In the state of New York, johns can face a punishment of up to one year in prison. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
More than 900 individuals have been arrested for patronizing prostitutes since the launch of NYPD’s Losing Proposition initiative in 2011, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said on Thursday.
“The department is focusing on the demand side of the equation,” Kelly said. “The exploitation of women is not a victimless crime.”
The most recent chapter of the initiative, which was conducted over the course of three days last week, resulted in the arrests of 156 johns across 28 precincts.
According to New York state law, customers who pay adult prostitutes for sex face up to one year in prison, while pimps face up to 25 years.
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