Human trafficking alleged in Austin prostitution ring

June 2, 2009

1–2 minutes

Austin, Hong Yan Li, human trafficking, Texas

Authorities investigating prostitution ring they say used Asian immigrants:

I’m really not trying to pick on Austin but it seems to be your turn in the barrel as it were.

38-year-old Hong Yan Li of Austin has been arrested on charges of running a prostitution ring and is believed to have been using women from Asia that were in the country illegally. It’s alleged that in the past 6 years Li raked in over $500K on the backs of the women she’s believed to have brought into the country. She ran ads for her ‘businesses’ on craigslist and the local alt-weekly the Austin Chronicle.

Not only does craigslist need to clean up its act as far as their erotic/adult services go but so do the alt-weeklies in this country. You would think the papers that are most sympathetic to the plight of women forced into the sex trade wouldn’t allow ads for prostitution yet they do.

Now back to putting this story to the test. Consenting adults? I doubt that a lot of the girls brought into the country were happy with their new working conditions. Victimless? Not at all. Human trafficking is filled with nothing but victims. Would this go on if prostitution was legalized? You bet you’re ass it would. Probably even more so.

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5 responses to “Human trafficking alleged in Austin prostitution ring”

Trench Reynolds

June 2, 2009 at 9:49 pm

Now that craigslist has quieted down some…for now, I’ll be focusing a little more on the ‘old media’ venues.

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Trench Reynolds

June 3, 2009 at 12:14 am

So by your logic there should be no human trafficking in a place like Amsterdam, right?

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Rob Taylor

June 2, 2009 at 9:44 pm

Most of the ads in the Village Voice are clearly sex slaves, it’s been pointed out to them for years but they continue to profit from misery.

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Alexa

June 3, 2009 at 12:10 am

Would this go on if prostitution was legalized? You bet you’re ass it would. Probably even more so.Nothing like unsubstantiated hyperbole to try to make a point, huh?Actually, legalization would help reduce trafficking because it would allow those who are trafficked a bit more access to the law enforcement community. As it stands now, when a trafficked prostitute goes to the police, she’s arrested and charged with a crime. Hardly conducive to promoting the reporting of trafficking, no?

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UberSpork

June 5, 2009 at 11:36 am

I recently watched a show about a woman who escaped from a trafficking situation. it was very disturbing to hear the things that were done to her. The scare tactics and abuse used to keep these victims under control is disgusting. And devastating.

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