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Article
Analysis of Cases of Human Trafficking in Rhode Island, 2009-2013
SAGE Open (2016)
  • Faith Skodmin, Rhode Island College
  • Rachel Dunham, University of Rhode Island
  • Donna M. Hughes, Dr.
Abstract
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 a civil suit, (b) how online prostitution ads are used to market victims to sex buyers using ethnicity of the victims and age and social standing of the sex buyers, and (c) how mothers of victims are involved in locating their daughters and making reports to the police that initiated investigations.
Keywords
  • human trafficking,
  • sex trafficking,
  • forced labor,
  • domestic servant,
  • prostitution,
  • mothers,
  • Rhode Island
Publication Date
April, 2016
DOI
10.1177/2158244016655585
Citation Information
Faith Skodmin, Rachel Dunham and Donna M. Hughes. "Analysis of Cases of Human Trafficking in Rhode Island, 2009-2013" SAGE Open Iss. April-June 2016 (2016) p. 1 - 12
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/donna_hughes/49/