Eliot Spitzer and Prostitution

What Eliot Spitzer did is not all that uncommon. You look in any free paper that you get at the car wash, any adult friend finder or one of the millions of internet porn websites, and you can find prostitution. I actually didn't know how to summons a prostitute until I became an Undercover Vice Cop. I wanted to share a real story that happened to me while I was a Vice Cop in an affluent area.

About five years ago, I was working a case with a Madam, a high dollar Madam. I made an arrangement with one of her "girls" to meet at a local "fancy" hotel. I had my partner doing a simultaneous operation at a "fancy" hotel in another part of town to not raise suspicion from the agency. Our goal was to get two prostitution violations and have them turn on the Madam.

The pre-planning went on for weeks as I was anticipating everything that could go wrong. I made the appointment with the "girl" and so did my partner. I had written a search warrant for the Madam's residence, and even bought a nice bottle of wine as a "prop."

I wore a nice suit and got ready in my hotel suite. I was really nervous as this case rested on us both getting violations for prostitution, and then conducting an interview to get further access into the depths of the prostitution empire. Also, the cost of my "girl was $1,200.00 for one hour, and my partner's "girl" was $1,000.00 for an hour. This was far more than I had ever "paid" for a violation, and didn't know what to expect from the encounter. Would she let her guard down because of the expensive room, wine, etc. Or would she be more difficult because she was higher class than the normal "girl."

I was waiting in the room and she arrived on time. I opened the door and there she was, in a black cocktail dress, and beautiful. I invited her in and we got the money aspect out of the way. She actually grinned from ear to ear when I handed her the money. (Remember what a violation for prostitution is. Money exchanged for a sex act, in the most basic terms). I was half way there. The money part was done. Luckily for me, her guard was way down and she never came close to suspecting that I was a cop trying to arrest her for prostitution.

She began to dance and took off her clothes, all of her clothes. She tried to get close but I told her to keep dancing so that I could talk to her and have her give me the other part of the violation. After a couple of minutes, she told me what she was going to do to me so my partners came in and arrested her. I had been in many situations before with "girls," none were ever this scary for me, professionally.

My partner, although he got the violation, didn't have it so easy. She was quizzing him, and he eventually had to take off his clothes to prove that he wasn't a cop.

We interviewed both "girls" at the station and obtained some good information. I share this story because I am still torn about whether prostitution should be legal. There are victims. Family members; especially children. Neighbors (for the "girl" who brings her "Johns" to her apartment). And for the streetwalkers, you have the unsanitary places to commit the act, as well as the persons who have to see the violations taking place (in alleys, cars, etc.). What makes Mr. Spitzer's act more atrocious; he was the top law enforcement official in New York for the past eight or nine years (Attorney General and Governor) yet he was working against the very same principals that he was working to protect.

Although there are victims, and it is still illegal, it will never go away. Man's oldest profession, has been used to categorize the working girl industry. I am still torn; I would love to here your comments on this matter!