Ridgewood cops have been focusing on the demand side of the prostitution problem -- yet women still seem to be worse off at the end of the day. This article was created in collaboration with The Ridgewood Times, where it also runs this week.
Neon light from a nearby Chinese restaurant illuminates the sidewalks, painting the late night street bright yellow. The assumed prostitute recites a Miranda warning and the john quickly finds himself under an arrest.
The area changes, prostitution remains. Besides drinks and small plates, The Keep offers psychic readings and live music catering to the eclectic tastes of the changing demographic of Bushwick and Ridgewood.
The Keep in the center of Operation Losing Proposition. She has lived in the area — on Willoughby and Cypress avenues — for a decade, and she said that it used to be a lot worse. Specifically she recalled one transgender woman who stands by the deli on Cypress often.
The nature of the neighborhood and all its layers are very complex, she added. But the operation has been yielding incredible results as far as the number of arrests and property seizures go, and prostitution has been greatly reduced, according to Silverman. Women are worse off than men in prostitution-related activities. Importantly, the chances of being convicted for prostitution are significantly higher than chances of being convicted for patronizing.
