142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Spike in sex trafficking in the wake of high-profile domestic sporting events: A critical public health issue

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 8:50 AM - 9:10 AM

Shireen Rajaram, PhD , Department of Health Promotion and Social and Behavioral Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, Omaha, NE
Background. There has been increased attention to sex trafficking in recent times.  Latest media reports, highlight the increase in sex trafficking in the wake of the 2014 Super Bowl event.  Despite recent high profile arrests and attention surrounding this issue, there is controversy relating to empirical evidence demonstrating an increase in sex trafficking surrounding such high profile events.

In Nebraska, a state typically not seen as a hub for sex-trafficking, has experienced similar reports of a surge in trafficking surrounding sporting events such as the College World Series (CWS), a NCAA’s mens Division 1 baseball championship, held in Omaha every summer. The Omaha sex trafficking task force reportedly made 31 arrests and busted open two major human trafficking rings during the 2013 College World Series. Much of trafficking is conducted online and a news report states that ads get placed online advertising, “home run specials” and other baseball metaphors, targeting attendees of the CWS.

Methods. This study will use principles of public health informatics, and track specific online sites such as Backpage and Tagged before, during, and after the College Worlds series event. We hypothesize that there will be a surge in online solicitation in the wake of the CWS 2014.

Results and Conclusions. Documentation of a spike in online solicitation of sex trafficking surrounding the CWS will provide researchers, service providers, trafficking advocates and policy makers with much needed evidence to take preventive measures to reduce trafficking during these events at the local, regional and national level.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe increase in demand for sex trafficking in conjunction with high-profile sporting events Discuss implications for primary prevention of sex trafficking in relation to high-profile sporting and other social events

Keyword(s): Gender, Vulnerable Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Promotion in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. My scientific interests include women’s health and the elimination of health disparities. Over the past three years, I have worked with researchers, community organizations and the state legislature in the successful passage of tow sex trafficking bills in Nebraska.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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