April 7, 2021
12:00 – 12:30 pm
[ Episode #21 ] The Decriminalization of Sex Buying – what’s in store for Washtenaw’s future?
Have you heard the news? The Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office has published a new policy to decriminalize sex buying. What does this mean for Michigan residents? Countless studies from around the globe have shown that wherever sex buying is legal, there is an increase in demand for commercial sex, which leads to an increase in sex trafficking. This means more and more vulnerable individuals – including youth of all ages – will be targeted for sexual exploitation by means of force, fraud, and/or coercion to meet the rising demands of sex buyers. Contrary to claims of increased safety, this policy creates a dangerous precedent for Ann Arbor, a town of over 80,000 college students – and potentially all of Michigan – as we are now at greater risk of becoming a sex tourism hub for buyers and traffickers nationwide. We urge you to join our live discussion, as we consider the research and explore the Equality Model, the only truly progressive & survivor-informed solution to preventing and ending sex trafficking.
Special Guest: Peg Talburtt
Margaret (Peg) Talburtt, PhD has spent her entire career in the nonprofit sector, primarily working with foundations. She had been engaged in anti-human trafficking work as a funder and advocate not as a direct service provider since the 1990s. She currently is a member of MAP-Ann Arbor, the MHTTF, and the Resources Subcommittee of the MI HT Commission.