Is it because of charges of sex trafficking and forced prostitution?
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Is it because of charges of sex trafficking and forced prostitution?
Combo.
I agree with you 100 % however "most" of the tourists that I observed during my 7 days at the New Garden spent thier days by the pool and nights on the strip.
[QUOTE=Boriman;1469481]Perhaps I missed something. Again, why was Peter put in jail? I have read alot of speculation. Does anyone really know why?[/QUOTE]He is indeed out now, presumably on bail awaiting trial. You were just a few hours premature with your post.
I don't think any of us know the exact charges except there is no question of under-age girls or drug involvement which have been two of the wilder speculations. The consensus seems to be that he will be charged with "people trafficking" which seems odd as it is probably untrue, whereas pimping is against the law and he is blatantly guilty of that.
I would like to say "all will be revealed in time" but this being the DR I am not all that confident even of that. Plenty of high-profile cases involving murders or million of dollars are still up in the air as far as the public are concerned.
[QUOTE=Charles Pooter; 1469677]He is indeed out now, presumably on bail awaiting trial. You were just a few hours premature with your post.
I don't think any of us know the exact charges except there is no question of under-age girls or drug involvement which have been two of the wilder speculations. The consensus seems to be that he will be charged with "people trafficking" which seems odd as it is probably untrue, whereas pimping is against the law and he is blatantly guilty of that.
I would like to say "all will be revealed in time" but this being the DR I am not all that confident even of that. Plenty of high-profile cases involving murders or million of dollars are still up in the air as far as the public are concerned.[/QUOTE]It is very difficult to know because one faces three problems: 1. The translation of words like "pandering" from Spanish to English, and 2. The actual meaning of English words like "trafficking".3. The actual definitions of terms used in charges in Dominican law.
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There is no universally accepted definition of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The term was formerly thought of as the organized movement of people, usually women, between countries and within countries for sex work with the use of physical coercion, deception and bondage through forced debt. However, according to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, movement is not an element necessary for the crime. The issue becomes contentious when the element of coercion is removed from the definition to incorporate facilitating the willing involvement in prostitution. For example, in the United Kingdom, The Sexual Offenses Act 2003 incorporated trafficking for sexual exploitation but did not require those committing the offence to use coercion, deception or force, so that it also includes any person who enters the UK to carry out sex work with consent as having been trafficked.
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In the US anyone who engages in prostitution under the age of 18 is considered to be "trafficked" regardless of whether there is any coercion.
Here's an article from AP News from a while back:
Dominican Republic sets crackdown on prostitution.
AP.
"People who force others into prostitution and clients of prostitutes will face arrest in the Dominican Republic as part of a crackdown on sex trafficking in the Caribbean country, the attorney general said Wednesday. Prostituti on has long been practiced openly in much of the Dominican Republic but the trafficking of people for the sex trade, both within the country and overseas, has become so widespread that the government believes it must now impose controls on the industry, Attorney General Francisco Dominguez said.
"We are talking in many cases about young girls who are semi-enslaved," Dominguez said at a news conference.
Prostitutes themselves are not facing arrest since there is no law in the Dominican Republic that specifically forbids the practice. But it is illegal to make money off the sexual services of another person or to force someone to work as a prostitute. Those who use the services of prostitutes can be charged as accessories to pandering and face a sentence of 10-15 years in prison, officials said.
No one has been arrested so far. It is unclear at this point how strictly it will be enforced in a country that has an already overburdened justice system and that has been long been known as a destination for people seeking the services of prostitutes."
The problem I see here for Passions is that you can't legally employ women as prostitutes, and yet if you hire them as bartenders and then fine them if they refuse to have sex with patrons, then you are definitely breaking laws regarding coercion to have sex.
Maybe I am 100% wrong. It is just a guess.
[QUOTE=Frannie;1469703]However, according to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, movement is not an element necessary for the crime.[/QUOTE]No wonder the US has the largest prison population in the world if the authorities take a perfectly good and clear English word and decide to make it mean something else. Must be very hard to run a legal system like that.
Helpful post, Frannie. Thanks. Someone who has discussed the situation with Peter since he emerged blinking into the daylight told me today that the case is incredibly complicated (and that's about all he did tell me). Your post gives us a little insight into that.
tomjackin pretty much covered most of the highlights in his reports last week, so i'll just mention what he didn't or any updates.
passions, still closed.
el toro, closed and is just a big dead void in the middle of all the action.
dlatin, my favorita (sosua native) told me that they are in jeopardy of closing also because of the fighting, and **** girls. *i have seen the fights myself. *usually moto drivers showing off which turns violent, or haitianas with beer bottles trying to cut each other. *2 or 3 per night on my last 3 trips, usually starting around 130am. *with the metalwork they're doing (see pictures posted last week in the forum) i'm not sure they're closing anytime soon. *they were working on it today when i walked by. *they did finish the metal gates, and framing what looks like windows. *me thinks it's going to be a hot one in there once thy close it in. *and it's already damn hot! *you'll notice a really stepped up security presence checking bags and cedulas at the door. *the back side gate entrance is also closed.
hip hop bar across from classicos, still closed, but new counters and bars were being constructed.
classicos, open tonight (saturday) not sure if that's just a weekend only thing.
rumba. *they're building window framework here also. *closing it all in. *just like dlatin.
the old scotia bank is being converted to a clothing store.
the claro store on pedro clisante is closed and gone.
the chicas, ever present. *just as many as usual, no perceptible loss of talent due to the storms or low season.
cmp. 3 chicas at the bar when i walked through. don't know if others were upstairs, but it was overall pretty dead.
[quote=readytogetonit; 1469803]tomjackin pretty much covered most of the highlights in his reports last week, so i'll just mention what he didn't or any updates.
passions, still closed.
el toro, closed and is just a big dead void in the middle of all the action.
dlatin, my favorita (sosua native) told me that they are in jeopardy of closing also because of the fighting, and **** girls. *i have seen the fights myself. *usually moto drivers showing off which turns violent, or haitianas with beer bottles trying to cut each other. *2 or 3 per night on my last 3 trips, usually starting around 130am. *with the metalwork they're doing (see pictures posted last week in the forum) i'm not sure they're closing anytime soon. *they were working on it today when i walked by. *they did finish the metal gates, and framing what looks like windows. *me thinks it's going to be a hot one in there once thy close it in. *and it's already damn hot! *you'll notice a really stepped up security presence checking bags and cedulas at the door. *the back side gate entrance is also closed.
hip hop bar across from classicos, still closed, but new counters and bars were being constructed.
classicos, open tonight (saturday) not sure if that's just a weekend only thing.
rumba. *they're building window framework here also. *closing it all in. *just like dlatin.
the old scotia bank is being converted to a clothing store.
the claro store on pedro clisante is closed and gone.
the chicas, ever present. *just as many as usual, no perceptible loss of talent due to the storms or low season.
cmp. 3 chicas at the bar when i walked through. don't know if others were upstairs, but it was overall pretty dead.[/quote]thanks for the update. what about all the small massage parlours which was closed a while ago? are all of them still closed?
[QUOTE=Charles Pooter; 1469798]No wonder the US has the largest prison population in the world if the authorities take a perfectly good and clear English word and decide to make it mean something else. Must be very hard to run a legal system like that.
Helpful post, Frannie. Thanks. Someone who has discussed the situation with Peter since he emerged blinking into the daylight told me today that the case is incredibly complicated (and that's about all he did tell me). Your post gives us a little insight into that.[/QUOTE]"Trafficking" means taking part in an illicit trade, such as dealing in cigarettes in a smoke-free prison, but a lot of people confuse it with road traffic and think it means the same thing as transporting.
The verb "traffic" like many perfectly good English words, can be used in a number of senses.
[QUOTE=Vagabond;1469949]Thanks for the update. What about all the small massage parlours which was closed a while ago? Are all of them still closed?[/QUOTE]The so called salons? Yes they were opened a couple of weeks ago.
Uploading pics of what I was describing. Picture of the new door ironwork at Dlatin. They were deburring the metal while I was walking by, and had just removed the old gate. You can see it next to the new door frame. Picture of the new framework in front of Rumba. Picture of the construction at the old hip-hop bar in front of Classicos.
Hope this is useful.
[QUOTE=Combo; 1468994]It only gets boring if you just hang in that 3 block strip. God forbid you might take a 5-minute ride to Cabarete and try wind- or kite-surfing. Or to Playa Encuentro for board surfing.
Or just check out some of the bars / restaurants that are not on that 3 block strip.[/QUOTE]What he said. Hell. If you're that scared. Just start branching out by going to a bar or restaurant down the street past where New Garden is! Different vibe and people just 1 block away!
[QUOTE=BoredInIN; 1467150]I was originally planning on taking a trip in the early spring as it's tough for me to take vacations in the fall and winter. I recently found out I had some use it or lose it vacation. I would have to take it in September. I have been thinking of a couple US vacation spots but would probably end up spending as much as a trip to sosua, so I'm thinking of just "maning" up and booking Sosua. I started reading the DR forums daily about a month ago and off and on for years. I'm a senior member on the USA forums but have no experience internationally.
Being that I speak no Spanish I've decided that BB or Sosua is probably best for me. I will also be making this trip solo. BB is tempting but I'm afraid I will get bored. I also like the hunt and the idea of meeting / dancing / closing the deal with freelancers. Will this even be possible todo with my lack of Spanish? Thoughts on this, is Sosua too much for a solo first timer? Ideally I would like to find a seasoned monger is Sosua to show me the ropes. Also do you think a first timer should be worried about the recent events? Thanks for any help or input guys.
BoredinIN[/QUOTE]I'm a senior on USASG also, but started reading here a couple of years back when I started traveling internationally. Post your trip date in the correct thread. Go to Rocky's, hang out and someone will explain the game to you. I just helped a dude out at Miami airport in the boarding area for the POP flight the other day. Read the reports of distinction. There was one which is a turn by turn guide to Sosua. No Spanish required. I'd toss you a wingman lifeline, but I'm already here. Just be easy. Don't do anything stupid. No public drunkeness. You'll be fine.
Anyone know if and how long the main Sosua beach will be closed while they are moving things around and doing new construction?
[QUOTE=ReadyToGetOnIt; 1470263]Uploading pics of what I was describing. Picture of the new door ironwork at Dlatin. They were deburring the metal while I was walking by, and had just removed the old gate. You can see it next to the new door frame. Picture of the new framework in front of Rumba. Picture of the construction at the old hip-hop bar in front of Classicos.
Hope this is useful.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the photos.
Damn that is depressing!
Days 3 and 4. Nothing new to report except that the grill (kitchen) at Dlatin is closed. No food, and noone at the stove for 4 nights. It's good for me, because now there's more places to sit.
2 Moto Politur followed me and hassled me last night for a minute. Asking me where I was going, my name, where I was from. I kept answering in English. Then they asked me if I was drunk and if I needed a ride home, and I started answering their questions in Spanish. I told them that I was going to my hotel, no, I didn't need a ride because I like to walk and need the excercise.
I think the Spanish got them, and they backed off and left. My wing was already in the hotel with his chica, so I was walking alone on PC. It was about 2:30a. Just a heads up.