However, for uniformity and to ensure that the use of the Internet for compelling or soliciting prostitution or pimping is a prosecutable offense, we propose that these provisions be added to existing prostitution statutes. The underlying offense of compelling prostitution in this section is modeled after Ohio Rev. Code Ann. However, the provision pertaining to the use of the Internet should be easily adaptable to any states' statute pertaining to compelling prostitution or similar offense.
Prostitution is a crime in almost every state.
Compelling prostitution is considered the most serious in the hierarchy of prostitution offenses, because of the element of potential harm to the victim in addition to his or her personal degradation. See, e.g., Ohio Rev. Code Ann. Given the Internet's potential to reach a vast number of persons, using the Internet to compel another to engage in prostitution should not be tolerated. With the touch of a key stroke, the Internet makes it possible for one to reach a vast number of other people he otherwise could not easily reach to compel into prostitution. The underlying offense of pimping in this section is modeled after Ohio Rev. Code Ann.