Dr. Phil — S7E134

The Dark Side of the Internet

Parents, you may not know it, but a threat is looming in your home. It’s a frightening and dangerous trend that affects the good girls -- cheerleaders, honor students and college graduates -- and law enforcement agencies across the country are up in arms. No longer needing to walk the streets to offer sex for money, young women are turning to the reputable Web site craigslist.com in order to sell their bodies. Next to the area on the site where you can buy a jungle gym for your child, you can access erotic ads, where young women post sexy photos and advertise sex for money. When Ashley was in college pursuing a bachelor’s degree, she never predicted that she would one day meet strangers for sex in order to pay off her student loans. She says she wants to quit the dangerous profession before something horrible happens but thinks she’s addicted to the “easy money.” Crystal says she was also addicted to the money until she was nearly killed. Hear her horrific story and how her life is now that she has escaped the industry. Could Crystal’s tale be the wake-up call Ashley needs? Then, meet a mother who fears her daughter may be using craigslist to exchange sex for money. What can she do to protect her daughter? Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois Tom Dart and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal weigh in. Lawmakers have formed a coalition to rid craigslist of its erotic service section, but find out why they’ve been fighting an uphill battle.