Korean Sex Market in the U.S.
Youngbee Dale, MA | September 20 | 10:15-11:15 AM | Room 2582
Topic: Research, International | Knowledge Level: Advanced
The presentation will describe the Korean commercial sex market in the U.S. beyond Asian massage parlors. Prior to this study, the U.S. anti-trafficking efforts have heavily focused on combating massage parlors to fight prostitution and sex trafficking of Korean women in the U.S. The presentation will introduce the shift of trends taking place within the Korean sex market as a result of changing culture and policies. It then introduces various brothel models exploiting Korean women in the U.S. It also brings a more holistic view of the Korean sex market in the U.S. by relying on primary and secondary sources available in both Korean and English languages. The sources include in-person interviews with both federal and local law enforcement officers, Korean journalist based in the U.S., Korean and American news articles, Korean non-governmental organization (NGO) reports that included interviews with victims, and the U.S. federal cases involving Korean prostitution and sex trafficking. Lastly, this presentation examines the current challenges for the U.S. anti-trafficking efforts because of their insufficient understanding of the U.S. Korean sex market.
Presentation Objectives:
· Outline changing trends of sex trafficking of Korean women in the U.S.
· Consider shortcomings of the Korean anti-trafficking legislations in the U.S. to assist Korean victims' needs.
· Suggest new policy recommendations to fight Korean sex trafficking in the U.S., including massage parlors.