Rising Prostitution on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens
According to a recent report in the New York Post, securing illicit sex along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens has become notably easier since Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office.
The report highlights a significant increase in the number of street sex workers, while arrests related to prostitution have dropped by nearly 60 percent since Mamdani, whose progressive policies have drawn criticism, assumed the mayoral role this year.
A 40-year-old customer interviewed noted that finding services in the open-air area, referred to as the “Market of Sweethearts,” is uncomplicated because the women tend to be inexpensive, flexible on prices, and law enforcement is restricted by lenient regulations and city policy. He described the district, which spans about two miles through Jackson Heights and Corona, as being flooded with scantily clad street workers, alongside numerous parlors that discreetly offer “happy ending” massages, away from police visibility.
This customer seemed quite knowledgeable about the local scene, claiming he could arrange encounters for between $60 to $80, a stark contrast to the prices in Manhattan, which he said could run between $200 to $300. He mentioned that negotiating wasn’t difficult at all.
The customer elaborated that “Chinese women charge $60 for sex and $40 for oral,” adding that they might be willing to forgo condoms for about $100 or more. He said, however, that “Latinas are pricier” and implied that the latter tended to be more concerned about time.
Since early 2021, when a state law making it illegal to loiter for prostitution was revoked, street prostitution has burgeoned in New York City. The Post reported that this legislative change has facilitated a more straightforward operation for sex workers, while police focus their efforts on traffickers, pimps, and customers.
NYPD statistics cited by the newspaper indicated that there have been 193 prostitution-related arrests on Roosevelt Avenue this year as of September 13. This is a striking 59 percent decrease from the 468 arrests during the same timeframe last year, which was influenced by a significant enforcement campaign, “Operation Restore Roosevelt,” initiated under former Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
