File under "Ironic"

[highnote]

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35926009

So a guy in Oklahoma City used a drone to shoot video of a sex worker in action. The prostitute was prosecuted for lewdness and got a year in the state pen. Seems like a harsh punishment.

The guy who did the videotaping... Mr. Bates. :lol:

According to the article he says he is well-known in town.

He says, "For the last 20 years I've used a video camera to document street-level and forced prostitution, and human trafficking."

That sounds noble enough. But what is the purpose of it, if it causes a woman to go to prison for a year? Prostitution has been going on since the dawn of time.

I understand trying to prevent forced prostitution and human trafficking, but when his use of a drone to record a sex act results in a 1 year prison sentence for the prostitute, I don't see how he is helping the situation.

How about trying to help young women like the one he filmed become rehabilitated. Prison is unlikely to help this poor woman.

1 year in prison seems like a terrible waste of money.

Maybe I'm missing something? Maybe I am too liberal? Or too compassionate?

It takes to tango. Why didn't the guy buying her service get a year in jail?

[Dave Schwartz]

Highnote,

Our society often gets mixed up about who the real victims are.

IMHO, girls on the street fall into the victim category. (I am trying to get in touch with my liberal side. Dad would be so proud.)

Of course, there is a logical progression to asking the question, "How did they get into that category?" and that is a slippery slope down to "society." That's when I check out of the theory.

After years of being "victims" there is a point where they really do become "criminals," albeit low-level ones. Ultimately, they should be responsible for their actions.

[highnote]

Highnote,

Our society often gets mixed up about who the real victims are.

IMHO, girls on the street fall into the victim category. (I am trying to get in touch with my liberal side. Dad would be so proud.)

Of course, there is a logical progression to asking the question, "How did they get into that category?" and that is a slippery slope down to "society." That's when I check out of the theory.

After years of being "victims" there is a point where they really do become "criminals," albeit low-level ones. Ultimately, they should be responsible for their actions.


I read some other stories about this case because it is an odd story.

Mr. Bates (can't stop laughing about that name) runs a website called johntv.com where he reports on prostitution.

Maybe he is actually doing some good? Seems like exploitation to me. He should do it discreetly and not seek publicity, in my opinion. But to each his own.

You're right. At some point people have to be responsible for their own behavior. She's probably mixed up in drugs. And addiction can be a terrible thing and cause a person to go to extreme measures to satisfy their cravings.

In this case, the young prostitute was hired by a 75 year old man! They drove down a deserted road and into a remote location and had sex. Mr. Bates followed them (he knew her from other encounters in OKC).

Mr. Bates then flew his drone close to their truck and shot video of them in "the act".

I'm not sure how it is public lewdness when no one is around to see it except the guy hovering a drone outside the window of a truck and watching on his tv monitor from a few hundred feet away. :D

What a world we live in! :bang:

[OntheRail]

It's a wonder that Master Bates did not get arrested for voyeurism and invasion of privacy. :lol:

[highnote]

It's a wonder that Master Bates did not get arrested for voyeurism and invasion of privacy. :lol:

Master Bates is an expert in filming lewd acts. He always has the job well in hand.

[Dave Schwartz]

Drones really open a can of worms. Recently had a conversation about drones and stalking the other day. How does one defend against that? Or peeping Toms with drones, for that matter?
/QUOTE]

Drone With a Gun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI--wFfipvA)
(Apparently I am still YT-challenged. LOL)


On the previous topic, it is, of course a funny name to be associated with this.

On the serious side of that, my very limited experience with a couple of "hooker haters" I knew 4 decades ago tells me that they are never quite right. I'd guess that Mr. Bates could use more than a little therapy.

[betovernetcapper]

This sounds to me as though this Mr. Bates is getting his kink on by camera.
Re the street sex workers are largely driven by addiction, though there is such a thing as human trafficking. I wonder how many traffickers he has put is jail over 20 years. My guess would be less than 1.
A year for what is a victim less crime seems very harsh. I wonder how long the John got.

[Actor]

Drone With a Gun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI--wFfipvA)
(Apparently I am still YT-challenged. LOL)

Our military needs this. Seriously! Why send our men into harms way if we can give them remotes instead of rifles? Our enemies will certainly do it.

I bet our military is working on it.

[HalvOnHorseracing]

Our military needs this. Seriously! Why send our men into harms way if we can give them remotes instead of rifles? Our enemies will certainly do it.

I bet our military is working on it.
It's been going on for years. The drones the U.S. uses can fly at really high altitudes, they are relatively silent, and the people on the ground have no idea their are being surveilled. Not to mention the military satellites.

[barahona44]

I read some other stories about this case because it is an odd story.

Mr. Bates (can't stop laughing about that name) runs a website called johntv.com where he reports on prostitution.

Maybe he is actually doing some good? Seems like exploitation to me. He should do it discreetly and not seek publicity, in my opinion. But to each his own.

You're right. At some point people have to be responsible for their own behavior. She's probably mixed up in drugs. And addiction can be a terrible thing and cause a person to go to extreme measures to satisfy their cravings.

In this case, the young prostitute was hired by a 75 year old man! They drove down a deserted road and into a remote location and had sex. Mr. Bates followed them (he knew her from other encounters in OKC).

Mr. Bates then flew his drone close to their truck and shot video of them in "the act".

I'm not sure how it is public lewdness when no one is around to see it except the guy hovering a drone outside the window of a truck and watching on his tv monitor from a few hundred feet away. :D

What a world we live in! :bang:
That old guy could be part of a new advertising campaign for Viagra. :)

On a more serious note, the woman in question may have had a string of prostitution beefs and the judge finally got tired of it.Or rmaybe, the judge saw with the novelty of the drone an opportunity to make people aware of they may be recorded.The fastest way to get rid of prostitutes is to get rid of their customers.

[highnote]

On a more serious note, the woman in question may have had a string of prostitution beefs and the judge finally got tired of it.Or rmaybe, the judge saw with the novelty of the drone an opportunity to make people aware of they may be recorded.The fastest way to get rid of prostitutes is to get rid of their customers.

From what I read it wasn't her first brush with the law. Also, the police probably felt they had to do something given the footage that was given to them.

I just find it odd that there is such a person as a sex worker vigilante. He claims to have helped arrest prostitutes who were later charged with murder and also that at least one prostitute was murdered. So maybe he is doing some good?

He said he used to sneak up to the cars and open the doors when they were in the act, but felt it was becoming too dangerous. So now he just flies a drone to try to capture footage of them in the act.

You'd think a pimp might start getting pissed off at Mr. Bates and take matters into his own hand.