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Tell the LAPD: Investigate Sex Trafficking at Club 907, Don't Arrest Victims
  1. Signatures
    5,749 out of 7,500
    Petitioning
    1. Chief of Police, LAPD (Charlie Beck)
  2. Created By
    L M
    Berkeley, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
Why This Is Important

Update 1/20/11: The arrested women have finally been released, but some still face immigration proceedings, and no action has yet been taken against Club 907 over its use of trafficked women.

At Club 907,  an L.A. "hostess club," men pay thirty bucks and hour for the "companionship" of immigrant women — many of whom, it appears, have been illegally trafficked here for forced labor and sex work.

In a recent raid of Club 907, a clear brothel front, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) busted in on suspicion of shady behavior. Of the 88 arrested that night, 81 of them were women — 59 of whom were arrested for possessing false identification (ie, for being undocumented). But despite their textbook trafficking profile, no one on the LAPD is looking into whether these women have been trafficked.

Sign this petition to demand that LAPD further investigate the potential trafficking of arrestees from Club 907, and that from here on out they require police officers to attend extensive training on human trafficking risks. That way they can target the criminals instead of the victims.

Photo Credit: 888bailbond

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

After Victims' Release, Still Investigate Human Trafficking at Club 907

Dear Chief Beck:

I am pleased to hear that the 78 women in custody following a recent raid on Club 907, a "hostess club" that is a known vendor of prostitution and illegal substances, have been released. However, I'm concerned that action has still not been taken against the club for its role in exploiting and potentially trafficking these women.

Club 907 reopened promptly, advertising for replacement "dancers" on Craigslist within the week, but these women fear for their futures, some of them facing continuing immigration proceedings, even though the de facto immigration raid where they were swept up is illegal.

Since 2005, the LAPD has been a member of the LA Metro Task Force on Human Trafficking. And yet it appears that your officers are wildly ignorant of the risks and signs of human trafficking in your area.

As a deeply concerned citizen, I demand that the LAPD thoroughly investigate the possibilities of human trafficking among these women and within Club 907 -- and implement a training schedule with an anti-trafficking group to make certain that this situation doesn't arise again.

Please take immediate action on this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your name]