Victims of prostitution and adult victims of sex trafficking are being publicly humiliated by having their mugshots displayed on the El Paso Police Department's website. Other states, such as Alabama, have halted this demeaning and demoralizing practice that sets victims of pimping and trafficking back and away from success and recovery. Displaying these women's faces on the internet not only hampers their recovery, but identifies them publicly to organizations and individuals who may seek to harm them either in or out of jail. The practice of displaying mugshots of prostitutes also functions as advertisement as they are likely to be solicited in public for sexual services after they have been recognized by johns. This practice needs to be terminated immediately.

Rep. Jack Williams (R-Birmingham) said of the suspension of the practice of posting prostitutes' mugshots publicly, "We're trying to look at these women less as criminals and more as victims, and we don't want to see them be revictimized."

Please join me in petitioning El Paso's Chief of Police, Greg Allen, to take down the pictures of women he has on this site and start protecting them instead of pimping them!