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Rhode Island has long been known for its lax rules regarding prostitution, but as of November 3, the exchange of money for sex was ultimately made illegal in Rhode Island under Governor Donald Carcieri’s bill. The recent crackdown found a familiar New England personality wrangled into the mix this weekend when Robert Sormanti, 47, of Warwick, RI, was one of the 14 men and women arrested on prostitution-related charges. Sormanti is known for performing as “Pat Patriot,” the mascot for the New England Patriots football team.

While many refer to prostitution as a victimless crime, the young women arrested for selling themselves are often placed in the greatest danger. Some of the prostitutes arrested in this weekend’s sting are in their late 20’s and older, but two of the young women are just teenagers.  An obvious attempt on behalf of the  police department to demonstrate the new anti-prostitution law is being enforced, many area residents question the use of taxpayers’ money to stop prostitution.  Providence’s statistics of violent crime have continued to skyrocket in recent years, and many wonder what the police hope to achieve by focusing on the issue of prostitution.

In addition to the many sex rings that operate out of hotel rooms, Rhode Island’s sex industry has flourished in recent years behind the closed doors of massage parlors where women, often Asian immigrants, perform sexual acts during massage sessions. With these types of parlors now outlawed, many of the masseuses have been left unemployed. While  parlors continue to operate, the fear of police crackdowns is widespread.

December 17 is “International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers.” The issue deserves extra attention in the Boston and Rhode Island area this year due to the notorious murder of erotic masseuse Julissa Brickman in the Copley Marriott Hotel this past April. Brickman was a victim of Boston University School of Medicine student Philip Markoff, otherwise known as the “Craigslist Killer.”

A frequent contributor to the Directory of Boston, Megan Johnson is originally from Connecticut, but has lived in Boston since age 18. She writes for Menupages Boston, Reinventing Beauty Magazine, Butterfly Diary, Beautystat, SweetTalk on the Spot, and a variety of other publications. Follow the link to visit her appropriately-named website, Down and Out in Beacon Hill.