Authorities arrest 37 in Johnson County prostitution sting

According to a release:

Shawnee police officers participated with other Johnson County law enforcement agencies in a prostitution sting that ran Monday through Wednesday. During those three days, officers arrested 37 people, including 10 in Shawnee, for prostitution, soliciting a prostitute and promoting prostitution.

| Bob Cronkleton

Twilight star sits as member of jury

Even movie stars serve jury duty sometimes. Kristen Stewart was a jury member in Los Angeles County involving a man accused of attempting to solicit sex from an undercover police officer.

The verdict: Not guilty.

| Bob Cronkleton

Washington cities cracking down on "sexpresso" stands

Three years after Washington coffee shops started hiring bikini-clad baristas, cities are cracking down on businesses where the women are serving more than coffee.

In Everett, Wash., five women face prostitution charges for allegedly charging up to $80 to let customers fondle or photograph them.

"This is not Malibu Barbie standing at a coffee stand selling coffee," said City of Everett spokeswoman Kate Reardon.

| Bob Cronkleton

Prostitute v. constable

Their court case is going on in New Zealand.

He says she probably serviced him for free because she thought sex in the patrol car would be "cool and kinky."

She says she was pressured, scared and fearful of getting tickets she couldn't pay.

| Sara Shepherd

Brothels in Berlin are going green.

One bordello in Berlin is offering discounts for the men who bike to his brothel. Prostituion is legal in Berlin.

"It's very difficult to find parking around here, and this option is better for our environment," said Thomas Goetz, who owns the brothel Maison d'Envie, or House of Desire.

He says he's hoping it will improve business in this tough economy.

|Meredith Rodriguez

Between a prostitute and a hard place

Stole that headline from a blog that posted something on the scandal. The Minneapolis Star Tribune story begins: 

Three years into a relationship that started with him watching her dance and progressed to money for sex, the Rev. Mark Ostgarden had a proposal for exotic dancer Bunny Byington.

How about the Lutheran pastor quit paying her and they consider their relationship an affair instead?

Byington's reply? How about he pay her $7,000 or she would blab about their escapades to his wife and church?

P.S. The link includes a mug of the lovely Miss Bunny.

| Sara Shepherd

P.E. teacher jailed for running brothel

From the BBC:

During questioning, Tim Blake-Bowell claimed he had started the brothel in June 2006 in order to give his wife some financial independence and so she could work in a safe, controlled environment.

He said she had had bad experiences in the sex industry in the past.

The couple also said they had set up the brothel as a co-operative for women working individually and denied making a profit themselves.

The court heard that Tim Blake-Bowell was responsible for the financial side of the operation, paying the six women they employed and taking care of bills and rent.

His wife was in charge of the day-to-day running of the business.

The couple, both of whom sold themselves for sex, spent £1,400 a month on adverts in local newspapers under the name "Pandora's" or "Jem's", offering "discreet personal services".

|Meredith Rodriguez

What? Gunshots fired in Overland Park?

Sounds like a convoluted drama involving Craigslist, a male caller, a friend, a fight and a prostitute -- all at an apartment complex near 125th and Quivira in Overland Park. 

|Meredith Rodriguez

Teen prostitute paid in chicken nuggets

A 27-year-old man and his 16-year-old girlfriend used money the girl (also 16) earned to pay the $1,050 weekly rent on their Brisbane apartment. Her wages? An occasional box of chicken nuggets.

Judge to pimp: "Your conduct can properly be described as that of a sleaze merchant."

| Sara Shepherd

Never too young

Bad: Two men in California were accused of trying to pimp a 13-year-old girl.

Worse: When they "befriended" her, she had already been working as a prostitute.

| Sara Shepherd

Man attacks prostitute's husband after being denied refund

Apparently he wasn't satisfied.

Hat tip: Thanks, TND!

| Sara Shepherd

China cracks down on skimpy outfits, private rooms

The Chinese government is demanding that staff at discos and other entertainment venues dress modestly beginning Oct. 1. Also, they're demanding clubs install windows in all private rooms.

It's an effort to crack down on prostitution, which is illegal -- but apparently rampant -- in the country.

| Sara Shepherd

Indonesian masseuses told to padlock pants

It's the local government's idea for curbing prostitution.

Hat tip: Thank you, JUNGLE JIM!

| Sara Shepherd

Wanted: Prostitutes (er, 'sexual assistants') for the disabled

You probably already assumed this, but this is not happening here. From Switzerland:

A welfare group offereing sexual relief for the disabled plans to take the service a step further by training professional "assistants" to provide full intercourse.

The group --- funded in part by federal grants and charitable donations --- already has several people offering "sexual assistance" through an erotic massage service but wants to take it a couple bases further. A representative noted that these specially trained assistants are "more than just prostitutes ... the assistants show tenderness and are conscious of the needs of the disabled, rather than rushing and just taking the money."

Note: This bit was posted this week on ananova.com and seems to be circulating all over the place today, but the previous link seemed to have more information even though the time element isn't clear.

--- Sara Shepherd

Parrot's death inspires Fleiss to open ... a laundromat and another brothel?

Former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss --- drawing inspiration from a dead parrot --- has opened a laundromat and is working up plans for Heidi's Stud Farm, a 20-man operation she says women are already lining up to become members of.
This is all happening near Las Vegas.
I still don't get the parrot thing, but this is what the story says:
"Fleiss, who has become an avid collector of parrots and macaws ..., said she decided to open the laundromat after the death of one of her pets, a macaw named Dalton.
'I had to force myself to do something,' she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'Nothing in my 41 years --- nothing --- ever affected me like this.'"