June 2023: Join The ConVersation

 I just returned from 10 days in Europe which began with a meeting in Amsterdam to hear firsthand of the consequences of legalization of prostitution with a guided tour with Raymond Venema who was the police officer who oversaw the infamous red-light district of Amsterdam for over 15 years.  Raymond is now the manager of Comensha, a human trafficking organization in Holland.  What became apparent in our observation and conversation is that once you legalize prostitution, it is very difficult to get control again of the demand you have stimulated.  Amsterdam is now trying to recover a city image of art and culture, one that does not primarily attract those who want to use drugs and engage in irresponsible sex, but it is an uphill battle with dangers to individuals and families on both sides of that precipice.  Before we allow our legislators and governors to plunge us into the swamp of decriminalization or legalization of prostitution and pimping, let us consider the long-term consequences of the “sex worker” rights picture being painted.
After Holland, I went to Vienna to speak as part of a delegation of the women’s NGO, WFWP, which has been raising concerns about family health at the UN for decades.  I was able to address the plenary session of delegates from all around the world as well as at a side event that was both in person and online.  One of my main points was that if we want to prevent much of the devastation of human trafficking and other crimes against children and the most vulnerable, we need to consider the family. The greatest obstacle to family health today is father absence, distraction or abuse.  We must continue to fund the consequences of the father crisis through women’s empowerment efforts, but if we do not invest in raising the significance of fatherhood and begin to provide support for men to be better husbands and fathers, we will not stop the hemorrhaging of children into an increasingly dark unknown.  The response I heard from some of the delegates after I spoke was gratitude that I brought fathers into the discussion.  I quoted the UNICEF Chief of Early Childhood Development Dr. Pia Britto, “More than just an extra set of hands, fathers are one of the best child development resources we have, and if we are going to give children the best start in life, we all need to fully recognize an utilize this role”

Thank you for taking fatherhood, families and communities seriously.

Patrick Erlandson, Founder: Father-Con, and See it. End it. Film & Arts Festival