“Teen Prostitution in Georgia”

• Human rights are issues that are important at any level of governance. Whether it is a federal, state or local policy, human rights issues are often changed and adapted in order to improve the lives of citizens. On February 1, 2010 more than 500 concerned citizens, apart of religious and conservative organizations rallied against HB 582 at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. HB 582 is a measure to set an illegal prostitution rate at an age of 18, instead of 16 (Suggs, 2010). Many religious and conservatives, like the groups who marched the capitol, are increasingly upset about the passage of HB 582 (Suggs, 2010). They believe the bill is a measure to decriminalize prostitution in its entirety.

However, various women’s organizations like the Georgia Women for a Change and the Younger Women’s Taskforce of Atlanta supports HB 582. Women’s advocacy groups support HB 582, because the legislation protects more than 350 young teens a month, which are illegally forced into prostitution and charged with a criminal offense. Public interest and advocacy groups in Georgia are gaining support for similar issues that take into consideration human trafficking and problems of sexual violence, plaguing Atlanta’s street. Oftentimes, teens are charged as adults. Furthermore, the legislation now protects young women in Georgia, who cannot advocate for themselves. Additionally, the legislation is a measure to also protect the girls from being tried as adults. Potentially, HB 582 will help transition teens to become productive members of society through rehabilitation, better than before.

Secondly, HB 582 is an important first step in addressing the issue in Georgia. Before, young girls before were picked-up and prosecuted without proper protection and teens did not have the chance to contact family members or any other legal guardian for that matter. In the eyes of the law, “if you did the crime, you did the time.” Now, the girls are protected.

Additionally, HB 582 is an important step towards advancing the lives of young women in Atlanta that are illegally introduced into this unfair and abusive market. The legislation is a great achievement towards reaching political officials on an issue that has increasingly disrupted the lives of young girls. No longer will their lives be permanently damaged, while their futures would be unjustly consumed with a criminal record. Consequently, now they have a chance towards their own prospective careers.

While, many political officials in the past objected to HB 582, finally they see that measures like HB 582 are necessary. HB 582 is necessary, because reformulating the law is the only way to protect the rights of the number of disenfranchised young women that are exploited in this trade. Furthermore, no longer will teens get lost in the system. Today, Georgia’s political officials have advanced the risk of legislation permanently disrupting the lives of these unfortunate teens, by two years. Although, it is a small step on a national scale, to revitalizing antiquated laws, or lost groups, now many teens will benefit in the future.

An unknown author once said, “It is better to prevent, rather than destroy.” In conclusion, HB 582 is important, and should be enforced by the public. Rehabilitation in the law is necessary. The potential harm of HB 582 in decriminalizing prostitution is not a valid argument to amending HB 582, since more then 500 young teen a month will now benefit from the legislation. Furthermore, one concept is certain, it is in the, “public interest,” that we protect teens that are subjected to illegal prostitution.

References

Suggs, E. (2010). “Senate bill to protect young prostitutes’ gains momentum.” Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta Journal Constitution.