can help! |
| |  | |  | | The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is thrilled to welcome Rachel Moran to our team! Rachel Moran is a widely renowned leader in the anti-sexual exploitation movement. Among her numerous formidable accomplishments, Ms. Moran is the author of the bestselling book Paid For – My Journey Through Prostitution, which has been regarded by legal scholar Catharine MacKinnon as “the best work by anyone on prostitution ever.” Paid For has been published in more than a dozen countries and numerous languages including German, Italian, Korean and French, with a Spanish translation currently underway. Ms. Moran will be joining NCOSE’s international division, the International Centre on Sexual Exploitation (ICOSE), as the Director of International Policy and Advocacy. Read more about Rachel Moran's work and her new role with NCOSE here. |
| |  | |  | | By: Dr. Michael Shively Several years ago, I attended a regional meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) that focused on combating human trafficking. A justice official from Massachusetts made a presentation about a case that was correctly framed as a law enforcement success story, in which a sexually exploited teenage homeless girl was rescued, and her trafficker was arrested and then convicted. It was learned that this girl had been sold for sexual abuse to approximately 200 men prior to her rescue. As I listened to the presentation, I was of course heartened to hear that the trafficker was imprisoned and the young girl was freed from her captors. But I knew something crucial was missing. So I put up my hand and asked, “What about the 200 unsolved rapes?” Although this girl’s trafficker was in jail, no thought had been given to prosecute the 200 men who had paid to sexually abuse her. Read more about the importance of holding sex buyers accountable and the progress you've helped make possible here. |
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| | | By: Craig Osten The other day I was driving down a major thoroughfare about two miles from our house. As I passed an intersection where an old gas station had recently been torn down, I noticed a new building had gone up. At first, it looked like the many drive-thru coffee spots which dot the corners of major intersections throughout the nation – Starbucks, Dutch Brothers, Dunkin’ Donuts, etc. But then I saw the name on this new building: “Bikini Beans.” My first thought was that the new coffee spot would be doing a beach motif – perhaps some big umbrellas, beach-themed drinks, Beach Boys music etc. Perhaps it might have SpongeBob figures for kids. But then I thought, “Uh oh. I hope that does not mean what I think it means.” Sadly, my second thought was right. It did mean what I thought it meant. Shortly after driving by this new “establishment,” I came across an article about how “bikini baristas”, or “sexpresso cafés”, were the “new trend,” starting in Seattle and now making their way across the western United States. At these misogynistic coffee shops, barely clad young women are a ripe target for those wanting more than just a double latté to go. Read more about the sexually exploitative trend of "sexpresso cafés" and how you can help push back here. |
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