Taking Down Backpage

Fighting the World's Largest Sex Trafficker

De: Maggy Krell

Narrado por: Sara Sheckells

For almost a decade, Backpage was the world's largest sex trafficking operation. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, in 800 cities throughout the world, Backpage ran thousands of listings advertising the sale of vulnerable young people for sex. Reaping a cut off every transaction, the owners of the website raked in millions of dollars. But many of the people in the advertisements were children, as young as 12, and forced into the commercial sex trade through fear, violence, and coercion.

In Taking Down Backpage, veteran California prosecutor Maggy Krell tells the story of how she and her team prevailed against this sex trafficking monolith. Beginning with her early career as a young DA, she shares the evolution of the anti-human trafficking movement. Through a fascinating combination of memoir and legal insight, Krell reveals how she and her team started with the prosecution of street pimps and ultimately ended with the takedown of the largest purveyor of human trafficking in the world. She shares powerful stories of interviews with victims, sting operations, court cases, and the personal struggles that were necessary to bring Backpage executives to justice. Finally, Krell examines the state of sex trafficking after Backpage and the crucial work that still remains.

©2022 New York University (P)2022 Tantor

Great Prosecutor, Not so Great Author

Has all of the elements that one would want -- a dedicated prosecutor fighting indifference and lack of resources to take down a dangerous and well-funded foe (Backpage). But sadly as a book, it's just not interesting. In short, I'm glad the Maggy Krell did what she did in the courtroom for all of the victims but unfortunately the telling of it is pretty dull.