New Seattle proposal aimed at stopping prostitution and gun violence on Aurora Avenue

SEATTLE — Dozens of neighbors and business owners fed up with the prostitution and correlating gun violence along Aurora Avenue in North Seattle believe there’s new hope as the city takes additional steps to tackle the ongoing crime.

Those who live and work in the area say it’s gotten out of control.

Dana Mongillo owns a dog daycare and says a woman who was trafficked recently ended up in her shop.

“She had been abducted from another city she had been brought to this neighborhood and told to go stand on the corner and make money. She ended up hiding in my business for four hours before someone could drive from her town over here to pick her up. This is what sex trafficking looks like,” said Mongillo.

Seattle city leaders say local kids are also getting recruited.

14-year-old Fiona Wilson shared a terrifying story about her sister.

“My younger sister who’s 11 was approached by a pimp while she was on a walk with my mom. The guy rolled down his window and stared at her. That’s just not something I want my sister to have to go through or for me to go through, anyone,” said Wilson.

At a news conference Thursday, City Councilmember Cathy Moore revealed she is proposing legislation to create a new loitering law for prostitution, giving police a new tool to approach those involved with prostitution and make arrests with enhanced penalties.

“We’re not here to demonize the women who are engaged in abusive activity. We are here to provide them an off-ramp, but more importantly, we’re here to target the buyers and we’re here to target the pimps because they are the ones who are driving the gun violence,” said Moore.

According to the City of Seattle, from mid-May to mid-July, there were more than 30 shootings in the area, including two high-profile gun battles in the street that were caught on camera.

The legislation will next go before the city’s Public Safety Committee on August 13.

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