The U.S. political administration has significantly harmed people with lived experiences of sex trafficking and sex workers directly (i.e., criminalization of T-visa holders) and indirectly (i.e., anti-trans and anti-abortion legislations). This has created unprecedented challenges for researchers, practitioners, and participants (and those with multiple roles) in conducting meaningful research. This presentation will (1) describe how heightened surveillance and the changing political landscape has altered this research, including the experiences of community partners, participants, and staff with lived experiences, and (2) share current and planned strategies to maintain this research, continue advocacy, and reduce harm. Dr. Gerassi and Ms. Eng will primarily draw from their federally funded grant, which partners with multiply minoritized young adults who provide sexual acts for compensation under diverse circumstances. They will describe challenges and strategies to maintain federal funding, insights from participants and community members that have affected participation, and modifications made to conduct research while resisting overcompliance and prioritizing safety. PhD Candidate Fuentes will draw on her leadership in community-led sex worker research to examine how sex worker-led, harm reduction principles inform ethical data practices for criminalized and surveilled populations. She will highlight approaches to privacy protection and community accountability with undocumented, trans, HIV-positive, and street-connected people, and the compounded impacts of funding losses, anti-trans legislations, and increased ICE raids. The presenters will conclude with strategies needed to center the perspectives and safety of people with lived experiences in meaningful research and offer solidarity and hope to those engaged in these efforts.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Lara Gerassi is an associate professor at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research uses an anti-oppressive, intersectional approach to enhance the wellbeing of people who are involved in the sex trades, including those who have been sex trafficked.
Kimberly Fuentes is a PhD candidate in Social Welfare and Director of Research and Services at the Sex Worker Outreach Project LA. Her work centers sex worker rights, anti-carceral social work, and community-driven research with marginalized populations, especially those for whom visibility increases vulnerability.
Cassandra Eng is a cultural anthropologist, receiving her MA from Georgia State University. Her research centers human trafficking survivors’ voices, and includes intersections of trafficking survivors, sex worker rights, housing insecurity, and the child welfare system. She prioritizes community engagement, equity, and sustainability in her work.