Today in El Diario: The War on Prostitution Cards

The War on Prostitution Cards

Along a 40-block stretch of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, you can occasionally hear the words "girls, girls" murmured at night, according to the Spanish-language daily. But these whispers are actually the sales pitch of prostitution-card distributors. These cards -- which feature "very explicit photos of completely nude women" -- advertise home-delivery of these ladies-for-hire, reports the paper.

Queens lawmakers say the problem is that children from Jackson Heights, Corona, and Elmhurst find the cards in the streets -- and look at them.  

"Kids are picking them up and trading them like they're baseball cards," Senator Jose Peralta said Sunday at a press conference.

To combat this, Peralta and other elected officials announced the proposal of a bill that would punish card distributors with a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail. Lawmakers also told the daily that the prostitution-card problem is not a new issue, but that it might be spreading.

"I've seen the cards, but I didn't pick them up," little 11-year old Jessica Sumba told the paper. "I didn't want any trouble."

"God willing, they fix this problem as soon as possible," her older brother, Luis Sumba, told reporters.

Sonia Paute, mother of a six-year-old girl, said that parents must support politicians who are in favor of the bill.

"We don't want this for our kids," she said. "Also, as a woman, I'm ashamed to be seeing this."

Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras told reporters that "enough is enough."

"It's disgusting," she said. "No child in our community should be exposed to this."