Category Archives: Coerced Sex

Should Courts Award Child-Rearing Damages for “Wrongful Birth” in Cases of the Rape of a Minor?

Posted on February 19, 2011 by Colin Miller

The issue of whether there should be a right to abortion in cases of rape has arisen again in response to comments by teen sensation Justin Bieber. The 16 year-old pop star was asked about abortion in rape cases, and … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary, Reproductive Rights | 1 Comment

What Kind Of Right?: Court of Appeals of Michigan Finds Rape Shield Rule Vests Rights In Victims

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Colin Miller

MCL 750.520j, Michigan’s rape shield statute, provides that: (1) Evidence of specific instances of the victim’s sexual conduct, opinion evidence of the victim’s sexual conduct, and reputation evidence of the victim’s sexual conduct shall not be admitted … unless and only … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary | 1 Comment

Julia Hörnle, “Countering the Dangers of Online Pornography – Shrewd Regulation of Lewd Content?”

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Ann Bartow

Abstract: This Article will detail how the UK has responded to the greater risks posed by illegal online content by successively extending the reach of the substantive criminal laws and by taking preventative measures. It will focus on the example … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Pornography's Harms | 1 Comment

“Survivors Speak: Essential Leadership in Combating Demand for Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sex”

Posted on October 12, 2010 by Ann Bartow

Watch here.

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“Sexting: Youth Practices and Legal Implications”

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Ann Bartow

 Abstract:       This document addresses legal and practical issues related to the practice colloquially known as sexting. It was created by Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic, based at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, for the Berkman Center’s Youth and Media … Continue reading →

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The Wonder State: Eastern District of Arkansas Finds Serious Flaw With Arkansas’ Rape Shield Rule

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Colin Miller

This Court views the case as illustrating a serious flaw in Arkansas’s criminal justice system, whereby Arkansas applies its rape shield statute in a broad and sweeping fashion without properly focusing on the constitutional rights of the accused. Jackson v. … Continue reading →

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Northern District of California Permits Defendants to Interrogate Title IX Plaintiff About Whether She Consented to Teacher’s Sexual Behavior When She Was 15

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Colin Miller

A plaintiff claims that she was 15 years-old when she was subjected to sexual molestation by her then 38 year-old teacher at a charter school.  Accordingly, she brings a Section 1983 action (1) against the school and its director/principal for failure to train and … Continue reading →

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Demonstrably Durable: Indiana Case Reveals Indiana Courts Still Recognize Demonstrably False Accusation Exception To Rape Shield Rule

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Colin Miller

"Under common law, evidence of prior false allegations of sexual misconduct is admissible if the allegation was demonstrably false and similar to that with which the defendant was charged, or if the complaining witness has admitted that the prior accusation … Continue reading →

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Invasion of Privacy: Court of Appeals of Texas Finds Trial Court Properly Excluded Evidence of Alleged Victim’s Prior Nonconsensual Sexual Acts Under Rape Shield Rule

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Colin Miller

Texas Rule of Evidence 412(a) provides that In a prosecution for sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault, or attempt to commit sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault, reputation or opinion evidence of the past sexual behavior of an alleged victim … Continue reading →

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“House of the Setting Sun”

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Ann Bartow

Interviews with residents of a home for elderly prostitutes in Mexico City – watch Part One here, and Part Two here. –Ann Bartow

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Sisters In Other Nations | Comments Off on “House of the Setting Sun”

Coyote Publishing v. Ross Miller: 9th Circuit Upholds Restrictions on Ads for Prostitution

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Ann Bartow

The opinion is available here. The ads at issue were characterized as “pure commercial speech.” Below are two excerpts in which the court explains the ways that legalized prostitution drives the demand for sex slaves and sex trafficking: The federal … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary, Feminism and Law, Human Trafficking | Comments Off on Coyote Publishing v. Ross Miller: 9th Circuit Upholds Restrictions on Ads for Prostitution

Deer on “Sex Trafficking of Native Women in the United States”

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Bridget Crawford

Feminist Law Prof Sarah Deer (William Mitchell) has posted to SSRN her article, “Relocation Revisited: Sex Trafficking of Native Women in the United States.”  Here is the abstract: The Trafficking Victim Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) signaled a comprehensive campaign … Continue reading →

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The Rape Sieve Rule?: According to Dissent, Opinion Abrogates Every Rape Shield Statute in the Sixth Circuit

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Colin Miller

Some 35 years ago, the Michigan state legislature determined that a criminal defendant accused of rape may not introduce evidence about the victim’s past sexual behavior, because the victim’s past willingness is not relevant to the question of present consent. … Continue reading →

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“TIME CHANGE–In Our Own Backyard: Child Prostitution and Sex Trafficking in the United States”

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Ann Bartow

Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law which took place yesterday (Wednesday, February 24, 2010) View webcast here! Panel I The Honorable Ron Wyden United States Senator for the State of Oregon Panel II … Continue reading →

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“For those who buy and sell children for sex and cheap labor, Haiti is ripe with opportunity.”

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Ann Bartow

That is the second sentence in this short essay in The Atlantic. Here is an excerpt: In Haiti … human trafficking is a problem at the best of times. Even without the pandemonium unleashed by a 7.0 earthquake, an estimated … Continue reading →

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The Sexual Innocence Inference Theory: Fact or Fiction? A Spotlight on the Special Concurrence In the Court of Appeals of Idaho’s Recent Opinion in State v. Molen

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Colin Miller

You are a juror in the prosecution of a step-grandfather for lewd conduct with a minor, the minor being his eight or nine year old step-granddaughter, with whom he allegedly had genital-to-genital contact. The step-granddaughter has just testified to sexual … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary | 3 Comments

“Girls Are Not for Sale – We Are Millions”

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Ann Bartow

“January 11th, 2010 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Take a moment to lend your support to courageous girls and young women who are working to overcome the trauma of child sex trafficking by watching this video and sharing with … Continue reading →

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Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Ann Bartow

From here: According to the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report, some 800,000 persons are victims of trafficking each year, seven times more than in 1960. The victims are mostly woman and children who are often used as … Continue reading →

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“Men who buy sex: Who they buy and what they know”

Posted on January 1, 2010 by Ann Bartow

“Men who buy sex: Who they buy and what they know,” is a research study of 103 men who describe their use of trafficked and non-trafficked women in prostitution, and their awareness of coercion and violence, prepared by Melissa Farley, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, The Overrepresentation of Women, Women's Health | 4 Comments

New Report About Sexual Trafficking of American Indian Women and Girls in Minnesota

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From here. Via. … Despite Minnesota’s significant efforts to identify sex trafficking victims and meet their needs, to our knowledge there had never been any sort of summary report produced in either Minnesota or the U.S. regarding the commercial sexual … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law | 1 Comment

“It’s very reminiscent where we were 30 years ago on the domestic violence stuff …. People just don’t get it yet.”So spoke a District Attorney, commenting on the lack of sex trafficking prosecutions in NY.

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From this NYT article: Despite a highly trumpeted New York State law in 2007 that enacted tough penalties for sex or labor trafficking, very few people have been prosecuted since it went into effect, according to state statistics. In New … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Women's Health | 2 Comments

“AIDS Is The No. 1 Cause Of Death, Disease For Women 15-44, Says WHO”

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Ann Bartow

And how much do rape, pornography and prostitution contribute to the spread of AIDS? Wish there was some data on that, but not holding my breath. From the HuffPo: In its first study of women’s health around the globe, the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Women's Health | 3 Comments

Dang.

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From a post entitled “Coffee and Consent” at Female Impersonator: From Until Someone Wakes Up, a play written by Carolyn Levy and a group of Macalester College students: Waiter: Would you like some coffee? Woman: Yes, please. Waiter: Just say … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Culture | 2 Comments

But It Was Only A Fantasy: North Carolina Opinion Reveals Troubling Exception to the State’s Rape Shield Rule

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Colin Miller

Rape shield rules prevent the defendant from presenting evidence regarding the alleged victim’s other sexual behavior and sexual predisposition to prove that she consented to the sexual act at issue. Typically, these rules contain three exceptions. First, a defendant can … Continue reading →

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Wisconsin Teen Charged with Blackmailing Other Students for Nude Photos

Posted on October 28, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From here: A 14-year-old Whitnall [WI] High School student is accused of coercing teen girls into sending him sexually explicit photos of themselves. … … The photos investigation began Sept. 21 when two students provided information to the Greenfield police … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Feminism and Technology, Sexual Harassment | 1 Comment

“I don’t want to be (on the Internet), but I have to be there and it’s never going away, and that’s a scary thought,” she said.

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Child porn victim seeks restitution VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Oct. 25 (UPI) — A U.S. woman filmed in a series of pornographic movies as a child says she is seeking restitution from anyone convicted of possessing them. The 20-year-old woman, whose … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Justice? | Comments Off on “I don’t want to be (on the Internet), but I have to be there and it’s never going away, and that’s a scary thought,” she said.

“The FBI says killer truckers are abducting prostitutes and other women at truck stops, raping them and leaving their bodies along the nation’s highways.”

Posted on October 19, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Below is a “Time Video” news report, which states there are 500 known victims.

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and the Workplace, Justice? | 1 Comment

Something Here is Very Strange.

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Ann Bartow

So, The Nation published an article called “The Crusade Against Sex Trafficking” by Noy Thrupkaew. This article focuses on one organization only, “the International Justice Mission, an evangelical Christian organization devoted to combating human rights abuses in the developing world.” … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Sisters In Other Nations, Women and Economics | 2 Comments

Girls Educational and Mentoring Services’ (GEMS) mission is to empower young women, ages12-21, who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential.

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Ann Bartow

MESSAGE FROM HALLE BERRY October 1, 2009 Dear GEMS Friends, Being a girl isn’t easy. Today in New York City, a girl will flee an abusive home, only to be approached by a pimp-trafficker who will promise her love and … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, From the FLP mailbox, Justice?, Women's Health | Comments Off on Girls Educational and Mentoring Services’ (GEMS) mission is to empower young women, ages12-21, who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential.

More Polanski

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From the HuffPo (incredibly enough): The Washington City Paper‘s Amanda Hess does a fine job in running down and refuting many of the extant arguments that carry a brief for Polanski. There’s the L.A. Times Patrick Goldstein’s “Polanski’s punishment is … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminist Blogs Of Interest | 1 Comment

“The word”rape”has been disappeared from the English language”

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Ann Bartow

That’s the title of this interesting post at Historiann. Below are the first two paragraphs: At least in the coverage of Roman Polanski’s arrest it has!   I keep hearing about how he was arrested in Switzerland this weekend on … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Sociolinguistics | 1 Comment

Former assistant public defender found guilty of having sex with a client in return for promising to work harder on her case.

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From the (Albany NY) Times Union: … The six-member panel convicted Matthew Swedick, 39, of one misdemeanor count of official misconduct. He was acquitted on two other counts of the same charge. The case against him goes back two years … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Legal Profession | 1 Comment

The NYT Adulates Christie Hefner, Delicately Refrains From Substantively Mentioning the Hardcore Porn that Generates Most of Playboy’s Revenues

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Here’s a curious and alarming excerpt from this incredibly sycophantic article: Her father lent his support to causes like birth control and abortion rights, but activism was at her core. She campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment and gay rights … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Culture, Sexism in the Media, Women's Health | 2 Comments

CFP: “International Efforts to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict Zones”

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Bridget Crawford

The Body of the Nation: International Efforts to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict and  Post-Conflict Zones Edited by Tonia St.Germain, J.D. and Susan Dewey, Ph.D. President Obama has vowed to put women’s issues at the core of American foreign policy. … Continue reading →

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Is the Met Celebrating Woman as Sexual Prey?

Posted on September 20, 2009 by Ann Bartow

A post at Feminist Philosophers asks that question. Above is Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid” which is purportedly charged with erotic imagery related to the vulnerability of women with this social status. –Ann Bartow

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Sexual Assault Prevention Tips Guaranteed to Work!

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Sexual Assault Prevention Tips Guaranteed to Work! 1. Don’t put drugs in people’s drinks in order to control their behavior. 2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone! 3. If you pull over to help someone with … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Yep, sarcasm. | 26 Comments

Rape Shield Redux: Supreme Court of Nevada Finds Rule 26 Applies Where Rape Shield Law Doesn’t

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Colin Miller

Back in July, I posted an entry about an opinion by the Supreme Court of Alabama permitting discovery regarding a civil plaintiff’s sexual history because Alabama’s rape shield rule only applies to criminal cases. In that post, I argued that, … Continue reading →

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Patronizing a Prostitute is not Tax Deductible

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Bridget Crawford

The United States Tax Court thus opined today in Halby v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 2009-204. Pro se plaintiff William Halby claimed more than $76,000,000 in medical expenses, contending that his purchases of pornographic books and magazines as well as for … Continue reading →

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Video Memorial to Deceased Porn Actors

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Here.   Produced by Shelley Lubben.

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Technology, The Overrepresentation of Women, Women's Health | Comments Off on Video Memorial to Deceased Porn Actors

Dan Kahan, “Culture, Cognition, and Consent: Who Perceives What, and Why, in ‘Acquaintance Rape’ Cases” – A Request for Input

Posted on August 23, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Prof. Dan Kahan has written a paper that reports the results of an experimental study of perceptions of consent and other facts in a hypothetical date rape case (patterned closely on Commonwealth v. Berkowitz [court stated that the legislature intended … Continue reading →

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Posted in Academia, Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Feminists in Academia | 1 Comment

“What Were Laura Ling and Euna Lee Looking For in North Korea?”

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Ji-Yeon Yuh poses this question in this post at the Women’s Media Center. Here is an excerpt: … Proportionally, the trafficking of North Korean women into China is a small part of an enormous worldwide criminal enterprise … However, of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Sisters In Other Nations | 2 Comments

Judge Reportedly Questioned Whether Woman Was Raped Because She Was “On Top”

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Ann Bartow

That’s the headline from this blog post, which reports that Texas State District Judge Kevin Fine, elected as a Democrat, is alleged to have told a rape victim in his court that he didn’t believe she was raped because she … Continue reading →

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Why doesn’t the media talk more about the fact that Laura Ling and Euna Lee were investigating sex trafficking?

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Ann Bartow

Wouldn’t you think the media would be a little more invested in figuring out why Ling and Lee were considered threats by North Korea? It’s because they were investigating sex trafficking for Current TV, as only briefly noted in this … Continue reading →

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Sisters In Other Nations | 3 Comments

“EA has a new way to annoy its own models: give out prizes for Comic Con attendees who commit acts of lust with their booth babes. Also, if you win, you get to take the lady out to dinner! This is going to end well for everyone involved.”

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Ann Bartow

From Ars Technica, where the associative article reports: … At Comic Con, if you commit “an act of lust” with an EA booth babe and take a picture, you could win dinner with said babes, as well as a great … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Technology | 1 Comment

Is Lap Dancing Prostitution?

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Bridget Crawford

Over at  The Right Coast, Tom Smith makes a good observation  here.   He reads the Rhode Island legislation [against indoor prostitution, previously blogged here and here] as far from”flawed”: he suggests that it is carefully crafted to permit lap … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Women and Economics | 6 Comments

What is Prostitution, Anyway?

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Bridget Crawford

An interesting aspect of the Rhode Island legislation [against indoor prostitution, previously blogged here]  is the General Assembly bill’s definition of prostitution. A person is guilty of prostitution when such person”engages or agrees or offers to engage in sexual conduct … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Women and Economics | 1 Comment

How to Stop Indoor Prostitution? Ask a Law School Dean

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Bridget Crawford

Both chambers of the Rhode Island State legislature have passed bills to”crack down”on otherwise-legal indoor prostitution in that jurisdiction.  Both bills aim to penalize both prostitutes and johns, but neither bill comes close to offering any meaningful protection for women. … Continue reading →

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Women selling sex are arrested and jailed, but the buyers go free?

Posted on July 7, 2009 by Ann Bartow

That’s how I interpret what this article is saying when it reports: … The November raid came after a six-week surveillance of the house on Round Hill Road. The dwelling’s owner, Stephen A. Clark, was arrested Nov. 26 and pleaded … Continue reading →

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Posted in Academia, Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law, Justice?, Law Schools | 11 Comments

Judge Kozinski Will Not Be Sanctioned For Hosting Web Site Featuring Racist, Degrading Porn

Posted on July 3, 2009 by Ann Bartow

The SF Chron reported (in part): … In a decision that it labeled an admonishment, the panel told Kozinski that his conduct “created a public controversy that can reasonably be seen as having resulted in embarrassment to the institution of … Continue reading →

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“Last week, Los Angeles County officials revealed that there have been at least 16 previously unreported cases of HIV among porn performers in the past five years.”

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Ann Bartow

The title of this article at Salon is awful, but it does report the following: Unfortunately, some sad news out of Porn Valley has made that particular feminist (and humanist) angle especially relevant: Last week, Los Angeles County officials revealed … Continue reading →

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Posted in Coerced Sex, Feminism and Law | 6 Comments