CYBERSPACE — Men and women whose sex work falls on the other side of the legal system are increasingly turning their backs on the mean streets of the city and toward the safety and anonymity of the internet in order to hook up with clients — much to the dismay of authority figures determined to run them not just off the streets but out of business.According to those focused on making sex for money as risky a proposition as possible, more and more prostitutes are working out of suburban motels, using laptop computers and cell phones in order to advertise their services and make contact with those willing to pay for them.

While once weekly alternative papers, adult publications, and other paper-based resources were favored as means of getting the word out without risking scrutiny on street corners, police say that simple websites are now gaining favor.

Because it is less expensive and more discreet than other means, Schaumburg Illinois Police Department sergeant Gary Darrow says “The internet is the street corner of the 21st century.”

As he explains it, “It’s easy, it’s anonymous, and it’s free.”

It’s also harder to detect and suppress, in spite of being populated by prostitutes throughout the country. Nonetheless, a dozen Pennsylvania women were recently charged with prostitution after police followed their website advertisements — and cities including Baltimore, Oklahoma City, and San Francisco have made similar busts.

Most cities find that putting officers on prostitution stings isn’t worth the time or effort, especially since most reports do not lead to arrests and many arrests do not lead to convictions due to a lack of evidence. As Elgin Illinois police sergeant Jeff Adams puts it, “Sure, a prostitution bust is exciting (but)… it’s not always worth the effort.” This is especially true in smaller cities and towns with more modest police forces.

Nonetheless, some cities still assign members of their vice unit to prostitution cases, which include watching the internet for suspicious ads likely to lead to working girls. In some areas, arrest records indicate that nearly all of the only workers winding up in trouble were discovered online.

Robyn Few, founder of San Francisco’s Sex Workers Outreach Project explain the situation simply by pointing out that “The internet gave women and men a tool to become their own boss.” Few sees prostitutes as “entrepreneurs” who have gone “into business for themselves.”

Few’s experience is that many prostitutes travel throughout the country, working out of motels for a few weeks and then moving on. Others prefer to work out of their own homes or through regional services that rely upon the use of computers for their advertisements and appointments, because “They have elaborate screening systems where they can virtually keep police out. You need references, a number.” Because of this, Few believes that “The smart girls aren’t getting busted.”

One website not specifically designed for sex workers but popular with them is Craigslist, which includes an area for “erotic services” and includes saucy photos and text postings requesting donations. Jim Buckmaster, the site’s chief executive officer insists that the listing was set up for those seeking legal services such as escorts or massage parlors. Although his company can’t monitor every one of the more than 10 million listings posted each month, Buckmaster insists that “We do not want illegal prostitution on Craigslist and are more than willing to assist law enforcement in their efforts to curtail it.”