The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) has just submitted an Amicus Brief in support of the lawsuit against Craigslist filed by Sheriff Dart of Cook County, Illinois seeking to hold them accountable for their role in facilitating sex trafficking. CATW’s Amicus Brief contains an impressive list of 31 co-signers representing a wide range of domestic and international members of the anti-human trafficking movement. The goal of the law suit is singular: close the ‘adult services’ section of Craigslist. “It is well known that Craigslist’s ‘adult services’ section has become the technological red light district for pimps/traffickers and johns,” says CATW’s Co-Executive Director, Norma Ramos, Esq. “Sheriff Dart's Craigslist lawsuit requests the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to compel Craigslist to no longer host these ads. In doing so an industry standard could be set which would help create a human trafficking-free Internet,” says CATW’s Founder, Dorchen Leidholdt, Esq.
“For far too long, Craigslist has been profiting from the facilitation of the prostitution and trafficking of women and minors in Cook County. It is time this website be held accountable for the harm that they continually enable,” says Rachel Durchslag, Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE.)
“Craigslist continues to cynically profit from the rank exploitation of others by functioning as an online pimp,” says Ms. Ramos. Our Amicus Brief, prepared by CATW’s pro bono law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, demonstrates the widespread support for Sheriff Dart’s bold legal efforts to hold Craigslist accountable.
