Harger: Seattle’s ‘shame mail’ to Aurora sex buyers is long overdue

Women, check the mail. Especially if you’re married. Or dating. Or have a son. This is what it’s come to.

We’ve been talking for years about the sex trade on Aurora Avenue in North Seattle. Women being trafficked. Women being kept drugged and dependent. Pimps fighting over territory with actual shootouts. And the neighbors? They’re fed up.

These aren’t statistics. These are families trying to live their lives while women stumble through traffic at all hours. Johns picking up sex workers and pulling into residential side streets. Parents have told me they’ve had to explain to their young children why there are naked people in the car outside their driveway.

Think about that. Your kid is asking what those people are doing — in front of your house.

For years, almost nothing has been done. Police cite one john, maybe two. But the operation continues. The violence continues. The exploitation continues.

Time for SPD to try something different

But now, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is trying something different. And I’m here for it.

KOMO reported that detectives are sending warning letters to the registered owners of vehicles they observe picking up sex workers. The letter is blunt: “A vehicle registered to your name was observed by detectives with the Seattle Police Department Human Trafficking Unit on Aurora Avenue N. engaged in suspected illegal sexual exploitation activity.”

They include photos. Details. Time and location. No arrest, no criminal charge. Just a, “We saw you. We know what you were doing. And now everyone at your address will know too.”

That’s why women need to check the mail. Because often the family has no idea. The husband who says he’s working late. The boyfriend who’s “running errands.” The dad who’s supposedly at the gym. This letter shows up, and suddenly, there are questions to answer.

Good. There should be questions.

Look, I get that some people will say this is overreach. That it’s an accusation without due process. Fair point. But here’s what else is true: traditional enforcement hasn’t worked. The arrests don’t stick. The fines don’t deter. The problem gets worse.

Meanwhile, real people are suffering. The women being trafficked aren’t choosing this life. They’re victims. Studies show most were first trafficked as teenagers. Many suffer from PTSD as severely as combat veterans. The pimps keep them dependent on drugs, move them city to city, and control every aspect of their lives.

And the neighborhoods? They’ve become open-air markets for human misery. Kids can’t play outside. Residents find needles and condoms in their yards. They hear gunshots as pimps fight over territory.

So yes, I support these letters. Name them. Shame them. Make them explain to their wives, their girlfriends, their families what they were doing on Aurora at midnight.

To the men getting these letters: This isn’t “Pretty Woman.” This is real exploitation. Real violence. Real victims. You’re not customers. You’re predators enabling a cycle of abuse.

And to everyone else: Check your mail. Because sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it’s time to shine a light on Aurora.

Is public shaming the answer? Maybe not. But after years of looking the other way, at least it’s something.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 14. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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