Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Social Welfare

Advisor

Brett Stoudt

Committee Members

Demis Glasford

Barbra Teater

Subject Categories

Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Gender and Sexuality | Law and Gender | Law and Race | Law Enforcement and Corrections | Race and Ethnicity | Social Justice | Social Work

Keywords

Sex Trafficking, Prostitution, Sex Work, New York City Police Department, Sex Trafficking Victims and Survivors, Black Girls and Women, Intersectional Vulnerabilities, Qualitative Research and Police, Intersectionality and Police Education, Policy Reform

Abstract

Research shows that victims of sex trafficking are most likely to first come in contact with the police (Baldwin et al, 2011; Twigg, 2017) and at times police have not been able to categorize cases of prostitution as trafficking even when trafficking elements were very clear (Dank et al, 2017; Dempsey, 2017; Farrell & Cronin, 2015). Despite the legal definition of trafficking, the terms prostitution, sex work, and sex trafficking are sometimes used interchangeably by law enforcement, whereas at other times, these words refer to different sets of circumstances and have different criminalization outcomes.  Research in this area is limited and in order to have an impact on law enforcement policy and practices with a victim centered approach, this study provides an in-depth understanding of police officers’ experiences with sex trafficking for future evidence-based policy and interventions.  This study uses the largest municipal (city) police department in the United States (US), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), due its most progressive model in responding to the sex trafficking campaign and because prevalence of prostitution is considered to be high.  Prostitution and sex trafficking are inextricably intertwined, and prostitutes are frequently the victims of sex trafficking.  Using thematic analysis informed by the grounded theory approach, this study sought to shed more light on this underdeveloped area of how police officers experience responding to sex trafficking and its relation to prostitution by allowing officers to talk about their experiences of interacting with diverse victims/survivors and enforcing state penal codes in conjunction with federal laws. Interviews were conducted with 6 active and retired New York City police officers who have had at least five years of experience from 2000 to present in responding to sex trafficking and prostitution by making arrests or conducting investigations.  This study utilizes a critical race-feminist and ecological theoretical framework to engage the officers in describing their beliefs and experiences with both girls and women of color as well as the systems in place that the officers engage with.  The study found that socio-legal frameworks on sex trafficking, prostitution and sex work make it difficult to draw lines between the three.  Police officers utilize case indicators to identify victims of sex trafficking, and they are fully aware of vulnerabilities experienced by victims and survivors.  The police-victim relationship is difficult, but police officers have established themselves to be trusted by and helpful to victims and survivors.  This study found there is a need for policy reform to reflect that prostitution is sex trafficking in America by acknowledging the intersectional vulnerabilities both have in common and that police officers can benefit from education that helps them become more aware of gender, racial and gender diverse identities and how they show up in policing.  Future research agendas are presented to advance literature and provide evidence-based interventions.

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