Sex Trafficker Research Initiative
Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, Kristen Bracy, Kimberly Hogan & Rachel Frenzel | September 22 | 2:45 - 3:45 PM | Room 2592
In partnership with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), the Arizona State University Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research (ASU STIR) developed a research plan to explore and analyze sex trafficking case files from 2010 to 2015. These files included police reports, records of interviews of alleged sex traffickers, interviews of alleged sex trafficking victims, and case-related information including evidence collected and case update notes by LVMPD staff. The purpose of the study was to explore the law enforcement work on sex trafficking in Las Vegas and to identify trends and patterns. The findings presented will be a one-year snapshot of sex trafficking cases developed by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Vice & Sex Trafficking Investigations Section in 2014. One hundred and fifty-nine cases were analyzed for 2014, representing a total of 190 victims. Of the 190 victims, 67 (35.3%) were adult victims, and 123 (64.7%) were minors (under the age of 18). In the sex trafficking cases, 118 sex traffickers were identified. The sex traffickers were mostly males (n =103, 87.3%) with only 15 (12.7%) females. Patterns of recruitment and exploitation of both minor and adult victims will be discussed, as well as any differences in trafficking experiences of minors versus adults. Trafficker typology will also be discussed, as well as patterns in trafficker criminal histories and tactics.