Attorney General Greg Zoeller, representatives from the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, social service agencies and police met Friday for an all-day forum to discuss the issue.
Authorities are concerned about a likely increase in prostitution stemming from the Super Bowl and are grappling with ways to address it.
Zoeller said it would help if the demand for illicit services could be curbed.
"Men must take the lead in not creating a demand in the illegal activity," he said. "We have to make it clear that it's not socially acceptable."
Often, prostitutes who are in the Super Bowl city are victims of human trafficking, having been brought in to fulfill a perceived uptick in demand. Because they are often in the country illegally, victims of human trafficking are less likely to seek help.
"When you look at human trafficking, you really have to look at the young girls who have been brought to the United States, many of them against their will, or they've been told a different story about why they're being brought for some type of work," Zoeller said. "Working to identify and rescue victims is a challenge, because they're not going to come forward on their own."
Zoeller said Indiana has work to do in the Legislature to address human trafficking.
"We don't have a statute specifically focused on those who traffic … in both sex and labor," Zoeller said. "We have a very short window to make it over the legislative deadlines (before the Super Bowl)."Sorry, Greg, but you should know that human trafficking isn't exactly the way to describe what takes place during the Super Bowl. Think about those lavish parties your good buddy Tim Durham used to throw out at his Geist mansion where all of those high-priced ladies got flown into town to entertain all of his hanger-on friends and the politicians who were taking all of his campaign dough. Yeah, that's the kind of entertainment that takes place during the Super Bowl. These aren't exactly victims of human trafficking; they're highly-paid adult entertainers who consent to selling themselves for money.
It's comical to hear these so-called law enforcement officials have these discussions when none of them are willing to step forward and suggest that State Rep. Phil Hinkle's $80 hook-up at the J.W. Marriott with an 18-year-old Pike Township High School student in response to the student's ad on Craig's List seeking a "sugga daddy" rose to the level of prostitution, or at a minimum, constituted a violation of the city's ordinance governing escort services. Sorry, but people who can afford to attend the Super Bowl aren't looking to pick up trashy street-walkers. Get a clue. I can't believe the local news media covers these BS press conferences without asking any tough questions.
