It’s a scary thought that hookers worked the parking lot of a local grocery store last week.

Wednesday, July 19, 2000

It’s a scary thought that hookers worked the parking lot of a local grocery store last week.

What’s scary is that it wasn’t a truck stop, a bar district or another area where you might expect it. It was blatantly in the parking lot of a store where many residents of this community frequent – whether to buy a gallon of milk or buy a week’s worth of groceries.

Surely, residents of this community have to be thinking about the incident. Four women from Milwaukee, Wis., came to town with a man alleged to be a pimp, and they started soliciting sex for money.

Luckily, the only trick was in their apprehension.

In the incident in the store’s parking lot, a man waiting in his car was approached by one of the women. He was given a card advising him to call the woman at a nearby motel. The man made the right choice.

The man called the Austin Police Department. They agreed to meet downtown to discuss the arrangement, and ultimately the woman offered to have sex with the man and his wife for $200. That’s when the cops in hiding moved in and made the bust.

Chalk one up to an involved citizenry.

However, we shouldn’t have to experience that type of crime here in Austin. If we make it difficult for hookers to ply their trade on the streets – or the parking lots – of our community, and let them know what the price is to make any attempts at getting sex for cash, then maybe the pimps will think twice before moving into town in an effort to make a few quick bucks.

It’s good news that men being propositioned are willing to make the effort to help bring an end to this crime in Austin. However, as long as there are johns, there will be hookers willing to pass through town and sell sex.

Residents of our community should be scared to walk our downtown at night. They should be concerned about being propositioned in the parking lots of our grocery stores. Is anything sacred? Can’t we buy a gallon of milk without the fear of being asked to help a hooker turn a trick?

It’s time for this community to be aware of the crime of prostitution in this city. It’s also time for the citizens to demand that this city adopt a no-tolerance attitude toward the crime. If they don’t, it only will get worse.