Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons^™

The Role Of Gender In Sex Trafficking, Katelyn Henson

Senior Theses

Human trafficking, or trafficking in persons (TIP), is a crime where people profit from the exploitation of others through some form of labor (Polaris, 2015). In the U.S., the three most common forms of TIP are sex trafficking, domestic trafficking and agricultural trafficking (Human Rights Center, 2007). This study specifically focuses on the system of domestic sex trafficking and uses gender theory to explain its perpetuation. In order to explore how individuals’ gendered identities affect sex trafficking, and to explore how these identities affect the perpetuation of this crime, four survivors of sex trafficking and one law enforcement official were …