The fight to end sexual exploitation in Duluth continues today

Illustration by Karli Kruse

Come 2019, Duluth will be in its sixth year of dedicating the month of January to the prevention of human trafficking in the Twin Ports, yet another attempt to end the atrocity. Officials want to stress that this alone cannot get the job done.

“If we can start talking to young men, young teens, about respect for young women and that everything from the telling of dirty jokes to going to strip clubs to hosting bachelor parties — all of that, really — degrades and minimizes a young woman’s dignity,” said Adele Yorde, Public Relations Director for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and member of the DPD Trafficking Task Force. “It starts there. Is that trafficking? No. But allowing that to continue, that ‘boys will be boys,’ it’s just not OK.”

Activists, like Adele Yorde, are trying to stress that it is not the proprietors that drive this awful industry, but rather its the demand from the customers that has kept it afloat. We need to educate young men to have respect for women, and stop the “locker room talk” culture. Additionally, education is needed on both sides to end trafficking-teaching boys to respect women and teaching girls to respect themselves.

For the city of Duluth, this is not a new issue. Canal Park today is a bustling attraction site that entertains thousands of tourists every year, but just over 100 years ago it was known as Duluth’s “red light district,” and a different kind of entertainment. Previously named “St. Croix Ave”, Canal Park Drive was home to over a dozen “Female boarding houses” and employed nearly 200 “working girls.” Most of the girls were immigrants brought to the U.S. for the purpose of being sold, violating the Federal Immigration Act of 1907, and was visited by all manner of customers. From ship crews docked for the night, Duluth citizens, and even city officials, visiting these types of establishments became part of the norm.

A blemish in Duluth’s history, at one point it was stated that over 60 “houses of disrepute” were located in the city during the early 20th century. Once viewed as a “necessary evil,” the district was able to run with minimum fuss as long as they kept the Police Department and politicians well funded. The City Council spent years fighting the issue, and finally, almost 110 years ago, voted to close all brothels on St. Croix Avenue on Dec. 22, 1908. To read more about this darker history of Duluth visit here.

The problem was not an overnight fix. Houses still ran illegally, raids became common, arrests piled up, and the problem remained. The fight continues today well into the 21st century. Instead of a particular street, or a section of the city to go to, these vile acts are transpiring online, making them significantly harder to contain and prevent. In 2010, the city of Duluth created a task force specializing in trafficking and passed legislation with the goal of aiding victims of sexual exploitation (in the past, it was commonplace for these victims to be charged criminally for acts they were forced to do under duress).

The city of Duluth offers resources to those that feel vulnerable, or victimized by sexual exploitation and trafficking, as well as education for those that would like to know more. One resource available is the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA). PAVSA’s mission, as stated on their website is, “Dedicated to the elimination of sexual violence in Southern St. Louis County through supporting victims, educating the community, and advocating for change.” They offer resources such as 24/7 counseling, programs such as art and yoga to aid victims in recovery, as well as medical and legal advice and services. For more information on the mission and services offered by PAVSA, click here.