According to San Francisco Chronicle, the city of Oakland plans to introduce a new weapon in its fight against prostitution: shame.
Those caught by surveillance cameras and convicted of solicitation will be at risk of having their faces plastered on bus stop signs or even 10-foot by 22-foot billboards. Clear Channel is providing the advertising space.
“I tell people who say to me that prostitution is a victimless crime they should know about the 217 under-age girls who were arrested for prostitution in Oakland last year,” said Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente. “We’re going to shame the out-of-towners and locals who drive to our neighborhood to look for prostitutes,” he said.
Shaming and shunning were popular punishments in 17th century colonial America, when jail was largely unknown.
