Ohio [citizenlink.org]- In June, the Community Defense Act (CDA) became law in Ohio. The law applies two straightforward regulations on all sexually oriented businesses throughout Ohio in a uniform, consistent basis. The first regulation closes these businesses between midnight and 6 a.m., the times studies show most of the crimes linked to these businesses occur. The second requires that a distance be kept between nude employees and their patrons, putting an end to so-called lap dances, a form of prostitution that is commonplace in most nude strip clubs.

But in Ohio, there is a 90-day waiting period from when a bill passes into law and when it goes into effect.

It is during this waiting period that the opposition has launched a petition drive campaign to attempt to keep CDA from ever going into effect. They already have a petition approved by the attorney general and are on the streets collecting signatures. If they are successful in collecting approximately 240,000 valid signatures of registered voters by Sept. 4, CDA will go on the November ballot.

There are already allegations and reports of deceptive signature-gathering practices by the opposition, including misrepresenting what the referendum would do.

Citizens for Community Values (CCV) – a statewide family policy council that Focus on the Family is proudly associated with – has reported that many of the paid circulators have approached citizens stating that by signing their petition, they would be helping to regulate these businesses. Others have referred to their petition as a way to return regulation of sex businesses to local communities.

Phil Burress, executive director of CCV, is also reporting that a large amount of the money raised so far to fund the petition drive has come from the California porn industry.

Please, do not be deceived. This petition drive – backed by the porn industry – will not help your family or community. It helps the porn industry.

CALL TO ACTION:
Many of you, by sending encouraging e-mails and letters to your state legislators, contributed to this significant victory for family values. We now ask you to help protect that victory from this latest threat.

Do not be deceived into signing the referendum petition and alert your family and friends to this deceptive effort.

If you already have signed the petition – thinking that you were doing the right thing – contact Citizens for Community Values for directions on having your name removed from the petition. Call (513) 733-5775 or e-mail [email protected].

Click here to contact CCV if you are willing to take part in a grassroots effort to counter this deceptive campaign.

CCV has also issued this call to prayer:
– for families dismantled because a dad gives into the temptation to visit a sex business, and that one visit triggers an addiction that destroys his relationship with his spouse and his family;
– for women exploited and often enslaved by these businesses
– for communities impacted by the documented crime associated with such businesses.

Talking Points
Wherever sexually oriented businesses exist — strip clubs, adult bookstores and the like — an increase in crimes is inevitable. Crimes of a violent sexual nature, prostitution and illegal drug sales lead the list, along with a decrease in property values.

The Community Defense Act passed both houses of the Legislature by 75 percent margins; then the governor allowed the bill to become law without his signature.
Polls show that a majority of Ohioans would vote in favor of CDA, if they understood the issue. But the sex industry, has mounted a deceptive media campaign that emphasizes the loss of jobs.

The sex-club trade association initiating the referendum formed a PAC to run the campaign, and misleadingly named it “Citizens for Community Standards,” an obvious play on Citizens for Community Value’s name and reputation.

Which would you rather have: community standards created by the billion dollar porn industry or the community values of Ohio citizens?