January 28, 2022

Our Statement on the Dallas City Ordinance Restricting Sexually Oriented Businesses' Operating Hours

On January 26, 2022, the Dallas City Council unanimously voted in favor of an ordinance amending Chapter 41a of the Dallas City Code as it pertains to the operating hours of Sexually Oriented Businesses. NFNL CEO Bianca Davis, Chief Programs Officer Jessica Brazeal, and Men’s Advocacy Group Board Chair E. Christopher Johnson all gave remarks at the City Council meeting ahead of the vote. Read our CEO’s full statement below.

New Friends New Life has been serving the Dallas community for 24 years providing restoration and empowerment for women and girls who have been sex trafficked. As we continue to connect the dots about all the intersecting issues that make the illegal industry of human trafficking function, we know that sexually oriented businesses can be, and have proven to be, fertile ground for the crime of sex trafficking, along with other violent crimes to occur. We stand in support of the proposed ordinance to limit the hours of operation of sexually oriented businesses and to raise the age of employment at such businesses to 21 because we see first-hand the impact of these businesses on our community. We do not have to look for data from other cities to know that trafficking is occurring in these areas. This is not a theoretical discussion for us.   Of the 310 women and teen girls that NFNL served last year, 86% of whom live and reside in Dallas County:

55% were dancing in local strip clubs 58% were in escorting 60% were involved with street prostitution

Again, I’d like to emphasize that 55% of our victim clients this past year were dancing in local strip clubs. We have found that these avenues of sex trafficking all intersect, with strip clubs being a starting point for the other commercial sex acts that are not advertised. Dancers are sometimes bussed from club to club and engage in other commercial sex acts under the force, fraud, or coercion of their trafficker. In addition, on the community bus tours that NFNL hosts that highlight areas where trafficking busts have occurred, we see that many times, strip clubs are surrounded by motels, massage parlors and adult entertainment stores, – this is not by coincidence, but is by design and is evidence of the network that facilitates the crime of sex trafficking. Victims of trafficking are also victims of other crimes committed by their trafficker or buyer:

32% of our members are victims of identity theft, 35% have been robbed, and 16% are survivors of homicide attempts.

Additionally, an alarming 81% of our members have been strangled by a pimp or john. We know that strangulation leads to homicide.  While sexually oriented businesses can operate in our city once they follow the legal guidelines of a business, we cannot deny that the combination of men, money, alcohol, women, and teen girls, creates a dangerous environment for violent criminal behavior to take place. As you, our civic leaders, have made the safety of Dallas a priority, it is imperative that you enact this proposal bringing sexually oriented businesses in alignment with other entities in Dallas to close from 2 am – 6 am. This is not about morality or personal preference, but about enacting our responsibility to prevent and reduce criminal activity from happening however we can.  This short, four-hour respite will limit the opportunities for violent crimes like the homicides and shootings that have been happening in increasing numbers, will protect patrons and our police officers, and also reduce the opportunity for the crimes like sex trafficking to fester, making our city that much safer. New Friends New Life stands ready to support survivors through their journey of restoration and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the city and all its residents in this effort to create a safer Dallas. Bianca Davis, CEO New Friends New Life

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