Roosevelt Avenue in Queens is a New York artery that has pulsed for decades like a pink zone and a red zone, in very specific segments, at specific times. Now at the end of 2023, the center of commerce and home to thousands of Latin American immigrants, it is an unclassifiable place. For many of its residents, especially in the Jackson Heights and Corona areas, it is losing its essence of a family neighborhood.
As described Guadalupe Aguirre, coordinator of the Casa San Judas de Corona community center, between 74th and 104th streets, sex workers have multiplied in the last six months, and They have become “owners of the streets.”
“I have lived in the same place for nine years. And this activity has always existed. It’s nothing new. But the difference is that now it has grown uncontrollably, in broad daylight. And it becomes aggressive for families. They pull teenagers and young people. They offer you their services. And that is a public health risk.”he highlighted.
Guadalupe, who leads meetings with residents of the sector, is convinced that it would be absurd to try to erase this activity from the map, defined as the “oldest profession in the world”. Although he assures that the ““maximum ambition” of the community is to regulateto generate an environment of “more respect” for families.
“Only when the mayor visited Roosevelt and 102nd Street did they close an illegal site that was there. Almost the next day they opened two more. When these massage centers close for some reason, they put it into service the next day. We know that the authorities and elected leaders know this. But rather some support it,” he denounced.
Anything goes!
Another neighbor, Ecuadorian Jesús Pérez, 42 years old, Having lived in that New York neighborhood for 20 years, he assures that this town in Queens has always had its “own laws.” Although he claims that after the pandemic, Reality imposes a new message: Anything goes here!
Jesús says that “particularly since this summer,” it is difficult to walk at any time without young women of various races intercepting men, They even take them by the arm, offering massages. A veiled call for sexual services.
“Before they were hidden in one corner or another. They spoke softly. Now it’s like a caravan screaming. You walk with your family and you have to avoid the prostitutes. I don’t judge what anyone does to survive. That’s not the point. But it is time for the authorities, Decide once and for all if ‘La Roosevelt’ is a big brothel. “I don’t want my daughter to grow up seeing prostitution as something normal,” said the immigrant.
Some merchants claim that “autumn brought many more.”
Both the community leader Guadalupe Aguirre, as well as spokespersons for other Hispanic and Asian neighborhood organizations, They assure that although “they do not have the support of the elected leaders of this district,” they will continue to attract attention this winter, of what they consider a “calamity” that is crossed, in many cases, with the sale of prohibited substances.
“Our main goal is that these sites are not operating in broad daylight when students leave schools. Would it be too much to ask of the City authorities? It is a regulation of minimum citizen coexistence. Furthermore, we are clear that if this activity is legalized, As many Queens elected leaders intend, it will multiply even more”calculates the Corona resident.
The Colombian-American senator, Jessica Ramos, who represents that Queens district told El Diario that like “many of his constituents, he is concerned about the increase in sex work that we are seeing on this avenue.”
Ramos invited the community to a special meeting to address this complicated issue next December 18 at 6:00 pm at Elmhurst Hospital.
“We want to discuss real solutions with the community,” he said.
A symptom of human trafficking
What has been a growing community complaint in recent weeks, took on more air in the first week of November, when Mayor Eric Adams associated this legion of new sex workers, not only with the migration crisis, but it very specifically identified the new arrivals Venezuelans as the cause of this new “congestion” of prostitution in this neighborhood.
Even with the municipal president’s observation, the growing complaints from residents, merchants and the evidence about the “inflation” of the sex trade on Roosevelt Avenue fuels several debates. One of them is the extent to which it is only the most superficial face of human trafficking, sexual slavery and human trafficking networks..
In fact, in research published by El Diario in 2019titled Immigration crisis on the border raises alarms due to human trafficking between Mexico and NYC, spokespersons for several organizations that monitor transnational sex trafficking structures were already talking about situations on the country’s southern border, with the irregular crossing of thousands of people, including vulnerable women, that ended up in clandestine brothels in the Big Apple.
This was warned at that time by spokespersons for the Transnational Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW)who projected that The recruitment of women was increasing in Latin America.
“At the rhythm of the crisis in Latin Americaespecially in countries where humanitarian crises like Venezuela and some nations in Central Americathe powerful human trafficking industry has modernized, with the support of new technologies, in combination with irregular groups such as guerrillas and drug trafficking cartels,” CATW said.
“It’s not a choice, it’s survival”
All reports indicate that the majority of Latina women who are in prostitution in neighborhoods like Jackson Heights y Corona, They do not carry out this profession because they want to, but because they are victims of trafficking.
At that time, when neither the pandemic nor the current humanitarian crisis that overflows the Big Apple loomed, activists already they projected that human trafficking would rise as the most powerful transnational criminal organization, because weapons and drugs, once sold, but to women several times.
From that same focus, activist Robert González, founder of the organization For the Love of Venezuela questions that municipal authorities exhibit rhetoric that is reduced to criminalizing prostitution as a matter of “Latin newcomers.”
“This is not elective prostitution. It’s survival. Behind them there are groups that recruit them. Many are vulnerable women who are part of this migration crisis. It is very cruel that this centuries-old reality of New York, which has now changed color, is given a nationality. They are encouraging xenophobia even more,” interpreted the Venezuelan.
Migrate to pay a debt
“Carla” a 24-year-old Venezuelan girl talks about her experience as a sex worker in a massage center on Roosevelt, as “something provisional to pay a debt”. Without sharing further details.
The immigrant with six months in the Big Apple, He said that the debt was acquired in Trinidad and Tobago, where he worked in the same profession for a year.. He decided to “risk everything” to cross the southern border with Mexico, because “his guides” (coyotes) told him that in the ‘capital of the world’, he could cover the costs of the trip, because there were clients with more money.
Since he left the Caribbean island, he knew what his job was going to be. Like the rest of her three “companions”.
“Here we come to Queens, the most beaten (not so beautiful), but the truth is that I have travel companions who are already located in exclusive clubs in Manhattan. They only serve gentlemen catires with real. (wealthy white men). They will pay their debts faster. Nobody does this for pleasure. I have two children to feed. And I hope in a couple of years to dedicate myself to something else. I want to study”, he counted.
Carla emphasizes several times in her conversation with El Diario that does not “wish luck” to anyone.
If there is something he would like to dedicate himself to in his future, it is to guide young people so that they never fall into that trap. She claims that she was subjected to sexual slavery for a week in Mexico, as an “additional price” from the coyotes to “pass” her to the United States.
“Many see us here and point us out as the worst in the world. Nobody knows everything that is behind each woman that life puts her on this side. I would like to have a normal life and job. But I even have colleagues who are university professionals, They were models in Venezuela and they are on the same sidewalk, to pay their debts,” he shared.
The Venezuelan hinted that those who are on the streets of Queens, It is because they are in the worst position: “Now with technology, you wouldn’t need to be on a cold street signaling to customers, when there are digital applications that have everything“.
Most are single mothers
Mexican Bianey García, an activist Make the Road NYwho also defines himself as a sex trafficking survivorhas supported for years all legislative initiatives that would put an end to the persecution and decriminalization of sex work.
At this moment, as a trans woman, she stands in solidarity with the immigrants who in recent months have had to do sex work to survive.
“We must put ourselves in the shoes of women who, although they fight to get another type of job, do not achieve it. The majority are single mothers. We have spoken with them. In many cases they are desperate, they have no other alternative,” she said.
What do you need to know about prostitution in NY?
- prostitution It is a class B misdemeanor in New York.. The penalties range from up to three months in jail and fines of up to $500.
- He sponsorship of a prostitute It is a class A misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to one year in jail and fines of up to $1,000.
- The legislative proposals that have been promoted since 2019 in the NY State Assembly have not been to legalize prostitution, but to decriminalize consensual sexual exchange among adults.
- The draft bill that has been shelved in the state legislature seeks to protect the rights of women who exercise sex workto avoid at all costs that they end with criminal records. It would also allow people who have been convicted of prostitution to have their sentences overturned.
Traffic victim?
- If you or someone you know is victim of human or sexual trafficking, You can make a report to the National Anti-Human Trafficking Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-888-373-7888
- You can also visit the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition at:
Hard data:
- 94% of women arrested charged with sex work are African American or Hispanic.
- 9 out of 10 women detained in places that offer sexual services are immigrants.
2023-12-11 11:00:00
#Neighbors #Roosevelt #demand #regulations #rampant #presence #sex #workers #multiplied #fall #Journal
