Why weren’t the sex buyers arrested?

Dear Chief Palmer:

We applaud the courage of the young women and man who gave evidence and were prepared to testify in court in order that convicted sex offender Michael Bannon, who exploited them for profit, as well as the public, could understand the horrors they have faced and survived. We acknowledge their resilience, and we are grateful for their bravery.

Because they suffered so much at the hands of the sex buyers and this pimp, we ask why the Vancouver Police Department has not arrested the sex buyers who caused these great harms to these young women and young man?  The court heard how Michael Bannon brought these victims to sex buyers’ homes; and about the thousands of pages of documents detailing the interactions and the locations of these crimes. Why was the information in these documents not used to arrest the sex buyers?

Robert Pickton, the infamous confessed local killer of 49 women, was a sex buyer, not a pimp.  When the police arrest sex buyers, they stop the violence. Arresting only the pimp means the sex buyers can continue to buy.  Which means that demand for paid access to the bodies of women and children continues to grow. The 2014 federal legislation Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act gives police the authority to arrest those who pay to rent women and children’s bodies.  We call on the VPD to arrest the sex buyers.  Let them be publicly faced with the brutality of their crimes.

Sincerely,
Mary-Lee Bouma & Adria Pritchard Doll
Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity (REED)

The letter above was personalized and sent via email on 14 February 2018 to each of the following people, and we encourage you to write your own letter or in support of our letter to any of them.

Local press coverage & statements:

“…experience from hell.” – The Vancouver Sun

Underage victim lays out the emotional toll – CBC

Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter Statement

Sentencing of Michael Bannon – News 1130