Category Archives: Human Trafficking

Belgium’s Historic Decriminalization of Sex Work

In her Reuters article, “How COVID-19 helped sex workers in Belgium make history,” (May 31, 2022) writer Joanna Gill accounts for the Belgian Parliament’s groundbreaking decriminalization of sex work. With the law’s recent implementation, Belgium became the first country in … Continue reading

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Converge! Re-Imagining the Movement to End Gender Violence

CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS – SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL TO converge@law.miami.edu DUE DATE: Friday, October 18, 2013 (may be extended) For more conference information see http://www.law.miami.edu/academics/converge/ CONVERGE! Re-imagining the Movement to End Gender Violence, will bring together survivors, activists, and … Continue reading

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Posted in Academia, Activism, Acts of Violence, Call for Papers or Participation, Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary, Employment Discrimination, Feminism and Economics, Feminism and Families, Feminism and Law, Feminism and Politics, Feminist Legal Scholarship, Feminists in Academia, Human Trafficking, Immigration, Legal Profession, LGBT Rights, Masculinity, Reproductive Rights, Sex Trafficking, Sexual Harassment, Socioeconomic Class, Upcoming Conferences | Comments Off on Converge! Re-Imagining the Movement to End Gender Violence

A feminist perspective on Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, Inc.: Essentialism v. Pragmatism

Last week the Supreme Court held that the federal government cannot force organizations to maintain a policy explicitly opposing prostitution as a pre-condition to obtaining funds to combat HIV/AIDS worldwide.  The decision is widely read as a victory for freedom … Continue reading

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Posted in Academia, Feminism and Law, Human Trafficking, Prostitution, Sex Trafficking | 7 Comments

“Texas legislative panel to consider ways to help young victims of sex trafficking”

Story here. Below is an excerpt: As Dallas builds a locally funded treatment center to provide services for victims of sex traffickers, a state legislative committee is looking at whether Texas needs to do more to help others statewide. Dallas … Continue reading

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The Price of Sex: Film-maker risks life by going undercover to expose global trade in sex slaves

The official website for The Price of Sex is here. It provides this summary: The Price of Sex is a feature-length documentary about young Eastern European women who’ve been drawn into a netherworld of sex trafficking and abuse. Intimate, harrowing … Continue reading

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ABA Journal publishes “Pricing Amy: Should Those Who Download Child Pornography Pay the Victims?”

The article focuses on judicial conflicts about what a victim has to prove to qualify for restitution, especially with respect to harm. Accessible here, below is an excerpt: … Under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, the government must notify Amy … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Human Trafficking, Pornography's Harms, Sex Trafficking | Comments Off on ABA Journal publishes “Pricing Amy: Should Those Who Download Child Pornography Pay the Victims?”

NYPD Pursues Father-Son Sex Trafficking Ring + Its Johns

Last week, the Manhattan DA’s office unveiled charges against a father and son accused of running a sex trafficking ring.  Six livery cab drivers were indicted for their roles in the operation as promoters of prostitution.  Both the two pimps … Continue reading

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“The Internet Swear Jar,” A Guest Post By Samantha Berg

A few days ago I wrote a comment at the Reclusive Leftist blog about misogynistic verbal abuse being unacceptable whether the target is a blogger or a prostitute and whether they are paid or not. Since then I’ve been fleshing out what … Continue reading

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Posted in Activism, Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Human Trafficking, If you're a woman, Pornography's Harms, Sex Trafficking | 1 Comment

Rachel Lloyd on Policing Fashion and Derogating Subjugated Women

Her essay is available here. An excerpt: Fashion Police has a recurring segment called “Starlet or Streetwalker,” which is exactly what it sounds like. The panel, made up of George Kotsiopoulos, Kelly Osbourne and Giuliana Rancic, are shown pictures of … Continue reading

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Are Up to 80% of All Men “Buyers of Sex”? Please Let the Answer Be No

From Newsweek, this article, “The John Next Door“: Men of all ages, races, religions, and backgrounds do it. Rich men do it, and poor men do it, in forms so varied and ubiquitous that they can be summoned at a … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Human Trafficking, Pornography's Harms, Sex Trafficking | Comments Off on Are Up to 80% of All Men “Buyers of Sex”? Please Let the Answer Be No

Heather Monasky, “On Comprehensive Prostitution Reform: Criminalizing the Trafficker and the Trick, But Not the Victim–Sweden’s Sexköpslagen in America”

This fantastic Note is forthcoming in William Mitchell Law Review, Vol. 37, No. 4 (2011). It can be downloaded here. Below is the abstract: Sex trafficking of women and children—one of the most urgent human rights violations confronting the world … Continue reading

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Birckhead on “Consent, Autonomy, and Prostituted Children”

Tamar Birckhead (UNC) has posted to SSRN her article, The ‘Youngest Profession’: Consent, Autonomy, and Prostituted Children, 88 Wash. U. L. Rev. 1 (2011).  Here is the abstract: Although reliable estimates do not exist, the data suggests that the number … Continue reading

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Posted in Feminist Legal Scholarship, Human Trafficking | 1 Comment

Human Rights and Sex Trafficking Film Forum Starts Today

The Human Rights and Sex Trafficking Film Forum begins today in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the Brattle Theater. For a schedule of the films, see here.  For a list of speakers, see here. -Bridget Crawford

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E-Activism Request for Showing of Solidarity – Add Your Name to Statement “Our Daughters are not for Sale – or Rent”

Next week the “Human Rights and Sex Trafficking: A Film Forum” will be held at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge (see here).  If you will not be in Boston then (or even if you will be), there is a way … Continue reading

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Posted in Human Trafficking | 1 Comment

“Human Rights and Sex Trafficking” Film Forum, Cambridge (Mass.) December 2-5, 2010

The Boston Initiative to Advance Human Rights will sponsor a “Human Rights and Sex Trafficking Film Forum” from December 2-5, 2010 at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Over three days, there will be at least 7 documentaries, 4 short … Continue reading

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Posted in Human Trafficking | 4 Comments

“Survivors Speak: Essential Leadership in Combating Demand for Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sex”

Watch here.

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Selling Sex in Canada vs. Buying Sex in Sweden

Last week, Justice Susan Himel of the Ontario (Canada) Superior Court ruled that certain Canadian anti-prostitution criminal laws violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and were therefore unconstitutional.  A copy of the opinion is available here. At issue … Continue reading

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Posted in Human Trafficking, Sisters In Other Nations | 2 Comments

Teaching Resource on Feminism and Pornography

Those who teach Feminist Legal Theory or other classes in which pornography is a subject of academic discussion might be interested in this recording of an interview by Professor Gail Dines (Wheelock College) with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  Professor Dines … Continue reading

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Posted in Human Trafficking, Law Teaching, Pornography's Harms | 1 Comment

“No Crime Seems Too Depraved”: NY Mafia Accused of Trafficking in Children

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York has arrested and charged 14 people – purportedly members of the Gambino crime family – for murder, racketeering and other crimes. Seven of the named defendants have been charged … Continue reading

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Coyote Publishing v. Ross Miller: 9th Circuit Upholds Restrictions on Ads for Prostitution

The opinion is available here. The ads at issue were characterized as “pure commercial speech.” Below are two excerpts in which the court explains the ways that legalized prostitution drives the demand for sex slaves and sex trafficking: The federal … Continue reading

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Deer on “Sex Trafficking of Native Women in the United States”

Feminist Law Prof Sarah Deer (William Mitchell) has posted to SSRN her article, “Relocation Revisited: Sex Trafficking of Native Women in the United States.”  Here is the abstract: The Trafficking Victim Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) signaled a comprehensive campaign … Continue reading

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“For those who buy and sell children for sex and cheap labor, Haiti is ripe with opportunity.”

That is the second sentence in this short essay in The Atlantic. Here is an excerpt: In Haiti … human trafficking is a problem at the best of times. Even without the pandemonium unleashed by a 7.0 earthquake, an estimated … Continue reading

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