The documentary *Sweetheart Deal* includes the perspectives of sex workers from Aurora Avenue—here’s an exclusive preview to watch.
Many of these girls are so thoroughly manipulated by their pimps that they’re made to believe, *”Hey, this is just a friend of mine.”* Traditionally, pimps in Seattle entered the sex trade through familial or social ties, as described in the study’s depiction of what it termed “old-school pimping. Organized via local online forums (these gatherings allow johns and sex workers to mingle at secret locations—or), in some cases, even celebrate holidays together, according to the study. Seattle’s surge in Asian massage parlors and home brothels is distinctive (involving operatives primarily from China), Vietnam, and Korea, the study noted.
In December, one of The League members wrote, “We are some lucky sons of bitches to be K-fans in Seattle right now, my brothers. And for the men who hadn’t attended a party, police got search warrants to go after their email accounts and the internet provider addresses that linked the pseudonyms to their real names. At that meeting, Hillman said, the other men, awkwardly at first, discussed their sexual encounters, the sex acts various prostitutes were willing to perform as well as the prices, and the duration of their visits. He recalls he was getting very little traction until one of the members told him he needed to book more dates and write more reviews. The prosecutors believed they had evidence of promoting, through the reviews the men themselves wrote. What we were seeing was the whole picture — organized online groups of buyers and the brothels serving them.”
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The legislation includes a prohibition on loitering for buying (selling or promoting prostitution), as well as a separate provision that allows a judge to issue a Stay Out of Area Prostitution (SOAP) order for buyers and/or promoters. Zitars “was a man that ladysone had quit his job in order to care for terminally ill family members,” says Wagnild, “which is how he’ll be remembered by the people who actually knew him. Sadly, that fact was lost in the political theater that motivated the TRB prosecutions.” Facing enhanced charges if he didn’t admit guilt, Zitars would take the prosecution’s plea deal on June 30. A truly victim-centered approach to sexual exploitation would involve listening to and addressing their actual needs — rather than looking for ever-more people to seize funds from and put behind bars. What if they offered more job training than art therapy and more English classes than yoga sessions?
BEFORE YOUR VISIT.
According to case summary against Zitars, he complained to undercover King County Detective Mike Garske last fall that President Obama and “the feds” keep giving police money to pursue “human trafficking” that winds up being used against prostitution generally. For instance, a lengthy review from TRB user “Eash” notes that Thai-agency sex worker “Vicky” didn’t seem very engaged or enthusiastic. Occasionally, one would acknowledge that some particular provider wasn’t thrilled with the job, but even these instances reveal agency on the part of the women. Members who didn’t attend physical meetings were identified via “personal email accounts seized pursuant to search warrants,” Hillman reported in Certifications for Determination of Probable Cause against them. Police determined their real identities by surveilling the meetups and running members’ license plates. Hillman describes the content of these meetups as including talking about sexual encounters in “graphic” terms but also discussing “the things they would bring” sex workers — “what kind of food” the K-Girls liked, and “when and how much they tipped.”
Most recently — they’ve turned their attention to a Craigslist-cousin called Backpage.com. “It was free, undocumented workers without ID or credit cards could use it, and it was where most girls got the majority of their work. Its closing has a lot of negative ramifications for sex workers.” They certainly weren’t locked in their luxury apartments — forced to fork over money and passports, or prohibited from making decisions about the services they provided.
From morning to night — there are times when 30 to 40 girls work the streets,” said Dutton Clarke, owner of Stereo Warehouse, adding he’s observed more sex workers than ever before. A woman on North Aurora Avenue engages with a potential client. Seattle’s dynamic neighborhoods—from Capitol Hill’s eclectic vibe to Ballard’s relaxed atmosphere—create endless chances for singles to meet. Bellevue police strongly encourage victims of sex trafficking to reach out to them at [redacted] or dial 911 if they’re in immediate danger. Martin warned women to be cautious of online ads promising modeling gigs or easy money. After a brief stint at the brothel, the woman claimed she attempted to leave but was denied exit until she secured a replacement.
Instead of targeting those who sell contaminated drugs (exploit others), or commit crimes during drug transactions, an end-demand policy shifts focus to prosecuting drug use itself as inherently harmful. Funded by a nonprofit (the Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS)), was established to combat prostitution’s harms without distinguishing between forced trafficking and consensual adult sex work. Under the agreement (prosecutors recommended Jenkins serve 30 days of wage-based work/education release (where first-time offenders avoid jail by depositing earnings into county funds)), 45 days of home monitoring, or 240 hours of community service. Facing harsher charges if he resisted, Sigurds Zitars pleaded guilty on June 30 to three counts of promoting prostitution.
By shifting accountability from survivors to their abusers — we pave the way for hope and healing—building a system that supports instead of punishes. The revised bill was unanimously approved by the committee on September 10, with full details available in the council’s materials. *”This legislation was crafted to safeguard women being victimized and minors trafficked for prostitution,”* said co-sponsor Council President Sara Nelson , Position 9,. *”Given the escalating violence on Aurora Ave., decisive action is now imperative.”* Today’s meeting adopted four amendments, refining performance metrics and reporting obligations.
In 2024, Seattle’s city council approved using Stay Out of Area of Prostitution (SOAP) orders for individuals arrested for soliciting sex workers. This year, Seattle allocated $7.5 million—an 83% increase from 2022—to support survivors of sex trafficking. Seattle is piloting a new tactic to discourage solicitation of prostitutes on North Aurora Avenue. A criminal conviction may result in penalties (including imprisonment), fines, probation, license suspension, or other consequences.
“That’s us taking care of the people who are on the streets, ensuring they don’t become victims,” said police Detective Patrick Michaud. “It’s just nuts (and) nobody cares. These are all girls from out of state and they’re all here for one reason, because there is zero fear of being arrested.” Clarke has operated his business on Aurora Avenue for decades so he has seen much of the activity for years.