An illustrated photo of a prostitute and a john. (Flickr/Indi Samarjiv)

Mornings can be a hectic time for Van Nuys resident Veronica Rivera as she prepares her daughter for school, makes breakfast and plots ways to avoid several prostitutes that cross her family’s path en route to the bus stop. 

“When we leave our house early in the morning I still see many girls walking around. Some are very exposed and it’s not until they see that my daughter is with me that they cover themselves,” Rivera said.

The excessive amount of prostitution in the San Fernando Valley has led Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nury Martinez and City Atty. Mike Feuer to call for a crackdown on prostitution that would target portions of Lankershim and Sepulveda Boulevard.

The need for action came after several community members urged officials to address the ongoing prostitution activity within the area last year, Deputy Chief Jorge Villegas of the LAPD Valley Bureau said. 

About 1,077 prostitution victims were arrested by LAPD officers last year, with 63 others arrested for pimping, pandering or supervising prostitution, according to The Daily News.

Following up on the community outcry, the department conducted an investigation and discovered that some of the prostitution activity in the Valley is the result of traveling prostitution rings. The rings work as a mobile circuit of women who are trafficked into a life of prostitution, Villegas explained. 

“These women didn’t choose to be prostitutes, but they were somehow enslaved or held captive by their pimps,” Villegas said. 

One of the Valley Bureau's major strategies to combat prostitution is transparency. Villegas explained that the agency has increased the level of law enforcement in the area, creating a more visible presence throughout the San Fernando Valley.

Focusing on areas with a high volume of traffic violations is another way the LAPD is discovering pockets of prostitution activity in the Valley. 

“Generally where there is prostitution there is a traffic infraction involved,” Villegas said.  

The city prosecutors also expect to work with the police to impound the cars of clients and offer first-time offenders the option to attend an eight-hour john school in return for a guilty plea, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Similar to traffic school, john schools are day-long sessions where offenders learn about sexually transmitted diseases and listen as former prostitutes talk about drug abuse, beatings by pimps and sexual assaults. 

Apart from cracking down on the pimps and johns, Villegas said the department is also looking at businesses in the area that have allowed or contributed to the prostitution. That includes targets such as motels or hotels that offer deals to customers looking to spend one to two hours in a room. 

“We’ve spoken to property owners, property managers, we’ve also sent out letter that have advised them of what our enforcement actions are,” Villegas said. 

The department is also working closely with the Mary Magdalene Project, a nonprofit organization located in Van Nuys that helps women who are victimized by Domestic Trafficking and Street Prostitution permanently exit the lifestyle.

“Most of the woman we have come across are adults, but there are scenarios and situations where we do come across some youthful victims of prostitution. I think the most recent age we’ve had was 12-years-old,” Villegas said. 

Seeing many women wonder her neighborhood on a daily basis, Rivera shared her feelings on the recent crackdown. 

“I feel good that more police are going to be out here because there is a lot of children in this area,” Rivera said. “They shouldn’t have to see that.”

Van Nuys resident Jan Kolstad also agrees Rivera.

“I can’t say I’ve seen many girls in this area doing that, but I have seen girls on Sepulveda Blvd. trolling,” Kolstad said. “I think the crackdown is a fabulous idea.”

But another Van Nuys resident, Bob Johnson, has mixed feelings about the city’s efforts. 

“What’s the end game? Because if they expect to end prostitution entirely that’s just something that won’t happen,”  Johnson said. “I think it’s a waste of time for officers because prostitution doesn’t stop it just moves and pops up in a different neighborhood.” 

Although prostitution activity has decreased in certain areas following media attention, Deputy Chief Villegas says his officers are prepared for when it picks back up, giving them a clearer picture on the agency's ongoing efforts. 

Reach Staff Reporter Celeste Alvarez here or follow her on Twitter.