New Hampshire Juvenile Sex Trafficking Survivor Urges Representatives To Vote Against Decriminalized Prostitution, Darlene Pawlik, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Feb 2017
New Hampshire Juvenile Sex Trafficking Survivor Urges Representatives To Vote Against Decriminalized Prostitution, Darlene Pawlik, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
I am a juvenile sex trafficking survivor. I was sold here in New Hampshire and other states as well. This is happening now too. Even with a law against prostitution, the more egregious elements are prevalent. Trafficking is not separate from prostitution, it is just the darker side of the very same coin.
Sex Industry Advocates Aim To Decriminalize Prostitution In New Hampshire, Kelly Roy-Williams, Lisa Thompson, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Feb 2017
Sex Industry Advocates Aim To Decriminalize Prostitution In New Hampshire, Kelly Roy-Williams, Lisa Thompson, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
There is an organized effort in New Hampshire to fully decriminalize prostitution. What that means is that all laws controlling the buying and selling of sex will be removed from the law books, making prostitution legal. Law enforcement and public officials will then have no control over if, when, and where prostitution occurs, whether it’s in massage parlors (often called spas), hotels, apartments, residences, or strip clubs. Because commercial sex will be legal, pimps and “sex workers” will be able to freely advertise prostitution services. Pimps will be able to openly recruit women and girls into prostitution, without fear of …
Dignity, Table Of Contents, Special Issue, Freedom From Sexploitation, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Dec 2016
Dignity, Table Of Contents, Special Issue, Freedom From Sexploitation, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
No abstract provided.
Decriminalized Prostitution: Impunity For Violence And Exploitation, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Dec 2016
Decriminalized Prostitution: Impunity For Violence And Exploitation, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
This paper is a case study of decriminalized prostitution. For 29 years (1980 to 2009) prostitution was decriminalized in Rhode Island. Lack of laws or regulations created a permissive legal, economic and cultural environment for the growth of sex businesses. During this time, sexual exploitation and violence against women and girls were integrated into the economic development of urban areas. The number of sex businesses grew rapidly during this time period. Organized crime groups operated brothels and extorted money from adult entertainment businesses. Rhode Island became a destination for pimps, traffickers, and other violent criminals. The lack of laws impeded …
Analysis Of Cases Of Human Trafficking In Rhode Island, 2009-2013, Faith Skodmin, Rachel Dunham, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Mar 2016
Analysis Of Cases Of Human Trafficking In Rhode Island, 2009-2013, Faith Skodmin, Rachel Dunham, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
This article is an analysis of law enforcement identified cases of human trafficking in Rhode Island from 2009 to 2013. Information was collected from police and court records, prosecutors’ press releases, and reports in the media. During this period, there was one case of forced labor of a domestic worker and six cases of domestic sex trafficking. Many of the characteristics of the Rhode Island cases were consistent with other human trafficking cases in the United States. Discussions of key findings include (a) outcomes of a criminal case using a new human trafficking statute on fraud in foreign contracting and …
Sex Trafficking Of Women For The Production Of Pornography, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Jun 2010
Sex Trafficking Of Women For The Production Of Pornography, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
Women used in the production of commercial pornography in the U.S. are often subjected to violence and coercion during filming. Often they protest and try to stop the filming or back-out before filming begins. Their protests are ignored or they are pressured by their agent or the director to continue. Their experiences of coercion and trickery often meet the criteria for sex trafficking.
The Citizens Were Heard, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Oct 2009
The Citizens Were Heard, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
Congratulations to the citizens of Rhode Island and national anti-trafficking advocates for the legislative victory in Rhode Island. This past week, the Rhode Island Assembly passed an unprecedented pieces of legislation that will protect victims from sex industry predators and give law enforcement the tools they need to arrest pimps, traffickers, and “johns.”
Victory In Rhode Island, Donna M. Hughes Dr., Michael Horowitz
Oct 2009
Victory In Rhode Island, Donna M. Hughes Dr., Michael Horowitz
Donna M. Hughes
In stunning culmination of a David-Goliath struggle that, at least until lately, few believed the David side had the slightest chance of winning, the Rhode Island legislature enacted three major anti-trafficking bills last night that the Governor will soon sign into law.
Testimony For Trafficking Bill, Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee, Oct 2009, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Oct 2009
Testimony For Trafficking Bill, Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee, Oct 2009, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
I am here to support a trafficking bill that will do two things:
1) Criminalize forced labor as a form of human trafficking.
2) Make it easier to prosecute sex trafficking of minors by removing the requirement to prove force, fraud, or coercion.
Behavior And Attitudes Of Johns, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Sep 2009
Behavior And Attitudes Of Johns, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
No abstract provided.
Tattoos Of Girls Under Pimp Control & Pimp Rules For The Control Of Victims, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Aug 2009
Tattoos Of Girls Under Pimp Control & Pimp Rules For The Control Of Victims, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
I have been collecting evidence of pimps’ practice of tattooing victims for several years. Tattooing, and sometimes branding or scarification, are marks of ownership. It is one of the ways that pimps maintain physical and psychological control over emotionally vulnerable girls. The girls and young women are frequently tattooed with the initials or street names of pimps. Marks also include gang symbols and $ signs or other symbols for the money the girls earn for the pimp.
Rhode Island Left Out Of Fbi Initiative, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Aug 2009
Rhode Island Left Out Of Fbi Initiative, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
Rhode Island has been excluded from federal law enforcement investigations of sex trafficking of children because there is no law against prostitution.
Asian Woman Fled Middletown Brothel Last Year, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Jul 2009
Asian Woman Fled Middletown Brothel Last Year, Melanie Shapiro Esq, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
A business owner has told Citizens Against Trafficking that late last year, an Asian women fled a spa-brothel nearby and came to their shop to ask for assistance.
Action Alert For Senate: Comments On Human Trafficking Bills, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Jun 2009
Action Alert For Senate: Comments On Human Trafficking Bills, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
Rhode Island Senate President Paiva-Weed has said that she is “confident that we will address the issue of prostitution and human trafficking” this session (, Sunday, June 21, 2009, p A6). The votes in the Senate are crucial to Rhode Island getting a prostitution law and improving our trafficking law! There are competing bills, so it can get confusing. Remember, there are two versions of the prostitution bill (a House and Senate version) and two versions of the trafficking bill (a House and Senate version).
Testimony On Human Trafficking Bill, Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Jun 2009
Testimony On Human Trafficking Bill, Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
In 2007, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed an anti-human trafficking law. To date, there have been no prosecutions. There are three serious problems with the present Rhode Island law that need to be remedied in order to effectively combat human trafficking.
Review Of Happy Endings, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
May 2009
Review Of Happy Endings, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
Tara Hurley, the filmmaker, has testified before the RI House Judiciary Committee and said on talk shows that based on observations making the film, there is no sex trafficking in Rhode Island. This is the view that is conveyed by “Happy Endings?” There are serious omissions of information about the people in the film and political biases that the filmmaker does not acknowledge.
Hiding In Plain Sight: A Practical Guide To Identifying Victims Of Trafficking In The United States, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Dec 2002
Hiding In Plain Sight: A Practical Guide To Identifying Victims Of Trafficking In The United States, Donna M. Hughes Dr.
Donna M. Hughes
This practical guide focuses on identifying victims of sexual trafficking, meaning they have been
trafficked for commercial sex acts, such as prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, such as
stripping, lap dancing, or production of pornography. Although there are commonalities between
victims of sexual and labor trafficking, there are sufficient differences to require separate focus.
Therefore, this guide does not describe ways to identify victims who have been trafficked for forced
labor, such as domestic servants and sweat shop or migrant farm workers.
