I don't think there's that much backstory to it. Likely just a reference to the large number of thinly veiled sex work that goes on in most cities that people turn a blind eye too. Is easy to comment on something that happened 80 years ago where most of the individuals are dead. Talking about sex work that goes on today in your own city hits a lot closer to home.
Few people want to talk about how the prohibition on sex work in the US pushes it into the black market and contributes to sexual slavery, human trafficking, and abuse.
Few people want to talk about how the prohibition on sex work in the US pushes it into the black market and contributes to sexual slavery, human trafficking, and abuse.