Correction: DA will prosecute prostitutes

October 8, 2015
Dan Dow

District Attorney Dan Dow

The San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday it plans to prosecute adult prostitutes who it does not deem are victims.

In a March Tribune article, “SLO County prosecutors to view prostitutes as victims, not criminals,” it says the district attorney’s office is changing the way it “prosecutes the sex trade industry, viewing prostitutes as victims of exploitation or forced labor rather than as criminals.” CalCoastNews later repeated the assertion.

Dan Dow said his office has never announced plans to stop prosecuting prostitutes. However, one of the goals of the department’s anti-human trafficking task force is to determine if the subject is a victim of human trafficking before labeling them a prostitute.

“The demand for adult sexual services or prostitution is too often filled by criminal organizations, gangs and others in society who prey on vulnerable juvenile victims by coercing them into a situation where the victims bodies are sold over and over again,” Dow said. “Therefore, in an effort to reduce the demand for activities that lead to commercial sexual exploitation of juveniles, we will continue to prosecute prostitution whether it be the solicitor or the adult sex worker.”


Well let’s see Corrupt DA investigator used local hookers and he got away with it, then you have Cory Pierce who also used hookers and got away with it, then you have the many members who made the phony Face Book SUMMER JOHNSON and all the LEO’s used the site for hookers and NOT one has been charged ?

So wasting the taxpayer monies on these stings would better spent on local LEO corruption and misconduct. Odd that some of the Johns were also LEO’s that were let go ?

Jorge Estrada

In Nevada, they license them so that some of the deposits go into local projects. Sad but atleast practical.

fishing village

Another argument for ‘legal’ prostitution. Has anyone paid attention? So many ‘do gooders’ running everything.


Geez, they can’t just figure out which when they arrest them? Seems like it would be pretty easy to me.


So, basically his statement is that they will do their jobs. OK. If you don’t wish to be misunderstood in the future, don’t make blanket statements. Prosecute cases on a case by case basis according to the laws that you are sworn to uphold.


I would have thought that after the 60’s sexual revolution the profession would have become more or less extinct.

I do believe that prostitutes are victims. My feelings are that most of these human beings were victims long before they started selling their bodies for money. A majority became victims in their homes at a very early age…. How is prosecuting them going to help. Tougher sentences for the traffickers, and the deviants who are exploiting human beings for their own gratification..


Most prostitutes, both male and female, are drug addicts who turn tricks to get drug money. The best way to combat the problems with prostitution would be to offer comprehensive drug treatment and support services. It’s much cheaper and better in the long run than spending all the money on police, prosecutions, and jail.


How about government paid all expense trips to the brothels of Nevada for would-be Johns? That would end the illegal prostitution problem.


Dan Dow needs to stop making excuses for his lackluster job performance as he is the poster child of catch and release plea bargaining for even the worst repeat offenders. In fact, Dow is one of the reasons we have such a high ratio of repeat offenders, with his grandmotherly kit glove treatment of criminals that have learned crime in SLO county really does pay. Dow should be removed from his position as prosecutor now that he has consistently demonstrated that he is a friend to criminals across the board, either out of laziness or just the fat cat government paycheck & perk syndrome. Perhaps he would fair better as defense lawyer but, that would require work. He and PR Parkinson can name the Sherriff’s drug boat “the office” and just wait out their terms on the waterfront sipping margaritas collecting free tax dollars. Or is that what their doing already?

Jim Anderson

That’s nice Mr. Dow, but will you prosecute criminal County Supervisor Adam Hill and Tom Jones from PG&E for trying to cover up Eco Solutions’ and Charles Tenborg’s illegal handling and dumping of PG&E’s hazardous waste? That’s the question.


Assuming prostitutes are in control of their own destinies, this makes sense.