New surveillance tower hopes to tackle growing prostitution in National City

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- It's been several months since a sex trafficking crackdown in National City and San Diego that led to the arrest of 46 individuals. While the prostitution is still ongoing in both areas, local authorities are finding new ways to tackle the matter.

In broad daylight, signs of a known prostitution hub were evident just north of Main St. along Dalbergia St. in San Diego. Our shaky iPhone camera captured women believed to be selling sex.

“When we moved in here, it was at first shocking, but we just got used to it,” said Bobby Barrera, an employee at San Diego Leather in National City along Roosevelt Avenue. 

Last week, a “Skywatch” surveillance tower was installed in the business’s back lot to mitigate foot traffic and curtail an $800 million industry locally. According to Lt. Vincent Fernando, who is in charge of prevention, the watchtower records activity around it, deterring people from engaging in “shady” activities. 

Nearby businesses say they’ve seen less foot traffic, but it could be pushing the problem to other known hubs, like the one along Dalbergia Street in San Diego. 

“We basically don’t have any probable cause to stop them if they’re out in the streets,” said Fernando, highlighting the challenges posed by decriminalization laws.

Senate Bill 357, dubbed the Safer Streets for All Act, aims to protect people from discriminatory arrests based on how they dress or their profession. However, County District Attorney Summer Stephan argues otherwise.

“They are dehumanized as objects, they’re being sold like a slice of pizza,” she said.

Data from The Ugly Truth San Diego indicates there are over 3,000 to 8,000 sex trafficking victims in the county each year, something the County DA says is linked to prostitution.

“We have these adults, who appear to be working on free will, but they have been groomed and brainwashed into this terrible, terrible life,” Stephan said.

The average age of entry into sex trafficking is 16. Given that statistic, advocates are pushing for tougher penalties and more enforcement, specifically a bill that would make buying a minor for sex a felony.