Ashton Kutcher Backs Strip Clubs Mikhail Bell September 21, 2011
This week, Hollywood heartthrob and Demi Moore consort Ashton Kutcher debuted as Charlie Sheen’s successor on the hit television sitcom "Two and One Half Men."
But his more interesting, and disturbing, appearance may have been in August, when Kutcher, who’s an anti-sex trafficking advocate, appeared on the "David Letterman Show{". He was wearing a bulletproof vest that amusingly read “Not Dave.”
Kutcher had good reason to bring protection. Two weeks earlier a jihadist issued a fatwa against Letterman after the comedian told a joke about al-Qaeda.
Most of the Kutchner-Letterman exchange focused on the new season of "Two and a Half Men". But Kutcher’s underreported comment about his own support of the commercial sex industry suggested he should have brought a mouth guard rather than bulletproof vest to protect against embarrassing prattle.
“Who doesn’t like a Live Show?”Letterman spent nearly 10 minutes peppering Kutcher about plot twists and the death of Charlie Sheen’s character. In March, CBS fired Sheen after revelations about his licentious private life surfaced.
By May, the network had replaced Sheen ostensibly to right the show’s image. Yet, as the remarks of Mr. Kutcher evinced, Two and Half Men, a TV show known for tawdry storylines, appears to be giving viewers more of the same: smut.
After perfunctory formalities, the former Calvin Klein model eschewed tact, and Letterman’s queries turned sophomoric. Letterman baited Kutcher with “Mind a few theoretical questions?”
Unwittingly, the actor consented. Then, trying to rate Kutcher’s proclivities compared to Sheen’s notorious antics, the comedian chose crass over class, asking “Do you prefer strippers or porn stars?”
Kutcher soaked up 10 seconds of laughter and applause as he smiled uncomfortably. Then he started to answer Letterman’s lewd inquiry: “I have a foundation that fights human trafficking.” Good start.
“Oh, there you go. Good for you!” Letterman puffed.
“…And neither of those qualifies as human trafficking,” Kutcher unwisely continued. Then he stuck his foot in his mouth. “The live thing is nice. Who doesn’t like a live show?” he retorted. Suddenly his venerable preface was swallowed up in a torrent of affirming laughter.
Real Men Don’t Buy Girls In April, the Demi and Ashton Foundation (DNA), founded by the actor and his actress wife, launched an international campaign denouncing the trend of older men purchasing sex from prostituted younger women. Dubbed “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls”, the online effort crafted videos featuring celebrities, such as music mogul Justin Timberlake, comic Conan O’Brien, and Academy Award winner Sean Penn.
“The average man who buys a girl is 30-years old, has no prior criminal record, and has a well-paying job,” Kutcher then told the Huffington Post.
Kutcher’s coy words on Letterman were imprudent and base. Generally, stripping and pornography are not included in most accepted definitions of human trafficking, as the frontline anti-human trafficking activist is presumably aware.
Not So GrayStripping is among a subset of activities through which sex trafficking persists. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports “stripping,” “live-sex shows” and “pornography” among activities into which trafficking victims are forced. Stripping itself is not directly considered forced but trends dangerously close as it fuels the growing demand by overwhelmingly male buyers for commercial sex acts. According to the Polaris Project, an anti-trafficking non-profit, strip clubs are one of many likely venues where victims of human trafficking can be found. The clubs are often training grounds for women who end up in prostitution and/or “acting” in pornographic films.
Tech Crunch editor Michael Arrington in 2007 revealed the breadth of the sordid industry. In 2006 alone “U.S. porn sites” raked in a collective $2.84 billion. That is approximately “$89/second.”
The story of street prostitution is even more sobering. A 1985 Canadian study marked the mortality rate, i.e. incidence of death, of prostituted women at 40 times higher than the national average.
While some women may willingly participate in prostitution, many are unaware of the life of drug addiction, physical abuse and diminished self-worth that accompanies their higher income. What is more, those controlling the women give them daily quotas. Failure to meet the targets often results in beatings, as a January incident in Las Vegas revealed.
According to Judith Gough of Catholic Charities USA, a national faith-based non-profit with local chapters, trafficked persons face many health risks. Those forced to perform commercial sex acts – entailing an exchange of money or in kind goods – are at a heightened risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), depression, physical abuse and forced abortions. The ResponseThe 2000s heralded increased involvement among church groups in the war against human trafficking. The Salvation Army has increased awareness of trafficking and informed responses to trafficking locally through partnerships with government agencies. The Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAAST) conducts trainings nationally focused on equipping social services providers. In 2008, Australian evangelist Christine Caine started the A21 Campaign to stamp out trafficking in Greece. Earlier this year the organization expanded to California.
More recently, independent activists denounced Kutcher’s remarks on Change.org, a popular advocacy website that allows users to create free petitions. Their calls for an apology to trafficking victims have gone unheeded as, at the time of this writing, the actor has not retracted his remarks. As of this writing, the petition has over 250 signatures.
Kutcher may have garnered a few laughs during his 15-minute Letterman appearance. But he may have simultaneously lost the respect of people who are tirelessly fighting to end human trafficking and validated two industries that thrive on gender-based exploitation.
Tragically, Kutcher missed a major teachable moment. Adored and respected by many, he could have sidestepped the question. He could have responded disapprovingly of the objectifying reality many women in the sex industry face. His statements were especially disappointing because he should know better. The reputed angel investor, actor, and producer is used to being in the public eye. He is used to listeners hanging on his every word. But this time Kutcher’s attempts to ingratiate fell flat.
From the A21 Campaign, here are 21 simple things you can do to combat human trafficking.
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