Prostitution Ad Ban Creeps Forward, Threatening Social Media and Sex Workers

A measure making prostitution advertising a federal crime passed the House Judiciary Committee this morning.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"This legislation is about more than just Backpage.com," said bill sponsor Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Missouri), promising that the changes would "wreak havoc" on "hundreds of websites."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) crowed that the bill "empowers prosecutors with new tools" to hold human traffickers accountable.

But Goodlatte is lying—nothing in the bill addresses penalties for actual human traffickers. Instead, it would allow the government to treat websites and social apps as if they are human traffickers if bad actors should communicate through their digital platforms and tools. (For more about how this would work, see my post from yesterday.) The bill would also make posting or hosting prostitution ads a federal crime.

If H.R. 1865 becomes law, the FBI would be able to prosecute Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Craigslist, and myriad other sites where sex workers advertise and/or communicate with clients—even if the sexual exchange is only alluded to and never completed.*

Goodlatte said that in crafting the legislation, he "consulted with local prosecutors, and also with the Department of Justice." Notably, he does not mention consulting with any sex workers, tech companies, sex-trafficking victims, or any groups that work directly with sex-trafficking victims.

If he did, he might learn that digital advertising has revolutionized the sex trade, making it much more possible for women to work without the aid of abusive or controlling pimps; to screen clients before seeing them; and to generally take more control over their bodies, businesses, and personal safety. Meanwhile, it's also been hugely useful to law enforcement and families for finding victims of exploitation (something that would be all but impossible if street-based sex work were the only option or if traffickers start turning to the dark web.)

But in the delusional minds of folks like Goodlatte and Wagner, everyone engaged in sex work will simply stop if there are no web-ad platforms and all the sex traffickers will simply let their victims go. (Drugs went away when we made those illegal, too, right?) So their goal is to eradicate any web platforms where sex buyers might communicate with sex sellers.

After all, catching actual evildoers is too hard. "Advertisements rarely, if ever, will say the person advertised is a 'victim of sex trafficking,'" Goodlatte lamented. Easier for authorities to stop distinguishing between forced or underage prostitution and sex that free adults consent to have.

Read whole article here

Why We Should All Care about what Happened to @FinleyFawn

So last month a friend and fellow cam model FinleyFawn found herself the victim of both Parental Alienation and Discrimination by the family court for being a cam model.

Here's what happened...

Some of Finley's mail that had her stage name on it was sent to her ex husband's address. He already knew what she did for a living, but claimed he only just learned of her job when he received that piece of mail. The truth is that he didn't know her stage name until that piece of mail came. He finally had the info he needed to do a google search, found her twitter and clips4sale store, printed some screen shots, and then took them to the court and used it to get an emergency restraining order and temporary physical custody of their son. In the papers he filed with the court, he claimed that she was exposing their six year old son to sex work. Saying that she was performing live sex acts over the internet and filming porn movies with the bedroom door wide open while their son was home, in full view of him.

I'm telling you right now that those allegations are complete bull shit, and this a classic case of parental alienation. Being the victim of parental alienation myself, I can relate to what she's going through.

Parental alienation is a form of child abuse!  It's a group of behaviors that are damaging to children's mental and emotional well-being, and can interfere with a relationship of a child and either parent. These behaviors most often accompany high conflict marriages, separation or divorce.

These behaviors whether verbal or non-verbal, cause a child to be mentally manipulated or bullied into believing a loving parent is the cause of all their problems, and/or the enemy, to be feared, hated, disrespected and/or avoided.

Parental alienation deprive children of their right to be loved by and showing love for both of their parents. The destructive actions by an alienating parent or other third person (like another family member, or even a well meaning mental health care worker) can become abusive to the child - as the alienating behaviors are disturbing, confusing and often frightening, to the child, and can rob the child of their sense of security and safety leading to maladaptive emotional or psychiatric reactions.

I'll tell you how I know that the allegations made by Finley's ex husband are bull shit too...

For the moth of July 2015, Finley was generous enough to take me and my daughters into her home (a lovely four bedroom, two bathroom, two story house) when we had nowhere else to go. What I can personally attest to is that I never witnessed her try to interfere with her ex's parenting time, she never spoke badly about her ex around her son, she and her current husband where nothing but loving and attentive parents when he was home with her, and she never exposed either her son or my daughters to anything "work related".

Finley says that this whole situation has done nothing but traumatize her son.

In my humble opinion, if Finley's ex truly had their son's best interest in mind, all of this trauma could have been avoided by simply approaching Finley in a respectable way and discussing his concerns with her parenting style like two mature adults.

It's really heart breaking to think about what Finley and her son are having to endure right now (as I mentioned earlier, I know what it feels like to be victim of an alienating parent).

Another thing that is really disturbing, is how Finley was completely discriminated against by the family court. The judge told Finley that it was pointless for her to tell her side of the story or present any of her evidence because she (the judge) had already made up her mind. I know that judges are pretty much "God" in their court room, and I guess that's what jury trials are for, but still... how a judge can conduct their court like that and still think that they are upholding due process is just beyond me.

This should be of concern to all of us, because if this can happen to Finley, this can happen to any one of us in the "adult entertainment industry" as well. And for those of you who aren't adult entertainers, know that this is much more than just a matter of protecting "sex workers rights"... It's actually a matter of protecting HUMAN RIGHTS! You can't cherry pick what rights should be protected based on morality. If we want to remain a free country, we have to protect ALL RIGHTS! But sadly, not enough people seem to understand this.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I wish all the best for Finley and her son, as well as all other victims of parental alienation and sex worker discrimination, and pray that everyone will find the justice they seek soon.

 "Justice delayed is justice denied." - William E. Gladstone

Click here to read the article on Uproxx.com

All the links
💙Blog&Updates on case: https://t.co/06ycrqYEgq
💙Cam: https://t.co/0ESqcRCPjX
💙Immediate donations: https://t.co/qzpp3Fpoyi

— FinleyFawn (@FinleyFawn) April 28, 2016

Tip of the Day: @clips4sale is your BEST Friend

 

Open up a studio on if you don't already have one.

Then invest in a cell phone that records video in high definition, and a mini tripod so you can make fetish clips EVERYWHERE!

The Camgirl Report endorses @CamgirlToolkit

I just wanted to let everyone know about an awesome website called Camgirl Toolkit. They are also an awesome twitter account to follow as well, with daily tweets about cam modeling advice, tips & tricks.
 
Check out the more detailed post I made about them yesterday on my other blog MyFree MFC Profile Help. 







 Here's just a few of her knowledgeable tweets:
 (Click on images for larger view)
 

Camgirls, this is a must read!!!

(This was too inspirational not to re-post)

There are those days when you get an insanely huge tip and practically want to cry.
When EVERYONE wants to take you private.
When your chat room is full of so many people that you can't possibly respond to them all.
When everyone wants you, compliments you, and makes you feel like a total babe.

And you DO feel like a total babe.
You've got the wind (from a fan) blowing in your hair, the light hits you just right, and your makeup in on point.
And even if you don't feel like you look perfect, the positive response in your chat room and the constant flow of tips make you feel like you're doing something right.

This thread is not about those days.

This is for the nights when you only made $7 and you feel like shit.
When your ranking on the site tanks, or doesn't climb the way you wanted it to.

The reality is that you are selling a part of yourself, so when they aren't buying, it can make you wonder... what's wrong with me?
Am I not pretty enough, creative enough, funny enough, smart enough, explicit enough?

Do I need a better webcam, better sound, better lighting, better clothes, better toys, better everything?

I want you to know that whether you made $1 tonight or $10,000, it does not change your value.
The only thing that determines your value is what YOU think of you.

There's going to be slow nights. And slow months. And maybe even slower years.
Some of this is within our control, and some of it's not.
Feel free to bring your A game - upgrade your tech, make up a new game, create some content.

Just know that you ARE enough, just as you are.
No ranking on a cam site, or number of dollars or tokens can ever determine your true value.

Don't compromise your values or level of comfort to make money. Let go of caring what others think of you and your inner spark and beautiful awesomeness will shine like a 5-carat diamond.

When the viewers see your spark, the real you.... the way your eyes light up when you talk about something you're interested in, when you find something genuinely funny, or when you are truly truly turned on because you're keeping the sexual activity to things that do it for you... the dollars flow.

And when the dollars don't flow - remember that it's not about you.

You are enough (and so am I.)

Love always,
Mojito
Inspirational Writer & (new-ish) Cam Girl 

Link to OP: https://www.ambercutie.com/forums/threads/cam-girls-you-are-enough-public-post.21825/

Oakland Premier of Tales of the Grim Sleeper

Showing Wednesday, March 18, 2015 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Omni Commons
4799 Shattuck Ave.
Oakland, California 94609



Acclaimed new film documents the investigation of a notorious serial killer who terrorized South Central LA for over 25 years, targeting Black women. The film is a devastating expose of the lack of police effort in finding and stopping the killer, and the efforts of the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders to get accountability in the criminal neglect of law enforcement.The Black Coalition’s theme since the mid 1980s was Black Women’s Lives Count, reminiscent of today’s #BlackLivesMatter movement.

The film also shows the vulnerability to violence of sex workers as easy prey due to their illegality. The police referred to these murders as NHI - no humans involved. The film was short-listed for an Academy Award.Trailer:

Called By US PROStitutes Collective

Co-Sponsors: All of Us or None; Global Women's Strike; In Defense of Prostitute Women's Safety Project; Erotic Service Providers Union; Legal Action for Women; Queer Strike; Sin Barras.

MFC is Cracking Down on Cam Shows in Public

Well in case anyone hasn't yet heard of the big crack down from MFC about not letting models do cam shows in public any more, here is why...

this is a bit funny pic.twitter.com/AGwru1dGzG
— KickAz (@kickazmfc) February 21, 2015

@Official_Kink @MFJ500 @JujuLuvsLife well all I know is a received a warning & I haven't cammed in over a month. pic.twitter.com/o3E4wPSQYF
— Ava Kittyn (@AvaKittyn_MFC) February 12, 2015

Cop vs. Porn Star

Porn Star Takes California Bar Exam for First Time and Passes

California has what is considered the most difficult bar exam in the nation.

Posted Dec 09th, 2014 04:31 PM by Tom Hymes

LOS ANGELES—The next time someone tells you porn stars have to rely on their physical assets to compensate for what's lacking upstairs, mention Heather Swift, who performed in approximately six titles from 2012 to this year under the name Holly Price. In addition to her work in adult movies and as a stripper, the self-described former porn star is distinguished for having passed the California bar exam the first time she took it.

Most people probably do not comprehend just how impressive an acheivement that is. According to Above the Law, becoming a lawyer in the Golden State is harder than in any other state in the union. "As we mentioned this morning," wrote Staci Zaretsky today for the site, "the California bar exam had one of its lowest pass rates in almost a decade. Just 48.6 percent of test-takers passed the exam, which is quite unfortunate.

"The Los Angeles Times notes that the pass rate for July 2014 represents nearly a 7 percentage point dip from July 2013’s pass rate," she added. "The last time less than half of bar examinees passed, it was 2005."
But one of the ones who did pass was Swift, a 2013 graduate of ABA-accredited Western State University College of Law, who, per IAFD.com, started performing in adult in her early 30s, working for Brazzers, Bang Productions and Pure Play Media in titles such as Girly Girls Like It Rough (2012), Seduced by a Cougar 25 (2013) and Real Wife Stories 17 (2014).
"I took the July 2014 California Bar Exam (my first time taking any bar exam), and I PASSED," Swift told Above the Law by email. "No, I did not get time and a half, nor do I have any inside connections to the California State Bar. …
"How did I do it," she continued. "Because unbeknownst to many, women in the adult industry are intelligent and can matriculate through a cutthroat tier 3 law school, and pass the hardest bar exam in history ... Perhaps society needs to relinquish stereotypes and overcome their jealousy."
She added at the end of her email, "As for those who snicker at women in the adult industry and who couldn’t pass the exam, stop laughing because a stripper porn star is apparently smarter than you."
Above the Law, rather than put off by Swift's feisty demeanor, expressed its admiration. "Heather Swift is a girl after our own hearts: she’s sassy, classy, and a bit smart-assy," wrote Zaretsky. "We wish her the best of luck in her new life as a lawyer. She’s already one step ahead of the game in that she’s already screwed people for a living, and she’ll perform her services even better if a client makes it rain. Any law firm would be lucky to have her."

Image: Heather Swift, courtesy of AbovetheLaw.com. 
Link to OP: http://business.avn.com/articles/legal/Porn-Star-Takes-California-Bar-Exam-for-First-Time-and-Passes-582114.html

I moved into a haunted apartment, and I have the proof on video

Yes that's right. I didn't want to say anything about it at first, because I didn't want people thinking I was a "crack pot". But ever since I moved into my new apartment, more and more strange things have been happening. The sensation of hands feeling me up and down my body in the middle of the night when I'm all alone. Then, I started waking up in the mornings completely naked, even though I would go to bed wearing a T shirt and panties. I decided I wanted to know just what was happening to me while I was asleep at night. So a few nights ago, I set up my web cam to record me while I slept... The footage I watched the next morning was both terrifying yet totally erotic.  

Former dominatrix to receive civil liberties award

The former dominatrix who overturned Canada’s prostitution laws will receive the second annual Ontario Civil Liberties Award in Ottawa next month.
Terri-Jean Bedford, who operated a bondage dungeon in Thornhill, Ont., until it was shut down by police in 1994, challenged Canada’s prostitution laws in court, leading to last year’s landmark Supreme Court decision finding the laws were unconstitutional.
“It’s an outstanding example of what the Ontario Civil Liberties Association stands for,” said Joseph Hickey, executive director of the organization, in an interview Monday morning.
“I want to be remembered for standing against secret rules” said Bedford in a news release. “My motto is that I’ll fight for my rights whether you like it or not.”
Bedford last made headlines when she appeared at a Senate committee hearing in September, in her trademark leather.

Bedford was ejected from the hearing after she threatened to name politicians who employ sex workers.
“If this law passes I’m going to make you guys forget about Mike Duffy, because I’ve got more information and more proof on politicians in this country than you can shake a stick at, I promise,” she said, smacking the table with her riding crop.
Bedford and her supporters are threatening to name names in protest against the government’s bill C-36, which will ban the purchase of sex.
The government introduced the law after Bedford’s successful court challenge. The court gave the government a year to come up with a new law.
Bedford and sex workers argue that the new law will pose the same risk to their safety as the old law, since prostitution will remain illegal, preventing sex workers from taking steps to work safely.
The bill’s supporters argue that the law will help sex workers leave the industry by cracking down on clients and pimps.
The law passed third reading in the House of Commons earlier this month. It is now headed for final hearings in the Senate.
Three weeks ago, Bedford sent a letter to sex workers’ advocacy groups across Canada seeking their input on a plan to publicly “out” politicians who employ sex workers.
smaher@postmedia.com

Slactivism at it's Best!

(Original post by Amy on ProvidingSupport.com)

We all shop at Amazon...don't try to deny it! And anyone who has made a purchase recently knows they are doing this wonderful charitable match thing now where you can select a charity to receive .5% of your total purchases as a donation from Amazon every quarter. Well, Sex Workers Outreach Project has just become one of those charities! If you don't know SWOP, check out www.swopusa.org or http://swopbay.org/ . Our local chapter has worked hard to help everyone affected by the MyRedBook closure, speaks out against shaming and john schools, and continues to do street-based outreach programs to help the least fortunate of us. If you would like to have your .5% go towards an organization that actively helps YOU and your community, you can follow these simple instructions!

1.) You (or someone else) buys something on amazon using http://smile.amazon.com or the following link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-2264638

2.) They indicate they want to donate to Sex Workers Outreach Project.

3.) SWOP-National gets .5% of all donations at the end of each quarter!

It's pretty easy, and costs you nothing! Slactivism at it's Best!

~A

New Book Coming Soom.

I just finished my first chapter.

This will be an easy to read manual with plenty of pictures and guides.

I won't guarantee that this book will raise your camscore thousands of points within a few months, or that in reading this you'll be in the top 20 on MFC in no time. But what I can promise you, is that I'll be honest in everything I've learned in my years of cam modeling, and give credit and special thanks to all of those I've learned from. 

Feds Successfully End All Sex Crimes with the Seizure of MyRedbook

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

More thoughts about the “take down’ of MyRedbook.

I was doing some more research into the latest news on the MyRedbook ordeal, and I came across this comment in a reddit thread. User name ‘nacho-bitch’ had this to say,

‘So my friend Annmarie is one of the defendants (I got to pick her up from federal court the other day since the FBI was just going to leave her stranded in San Francisco). She is a contract employee (has a 1099 so it's all legal) that does all the moderation for the site. Her whole job was basically to make sure that there was no child porn. So yeah, she is now on house arrest and her child is in CPS because she spent her day keeping child abuse off that site.”

Well how to you like that? Yet another example of cruel irony. This was all done under the guise of keeping children safe. Yet, kids are five times more likely to die from physical abuse and eleven times more likely to be sexually abused under state run “child protection” care.

My heart just goes out to her. Although I don’t know her personally, she was always very nice to me in chat and came across a sincere person. I wish I knew how to get in touch with her so I could find out exactly what we can do to help her during her time of need. I’m sure that she must be in need of funds for her legal defense, as well as general living expenses. I don’t know what kind of money she was making working for Red, but I’m sure that if she was able to save up anything substantial, the Feds most likely seized it.
There has to be some way we could start a fundraiser for her. I’ve done a few in the past for friends of mine that turned out to be very successful. MRB had a huge following, I’m sure that if everyone who ever appreciated MyRedbook and is now devastated that it’s gone, managed to chip in, even just a small amount, it would make a huge impact on her situation.

ATTENTION #MyRedbook FAMILY

The Irony of the Seizure of MyRedbook happening so close to "Independence day"

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Excellent Advice from @KylieCamGirl

This is a re-post originally made by KylieJacobs on Ambercutie Forum


You're able to blur out things on Google Street Maps like your house, face, or other objects.

So if you don't want you house to be visible for privacy reasons, you can request to have it blurred.

Here's a screen cap below, or you can go to the webpage for details here: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/how-to-erase ... 02294.html

Go to Google maps, type in your address, pick street view. Then click in the bottom right hand corner where it says "report a problem." You are then able to blur out your house or whatever else you feel necessary. Highlight the area that you want to blur with the red box that it gives you.

MyRedBook.com Seized by the Feds

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

California fire chief arrested in stabbing death

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A former California fire battalion chief who eluded authorities for more than two weeks has been arrested in the stabbing death of his girlfriend, Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Lisa Bowman said in a statement Friday.
She could not immediately provide additional information on the arrest of Orville "Moe" Fleming.

Fleming had been wanted since the body of 26-year-old Sarah June Douglas was found May 1 inside the south Sacramento home they had shared for the past two years.

Authorities say Fleming, 55, had considerable outdoor skills, was familiar with California's mountains because of his career as a wildland firefighter, and had keys to state fire facilities throughout the state.

He was fired from his job as a battalion chief and instructor with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection after failing to show up at work for a week after the slaying.

"We are pleased that this search is over and the Sheriff's Office has apprehended Mr. Fleming," said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "We will continue to support the sheriff and the district attorney in any way we can as the judicial process continues."

Investigators previously said Fleming moved in with Douglas after meeting her as an escort who advertised on the Internet.

Fleming filed for divorce from his wife in Fresno County Superior Court in October, according to online records, but the case has not been finalized.

Fleming's estranged wife, Meagan Fleming, had sought a protective order against Douglas last fall, alleging Douglas was harassing her and her adult children in an attempt to get money from Orville Fleming. The request was denied a day later without being considered, when a judge said Meagan Fleming had not properly filled out the required form.

There was no answer at the telephone number listed for Meagan Fleming's home on Friday, and she did not immediately respond to an email.

Orville Fleming vanished after he abandoned his official California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pickup in a Sacramento suburb before sheriff's investigators learned of Douglas' death.

Investigators received hundreds of tips, including unsubstantiated sightings as distant as Oregon and Los Angeles.