Larchmont Residents Share Concerns About Sex Buyers and Traffickers in Their Community
Residents Raise Concerns Over Increased Sex Work in Larchmont Neighborhood
Residents in Larchmont have voiced concerns about a rise in sex work in their area, claiming that sex workers and their clients have been frequenting their neighborhood at night, leaving behind used contraceptives on the streets.
Long-time residents spoke to NBC Los Angeles on Friday, detailing their experiences with sex workers, traffickers, and customers who are reported to gather nightly between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
"Johns pick up prostitutes on Western, which is a couple of blocks away, then they drive over here and have sex in the car,” a neighbor, identified as Larry, explained. “Not only in the car, it’s also outside the car. I’ve got a bench over here right in front of my house, and they’ve had sex on the bench.”
Another neighbor, Karen Gilman, noted that these activities are visible as early as 7 a.m., coinciding with families gathering for school at Van Ness Elementary School. "There are children in the neighborhood, walking to school with their parents," she said.
Residents report used condoms and wrappers strewn across the streets, with NBC Los Angeles photographer JR Hall capturing images of these items. “How do you explain this to a 6, 7 or 8-year-old?” Gilman questioned, expressing her concern about the impact on children.
While the visible activity is troubling, neighbors expressed deeper worries regarding the women being trafficked into their community. "It’s my understanding the reason that it’s getting worse here is because they’ve cracked down on the Figueroa Corridor, and therefore, people are moving into other areas where they are not under so much pressure,” Larry noted.
In response, city officials recently announced that surveillance cameras would be installed along the Figueroa Corridor to monitor sex buyers and help deter this behavior. The LAPD has stated it is collaborating with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to target traffickers and disrupt sex trafficking networks.
Despite these efforts, residents have been advised by police not to confront sex traffickers directly due to safety concerns. “These are people who have the ability to be violent. In fact, we have been threatened,” Larry warned, recounting a direct threat made to him and other neighbors.
The local neighborhood association is in ongoing discussions with the Los Angeles Police Department and the office of Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez. Gilman recalled officials stating, “We can’t arrest our way out of this because of what drives this illicit trade. However, we can crew it out of our neighborhood with more patrolling.”
In the meantime, residents are taking proactive measures, such as putting up signs to indicate that security cameras are monitoring their activities and calling for increased police patrols. "The police are sending letters to the johns saying, ‘We’re writing to you because we captured your license plate number on camera and this activity, the indecent exposure activity on the public street, and we hope you’re aware of it,’” Gilman added.
In response to these concerns, Councilmember Soto-Martinez announced the launch of a task force focused on human trafficking along Western Avenue. “As part of this work with the City Attorney and law enforcement, we’re partnering with Journey Out, an organization that specializes in rescuing young women and girls being trafficked to provide survivor-centered support and permanent solutions to these issues,” he stated.
