Sex Work After Gilgo
Sex Work After Gilgo is a three part investigative audio series by Alexandra Whitbeck focusing at the relationship between vulnerable populations and law enforcement. In this series, Whitbeck looks through the scope of the Gilgo Murders (or the Long Island Serial Killer) case to better understand how sex workers are policed on Long Island and in New York. This series discusses the legal, political and social affect on sex workers after events that threaten their saftey.
2021 marks a decade since the remains of 10 bodies were found along Ocean Parkway on Gilgo Beach in Suffolk County, Long Island. 7 of the 10 bodies were later confirmed to be sex workers.
In this series, hear sex work advocates discuss the legal and social efforts made toward decriminalization as well as experiences from past and present Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) officers. A crime reporter will break down how she covered the case as the investigation unfolded in 2010 and 2011. Listeners will also hear from an attorney who represents one of the victims and her family; a victim of a civil rights violation at the hands of the SCPD; a former SCPD officer turned Long Island legislator who fights the corruption he saw in Suffolk County while on the force; and a expert in rhetoric and labor rights who details the connection between systemic labor issues and the sex industry.
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
““One thing that gets erased out of this whole thing, is that it’s not just a story, these are people, these are somebody’s daughters, this is someone’s child. You know, whatever they did for a living, they were young women.””
Part One
In Sex Work After Gilgo: Part One, Alexandra Whitbeck goes back to December 2010 and March & April 2011, when the SCPD discovered human remains alongside Ocean Parkway on Gilgo Beach, in Suffolk County, Long Island. In this first installment, the history of the infamous case is broken down and the victims are introduced; Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard Barnes, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack.
View a timeline of the Gilgo case here. (This timeline has no official connection with law enforcement, but contains factual information.)
Listen to Tania Lopez, former Suffolk County crime reporter for Newsday, recount reporting on the investigation as it unfolded. Read Newsday articles by Tania Lopez, former crime reporter in Suffolk County here.
Hear from John Ray, a Long Island attorney who represents the case of Shannan Gilbert and fought for the release of pertinent information to finding the killer, or killers. Read about his fight for justice for Shannan Gilbert and the rest of the victims.
Penelope Saunders is a sex worker’s rights activist and executive director of the Best Practices Policy Project who details her experience attending a vigil held for one of the victims as well as how the murder of these women is linked to systemic societal issues faced by sex workers.
““The moral dilemma, is how does the county executive keep a guy whose been on the cover of Newsday for having sex with prostitutes in a police car, in a marked unit and keep him as the chief of police.” ”
The brush along Gilgo Beach. Photo by Alexandra Whitbeck
Part Two
In Sex Work After Gilgo: Part Two, the role of the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) in the investigation of the 10 sets of remains found along Ocean Parkway. In the past decade, political, legal and police corruption has circulated around this case. This second installment highlights the actions of Suffolk County law enforcement and officials through conversations with key figures in the case. Listen to Christopher Loeb, a Smithtown man recount the events in December 2012 that resulted in the civil rights violation leading him down a long path to exposing police corruption in Suffolk County. He explains how it relates to the Gilgo murders and how that night ultimately was the reason for the indictment of former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke and former District Attorney Thomas Spota.
Current Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta speaks on the current and past corruption in Suffolk County he has seen in his career as a legislator, former Suffolk County PD officer and FBI special task force member. Trotta discusses the involvement of former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke and former District Attorney Thomas Spota with input from Tania Lopez, former Suffolk County crime reporter for Newsday who recounts her encounters with and articles about Burke and other Suffolk officials. Lopez also breaks down her 2013 article explaining the role of Christopher Loeb.
Hear former Suffolk County police commissioner and FBI agent Geraldine Hart explain how the investigation was handled prior to her joining the SCPD in 2018 as well as after. Hart speaks on her experiences with Burke and the disorderly environment she stepped into upon taking the position as commissioner. In later episodes, she speaks on the initiatives she put into place in Suffolk County to combat the problems she saw.
Once again, hear from John Ray, the Long Island attorney representing the Gilbert Estate as he explains areas of this case that are suggestive toward foul play.
““THOSE CORRUPTIONS ARE REAL. THEY ARE REAL EVERYWHERE, TIME
IMMEMORIAL, BUT HERE THEY THEY’VE MANAGED TO FIND THEIR WAY DEEP INTO THE GRAIN OF THE POLICE SOCIETY.””
Part Three
In Part Three of Sex Work After Gilgo, the relationship between sex workers and the police is elaborated on. Topics like stigmas, language and barriers to health, legal and social services are looked at. We’ll discuss the link between a lack of labor rights and exploitation in the fight to decriminalize Sex Work.
In this episode, Molly, a chapter representative of SWOP Brooklyn speaks about the efforts toward decriminalizing sex work. She also discusses some of her experiences between police and people in a criminalized profession.
Mary Anne Trasciatti, professor of rhetoric and labor studies at Hofstra University breaks down how labor rights impact
Listen to Penelope Saunders, executive director of the Best Practices Policy Project explain how the murder of these women found on Gilgo Beach is linked to systemic societal issues faced by sex workers.
We’ll also be hearing from former SCPD Commissioner Geraldine Hart and Sergeant Detective James Murphy of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Anti-Trafficking Initiative speak on what has been done in Suffolk County to provide social, health and legal services to sex workers since it’s establishment in 2018.
We’ll be discussing other murderers such as John Bittrolff, who was sentenced for the murders of Rita Tangredi in 1993 and Colleen McNamee in 1994 to better understand why sex workers are targeted by people with malicious intentions. Joel Rifkin murdered 17 women on Long Island in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and was convicted for the murder of 9. Rifkin’s crimes pre-date that of the murders on Gilgo Beach, but the response of law enforcement and his demeanor toward women and sex workers, as well as the location of these crimes is all comparable and speaks to why those with malicious intent target sex workers.To read more about Rifkin, who is still in prison to this day, visit here, here, or here.
In Part Three, we’ll also discuss the current legislation in the fight for decriminalizing sex work in New York.
Read: NYC Mayor looks to Decriminalize Sex Work, Queens to dismiss 700 cases
““A huge part of the reason why so many sex workers are abused and murdered is because people know that no one cares because the dominant narrative of a sex worker is that...they chose it or that they’re dirty or that they must have been addicted to drugs and their life was in shambles and terrible.” ”
Media
Sex Work After Gilgo began as a Master’s thesis project that passed with distinction from Hofstra University in December, 2021.
All parts were aired on 88.7FM WRHU in April 2022 alongside an interview with Alexandra Whitbeck, live in-studio.
The series was published in full on The Long Island Advocate throughout April 2022.
The series aired on 99.5 FM WBAI Friday’s 4/15, 4/22, 4/29 at 5pm during their investigative hour alongside an interview with advisor Mario A. Murillo and Whitbeck.
The series aired on 91.3 FM WIOX’s Rumba Therapy with host Mario Murillo on 6pm Friday’s 4/15, 4/22, 4/29.
Whitbeck was featured in a Hofstra University news article highlighting the series.
This series was named a finalist in the Society of Professional Journalist’s 2021 Mark of Excellence Award in the Podcast category.
This series also won a 2022 Gracie Award in Investigative Podcasting from the Alliance for Women in Media.
Whitbeck presented this series when she was awarded as Senior of the Year in the Hofstra University Graduate School of Journalism in 2022.