Craigslist: A Haven for Sex Crimes?
Posted on March 13, 2008
Filed Under Criminal Law, Fraud, Law & Legal Defense, Laws, Los Angeles Criminal Defense, News, Personal Stories, Sex Offenders |
In 2006, a level 3 sex offender put out a babysitting ad on Craigslist in the state of Washington. Were it not for a neighbor who recognized the ad, this gentleman may have had access to children for long periods of time completely unattended. The anonymity of Craigslist provides major legal challenges for law enforcement, especially when it comes to crimes involving violence and/or sex.
Prostitutes regularly use Craigslist to advertise their services, in fact there are sections specified for them, under the “Erotic” services offered or under “adult” gigs. With hundreds of listings per city and thousands throughout the nation, cracking down on these individuals is a major challenge. In fact, just last year there was the first ever murder linked to Craigslist.
Anonymous activity can lead to not only prostitution, but misleading ads that lead unsuspecting individuals to trust potential and former rapists, murderers and thieves. In Virginia, an entire “whore house” was advertised on Craigslist and caused major havoc throughout a quiet suburban community.
In fact, violent sexual predators have used not only Craigslist to track unknowing victims, but are using Myspace.com as well due to the amount of young people using the site. The crimes range from things as dangerous as luring children to secret meeting sites to posting photos of underage children in nude/semi-nude poses.
Beyond the first incidence in Washington, another individual, this time in Salem, OR, posed as a modeling recruiter and developed a sexual relationship with a minor who he provided drugs and alcohol to on a regular basis.
To protect yourself, Craigslist even posts on its own website to be wary of meeting people and of scams. For children, there are Internet filters which allow parents and guardians to provide some protection, but keeping an eye on Myspace, Facebook and Craigslist sites, especially on their Internet history is an important thing.
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