Benefits, Challenges, and Lessons Learned from Coalitions Organizing Against Sex Trafficking and Exploitation

Background and Purpose: Community-based responses in the form of interagency coalitions have developed throughout the United States to address sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). Yet, little work examines such coalitions, including their benefits, challenges, and utility in providing inter-organizational collaboration and accomplishing their goals. Additionally, the field remains full of controversies with regard to sex trafficking, sex work, and sexual exploitation at the theoretical level. The ways and extent to which coalition members’ religious, feminist, or political identities and viewpoints of sexual commerce impact groups organizing against sex trafficking/CSE in U.S. based coalitions remains unknown. Given the potential significance of coordinated community responses in anti-trafficking/CSE efforts, this study’s research questions were as follows: 1) What are the benefits of coalition involvement? 2) What tensions or challenges are experienced in interagency coalitions?

Methods: The research team of a community-based project conducted an inductive analysis of 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with coalition members representing 18 different organizations in one Midwestern city. Interviews were transcribed by an outside professional transcription company and research assistant. Interviews lasted 25 to 70 minutes, averaging approximately 50 minutes each. Open and selective coding were individually conducted by both research team members before collectively agreeing on a coding schematic. Taxonomic analysis was utilized to explore “types” of phenomena within each core category, such as “types” of benefits. The research team conducted member checking with 12 coalition members (6 participants of the study itself). The group responded positively, confirmed research findings, and has begun following up on action steps resulting from findings and conclusions.

Results: Findings suggest benefits included establishment of collaboration and referral networks, addressing gaps in services, increasing awareness and public support, and working to meet the myriad of needs of the affected service populations. Tensions revolved around conflicting viewpoints of commercial sex, and the inability of coalition members to address competing service populations engaged in commercial sex through trafficking, sex work, or commercial sexual exploitation. Such tensions at times resulted in stagnated coalition action as well as disputes regarding subgroups of sexually exploited and trafficked individuals. Challenges also involved competition over funding, funding restrictions, and altered funding streams, which resulted in fragmentation.

Conclusions: Individuals organizing against sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation have heterogeneous perspectives that must be addressed, especially as they sometimes result in conflicts or tensions. Recommendations for coalitions to replicate benefits and to address tensions and challenges are provided. They include 1) addressing differences in language among coalition members, 2) addressing sub-populations who may not fit clearly into legal definitions of sext trafficking, and 3) policy recommendations addressing coalition and organizational funding. The presentation will conclude with researchers’ reflections on member-checking and action research strategies.