Impacts of the Commercial Sex Industry on Black and African American Communities in Washington — Laws of 2023 (SB 5187)
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Summary
A report to the Washington State Legislature dated February 11, 2025 from the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy of the Washington State Department of Commerce, titled Impacts of the Commercial Sex Industry on Black and African American Communities in Washington. It was prepared pursuant to Chapter 475, Laws of 2023 (SB 5187), under a contract with Our Sisters' House. The report sets out an executive summary, findings, and two sets of policy recommendations: seven for at-risk and CSE-impacted youth and six for adults with commercial sex industry experience. Its methodology section states that 22 Black women with commercial sex industry involvement were interviewed, 21 of those interviews were included, and 12 systems professionals took part.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Impacts of the Commercial Sex Industry on Black and African American Communities in Washington — Laws of 2023 (SB 5187).”
Original at app.leg.wa.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-commerce-reports-2024-csd-ocva-icsi-report-final-6f18c686-0655-4c34-ac/
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Impacts of the Commercial
Sex Industry on Black and
African American
Communities in Washington
Pursuant to Chapter 475, Laws of 2023 (SB 5187)
February 11, 2025
Report to the Legislature
OFFICE OF CRIME VICTIMS
ADVOCACY Director Joe Nguyễn
v3.5.1
Acknowledgments
Washington State Department of Commerce
Trisha Smith, Managing Director, Office of Crime
Victims Advocacy
Stephanie Pratt, Anti-Human Trafficking Lead and
Program Manager, Office of Crime Victims
Advocacy
Kate Fernald, Research Program Manager,
Research and Development Services
Kelli Robinson, Executive Director, Our Sisters'
House
Kye Robinson, Deputy Director, Our Sisters' House
Jasmine Conway, Survivor Leader and Systems
Consultant, One Survivor to Another
1011 Plum St. SE
P.O. Box 42525
Olympia, WA 98504-2525
www.commerce.wa.gov
For people with disabilities, this report is available on
request in other formats. To submit a request, please
call 7-1-1 and ask to be connected to 360-725-4000.
IMPACTS OF THE COMMERCIAL SEX INDUSTRY ON BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN WASHINGTON 2
Table of contents
Executive summary...................................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Findings ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
Recommendations ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Recommendations part 1: At-risk and CSE-impacted youth ........................................................................ 15
Recommendations Part 2: Adults with CSI experience ................................................................................ 21
Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 28
IMPACTS OF THE COMMERCIAL SEX INDUSTRY ON BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN WASHINGTON
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Executive summary
Overview
At the Legislature's request, the Department of Commerce's Office of Crime Victims’ Advocacy (OCVA)
contracted with Our Sisters' House, a Black-women-led community organization that has provided outreach,
risk assessments, advocacy, resources, basic needs and financial support to Black and African American
interpersonal violence victims and survivors since 1995. Our Sisters' House studied the ways in which female-
identifying Black and African-American Washingtonians are impacted by the commercial sex industry.
The commercial sex industry includes various types of work in which individuals engage in sexual activities or
perform sexually explicit acts in exchange for money, goods, or other forms of compensation, like providing
basic survival necessities. This industry spans a broad spectrum, including but not limited to: sex-trafficking,
prostitution, exotic dancing/stripping, pornography, and a host of online sexual conduct such as live camming 1,
video streaming, or explicit photos.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CSE AND CSI?
CSE stands for commercial sexual exploitation. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act establishes that
any minor is legally considered sexually exploited if they engage in any sex act on account of being given
anything of value. Since minors involved in commercial sex are legally considered victims of exploitation,
we reference them as CSE-impacted throughout this report.
CSI stands for commercial sex industry. Some adults who engage in the commercial sex industry identify
as consenting participants, some as sex-trafficking victims/survivors, and others as commercially
sexually exploited. To be as inclusive as possible with adults’ varying identities, this report uses CSI to
refer to commercial sex industry-impacted adults.
Per the legislative mandate, this study reviews the impacts of the commercial sex industry on Black and
African American females and provides culturally informed and survivor-informed policy recommendations2
for reducing sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of Black and African American Washingtonians.
All women who participated in the study identified as Black, and it is important to note that African American
women often use "Black" and "African American" interchangeably. No one under the age of 18 participated in
the study. Although all CSI-impacted participants identified as Black, they also identified as coming from
diverse backgrounds. For example, 57% of CSI-impacted participants specifically identified their ethnicity as
African American, while 33% identified as multicultural with heritages including Indigenous, Latine and Asian.
Although there are multiple cultures and ethnicities within the Black community, there are simultaneously
1 Live camming is when a person performs sexual acts and fetishes of every variety for pay.
2 Culturally informed and survivor-informed policy recommendations consider the cultural values, beliefs and experiences of the focus
population. Researchers used secondary literature alongside participant feedback to ensure the recommendations are culturally
relevant and practical for addressing the needs of CSI-impacted Black individuals.
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shared life experiences in the systemic barriers they encounter due to their Black identity that are highlighted in
this report. Further research is needed to explore the unique impacts across diverse Black backgrounds, but
this study requires researchers to focus on the shared experiences of Black and African American female-
identifying individuals in Washington.
Key drivers of commercial sexual exploitation
Black 3 adult survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) who identify as female were interviewed for the
study from all regions of the state. Survivors identified key interconnected and intersectional root causes that
contribute to Black women and girls' commercial sexual exploitation, including:
• Traumatic childhood experiences
• Hypersexualization, or attributing sexual or erotic characteristics to someone to an extreme or
inappropriate degree 4
• Homelessness and housing instability
• Education disruption
• Physical health and substance use issues
• Mental health challenges
• Economic instability
• Loss of identity and self-worth
• Trust and relationship issues
• Systemic racism, colorism, stigma and discrimination
• Criminalization
• Exclusion from anti-trafficking research, outreach, service-work, and administration
In examining the needs of Black adult survivors of CSE, it became evident that prevention and early
intervention are crucial for addressing the root causes of exploitation.
Survivors often described how systemic inequities — such as limited access to stable housing and supportive
community services — contributed to their initial victimization.
Many Black adult survivors express that, had they received consistent and trauma-informed support during
adolescence, their vulnerability to exploitation may have been significantly reduced. Therefore, a legislative
focus on providing comprehensive support to reduce commercial sexual exploitation of children, particularly
Black girls and young women, is essential.
Recommendations
Study participants provided invaluable insights that shaped cross-sector policy recommendations for reducing
sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of Black and African American Washingtonians. Because children's
needs differ from adults', the policy recommendations are separated by age. Further discussion is
recommended to identify sector and/or programmatic leads and appropriate funding streams.
3 “Black” is a broader term that includes people from the African diaspora around the world, while “African American” specifically refers
to individuals of African ancestry in the United States. The report will use Black to refer to people who self-identify as Black or African
American.
4 Oxford English Dictionary, "Hypersexualization," (2024),
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At-risk and CSE-impacted youth recommendations
1. Develop and provide culturally competent parenting programs.
2. Provide targeted community outreach and culturally-specific youth prevention programming.
3. Provide "Safe Harbor" implementation training for local law enforcement agencies.
4. Provide funding for local law enforcement agencies to hire staff who specialize in reaching out to and
working with CSE youth.
5. Fund juvenile justice systems' Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) screening costs.
6. Require juvenile justice systems to hire Black CSI-impacted adults to provide CSE-screening training.
7. Develop and fund emergency shelter and transitional housing alternatives for at-risk and CSE youth.
Adult recommendations
1. Prioritize essential services provided by service providers from the Black community who have lived
experience or are representative of the community.
2. Establish and implement CSE-specific shelters that offer CSE-specific transitional living programs.
3. Promote broader culturally competent substance use treatment and behavioral health services access.
4. Expand CSE- and CSI-impacted individuals' eligibility for removing criminal convictions related to
victimization.
5. Establish a survivor-advocate state policy and programming advisory committee.
6. Create and implement an “Ebony Alert.”
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Introduction
Authorizing legislation
In 2023 the Washington State Legislature directed the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to study how the
commercial sex industry impacts Black and African American women and girls in Washington. The study was
established by Section 129(66), Chapter 475, Laws of 2023 (SB 5187):
Sec. 129. (66) $150,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2024 and $50,000 of the general
fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2025 are provided solely for the office of crime victims advocacy to contract
for a study of the impacts of the commercial sex industry on Black and African American communities in Washington,
with a focus on Black and African American persons who identify as female.
The office must contract with an organization that has expertise on the topic of the commercial sex industry and
Black communities in Washington.
The study must include a review of the impacts of the commercial sex industry on Black and African American
residents of Washington, and culturally informed and survivor informed policy recommendations for reducing sex
trafficking and sexual exploitation of Black and African American Washingtonians. The department must submit a
report of the study findings to the appropriate committees of the legislature by September 1, 2024.
The Office of Crime Victims' Advocacy, housed in Commerce, contracted with Our Sisters' House to complete
the study. Our Sisters’ House partnered with One Survivor to Another, a small, survivor-owned, anti-trafficking
consulting business, led by Jasmine Conway, Master of Arts. Researchers of interpersonal violence, Dr.
Carolyn West and Dr. Anita Bhattacharya, both of whom are academic professors at the University of
Washington, additionally contributed research to this study. Collectively, Our Sisters' House and its partners
conducted the study and prepared this report to meet the requirements of this proviso. In alignment with the
legislative proviso, the study was managed, conducted and analyzed exclusively by women of color 5, the
majority of whom are Black. All are experts on the topics of the commercial sex industry and Black
communities in Washington.
Background
Sex trafficking is just one manifestation of commercial sexual exploitation. The Trafficking Victims Protection
Act of 2000 (TVPA) defines sex trafficking as “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining,
patronizing, soliciting or advertising of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the
commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion or in which the person induced to perform such act
has not attained 18 years of age."6
This definition means that for minors, engaging in a commercial sex act is legally considered a form of sexual
exploitation. However, for adults, the legal requirement for trafficking requires a mechanism of physical
force/threats of violence, deception, or extensive psychological abuse. Some adults who engage in the
commercial sex industry identify as consenting participants, some as sex-trafficking victims/survivors, and
5 Women of color is an intersectional term that acknowledges how women of different racial backgrounds experience oppression, civil
rights, and social justice. While the term can be used collectively, it’s important to recognize individuals may prefer more specific terms
related to their unique ethnic or racial identity.
6 GovInfo, “Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000,” (Oct. 28, 2000),
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others as commercially sexually exploited. Socio-economic hardships and interpersonal violence
disproportionately impact women of color, creating vulnerabilities that traffickers can easily take advantage of.
Individuals who identify as commercially sexually exploited encompass both survivors of sex trafficking as
well as adults who engage in the commercial sex industry because of systemic barriers such as poverty,
housing and economic instability. These conditions often blur the lines between choice and coercion, as
exploiters seek to capitalize on the unmet needs of individuals.
Since minors involved in the commercial sex industry are victims of exploitation, we reference them as CSE-
impacted. However, since neither the law nor all adults identify themselves as exploited, for the purposes of
this report we refer to all adults with lived experience as CSI-impacted.
Black women and girls are disproportionately affected by commercial sexual exploitation, comprising 13.2% of
the United States population but accounting for 40% of all confirmed victims of sex trafficking, according to a
two-year study by the U.S. Department of Justice. 7
The U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons recognizes that one type
of sexual exploitation, human trafficking, has “patterns [that have] continued to reflect the living legacy of the
systemic racism and colonization globalized during the transatlantic slave trade through chattel slavery.” 8
In Washington State, child sex trafficking survivors are disproportionately girls of color. "In King county, 52%
of all child sex trafficking victims are Black and 84% of youth victims are female, while Black girls comprise
1.1% of the population." 9
Despite these acknowledgments and findings, the disparities endured by Black women and girls remain,
underscoring an urgent need for legislative action to dismantle these persistent systemic inequities, and
protect this oft-marginalized demographic.
7 U.S. Department of Justice, “Characteristics of Suspected Human Trafficking Incidents,” (2008-2010),
8 United States Department of State, "Acknowledging Historical and Ongoing Harm: The Connections between Systemic Racism and
Human Trafficking," (2021),
9 Rights 4 Girls, "Racial and Gender Disparities in the Sex Trade," (2019),
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Findings
Black women who participated in the study as directly-impacted individuals responded to several questions
designed to gain insight into what their experiences were like growing up. Their responses to these questions
are consistent with findings that exist in what little literature is currently available on Black women’s
involvement in the commercial sex industry.
CSE-impacted Black girls have differing needs from CSI-impacted
Black women
During conversations with the adult survivors, it became clear that while there is overlap between the needs of
commercially sexually exploited (CSE) Black children and commercial sex industry (CSI)-impacted Black
women, there are also unique needs for each demographic. The proviso requires "culturally informed and
survivor informed policy recommendations for reducing sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of Black and
African American Washingtonians." In response, this study recommends a two-pronged approach: preventative
efforts to reduce Black girls' vulnerability to sex trafficking or sexual exploitation in the first place, and how to
reduce sex trafficking or sexual exploitation after a person has been impacted by either.
Most reported incidences of sex-trafficking of Black individuals in Washington begin in childhood, and most
participants reported that this was true for themselves as well. 10
According to HB 1089 (2023), data from the national hotline shows that among likely sex trafficking victims in
Washington who reported their age of entry into exploitation, 89% reported that they were children when first
exploited.
If we prevented the exploitation of Black girls, then the rate by which Black girls and women are sexually
exploited or sex trafficked would be reduced. Accordingly, this study divides the recommendations into two
parts by age. The first set of recommendations focus on youth and prevention efforts. The second set of
recommendations focus on the needs of Black CSE- or CSI-adults and how they can best be supported to
reduce sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Recommendations for both age categories (girls and women) were informed by the experiences of CSI-
impacted individuals as well as the professional opinions of service providers and systems professionals,
including individuals with lived experience and representative community service providers.
Researchers combined the recommendations made by CSI-impacted participants, service providers and
systems professionals with extensive analysis of secondary sources to propose solutions that address the
needs of Black survivors holistically.
10 Sherman, Francine, Juvenile Justice: Advancing Research Policy, and Practice, "The system response to the commercial sexual
exploitation of girls," (2011),
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Traumatic childhood experiences, sexualization of young girls and
substance use
Overwhelmingly, Black survivors described their childhoods as having been marred by neglect and various
forms of abuse, most notably sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Several survivors mentioned that their
parent(s) struggled with substance addiction or mental health challenges.
Most survivors spoke at length about the normalization of sex work in their childhood homes and in their
surrounding communities. These survivors primarily talked about their mothers’ and other female role models'
involvement in the commercial sex industry, and to a lesser extent, their fathers and male role models as
pimps.
Collectively, 61% of commercial sex industry-impacted Black women interviewed described elements of their
childhood that are well-founded risk factors for commercial sexual exploitation, 11 substantiated by a
comprehensive body of subject-matter research.12 These factors include: intergenerational involvement in the
commercial sex industry, caregiver substance addiction or distribution (oftentimes leading to association with
CSI-involved individuals, supporting normalization), sexual abuse, and foster care.
Like many women involved in the commercial sex industry, many of the survivors participating in this study
battle addiction-related challenges. Some of the substances most commonly discussed included fentanyl,
crack/cocaine, meth, alcohol, and marijuana.
Substance use and addiction are deeply entangled with homelessness and sex trafficking, creating a vicious
cycle that exploits women’s vulnerabilities. Many exploiters intentionally introduce drugs to victims or exploit
pre-existing addictions, using dependency as a means of control to keep individuals entrapped in exploitative
situations. Others are already grappling with addiction when they enter the sex industry, where the dangers of
withdrawal and a constant need to self-medicate further fuel the cycle of exploitation. For many women,
however, substance use is a coping mechanism, a way to numb the psychological toll of sex work and block
out trauma. Additionally, women who face homelessness sometimes turn to drugs to stay awake and vigilant
at night, in efforts to protect themselves from violence, including rape and assault. 13
Economic and housing instability
"Kincare" refers to informal caregiving arrangements in which a child is raised by relatives or family friends
instead of their parents. These arrangements typically happen through private agreement in the family.
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services offers a Kinship Care program. When a child
cannot be raised by their parents, kinship placements are the preferred option because they can help to
maintain family connections and cultural traditions and minimize the trauma of separation. 14 Kinship care is a
longstanding tradition in communities of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds that continues to prevail,
according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway.
11 Epstein, R., Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, "Girlhood interrupted: The erasure of Black girls’ childhood," (2017),
12 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, "Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Sex Trafficking," (2014),
13 Rand Health Quarterly, "Sex Trafficking and Substance Use: Identifying High-Priority Needs Within the Criminal Justice System,"
(2022),
14 Child Welfare Information Gateway, "Kinship Care," (Oct. 18, 2024),
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Some of the CSI impacted Black women in this sample described the types of temporary living situations that
their parents were able to work out for them, without any financial support, as being environments that further
exposed them to sexual activity, sexual abuse, drugs, and violence. From the parents' perspectives, this was an
attempt to preserve familial connections, and to avoid having their children placed into the custody of child
protective services. However, most women interviewed reported that these environments only exacerbated
their distress as children.
Conversely, some of the CSI-impacted Black women in this sample described how in adulthood, their family
members relied on them as caregivers to other children in their families.
Increasing the low-barrier supports available to relatives and fictive kin 15 serving as guardians can enhance
their capacities as caregivers by giving easier access to child development and caregiving education, financial,
food, health and childcare assistance, as well as strengthening their connection to support networks like peer
caregivers, and kin care navigators to help problem-solve challenges that arise. Although kin care
arrangements typically involve less formal oversight compared to foster care, expanding the availability of
resources could incentivize participation and increase adult involvement and awareness for children facing
difficult family circumstances.
Study participants who identified as CSI-impacted Black women who now serve as caregivers agreed that
increasing these supports could help them to achieve financial stability and reduce the likelihood of resorting
to selling sex to afford rent.
Alarmingly, for many CSI-impacted Black women, selling sex is a temporary means of escaping destitution.
Sixty-six percent of CSI-impacted study participants reported suffering periods of homelessness or housing
instability. Participants frequently shared that they engage(d) in sex work during bouts of homelessness or
when struggling to meet basic needs, such as securing short-term lodging, paying inflated rents, or providing
for their children.
Nearly all participants exploited by a third party reported multiple, concurrent vulnerabilities, ranging from the
need for shelter, food, and clothing to gaining access to controlled substances or previously unattainable
items, and fulfilling emotional needs such as love, family, and belonging.
Furthermore, the incomes of CSI-impacted Black women are not high enough to afford the high rent expenses
that they are faced with. This is especially when many survivors lack advanced education and or job
experience, which makes pursuing other economic opportunities inviable. Even when Black women work full-
time, many may still find themselves forced to engage in sex work due to low paying jobs or wage disparities
rooted in racially discriminatory practices.
“… being a single mom and having a prostitution charge on my record kept me from getting employment. So I had to
go back into prostitution because the cost of living’s too much; rent, food, bills, all that made it so even at one point in
time I was homeless, living in my car, working a full time job and I was still having to engage in prostitution to try to
get enough money to save, to be able to get housing.” - A statement from a CSI-impacted Black woman interview
participant
"And so I think with Black women it's not just the trauma that they experience in 'the life.' It's the trauma they
experience in their life as a Black woman being in this skin, growing up in this world that has no love that has hatred,
15 Fictive kin are people who are close to a family but are not related by blood or marriage.
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that has oppression, and being a woman, not just a Black man, but being a woman in this world, a Black woman in
this world, very challenging." - Statement made by a Black service provider interview participant
Collectively, these unmet needs are consistently leveraged by traffickers/pimps to coerce individuals into
exploitative circumstances, underscoring how poverty compounds vulnerabilities to trafficking.
Mental health challenges, loss of identity and self-worth, and trust and
relationship issues
Many Black survivors of commercial sexual exploitation grew up in environments where commercial sex
industry involvement or other prevalent issues such as drug use or distribution, sexual or physical abuse was
normalized. In these contexts, CSI-involvement can become a maladaptive behavior or coping mechanism,
reflecting both learned behaviors from their surroundings and attempts to navigate the challenges of their
upbringing.
“We have a lot of generational trauma in our Black families that we're working with. And that impacts their ability to
feel like they can parent successfully and feel like they can hold a household together with their children. And that's
something that we have to like work on - really empowering our Black families, making sure that we're coming
alongside them. Make sure they have the resources they need, right? Because we know that the access is always
going to be limited. So how can we open up the access? How can we make sure that they're in an area where they
can get what they need, where they can get the support, where they can have some psycho-education about what it
looks like to have hard conversations with their kids.” - Statement made by a service provider interview participant
regarding helping Black families
“I feel like it just weighs on your soul, and then it messes with your mental. And then you’re just like, and then you’re
questioning your self-worth.” – Statement made by a CSI-impacted Black woman study participant
Of the 21 CSI-impacted Black women interviewed, 16 participants talked about being sex trafficked by a third
party. Of the 16 who self-identified as sex trafficked, a majority discussed having been continuously exploited
by several different traffickers over the course of their involvement in the commercial sex industry. These
women described how their exploiters used coercive control and significant physical violence to reinforce their
control of the women.
CSI-impacted women described countless situations in which they were mentally, emotionally, and physically
abused by caregivers, traffickers, customers, and other CSI-impacted individuals. Remarkably, participants also
frequently recounted scenarios of racial discrimination and other systemic hurdles, which were seemingly
equally mentally tolling and exacerbated their trauma.
Systemic racism
Engaging CSI-impacted adults to build rapport and help access services is largely hampered by historical
tension between CSI-impacted individuals and law enforcement. Stereotyping and racial discrimination within
local communities and supportive services networks further marginalizes Black CSI-impacted women.
Systemic racism is also reflected in the media's disparate coverage of missing people. According to the study
“Missing White Woman Syndrome: An Empirical Analysis of Race and Gender Disparities in Online News
Coverage of Missing Persons,” Black people were “significantly underrepresented in the population of missing
persons who received coverage,” even though missing people of color make up nearly 40% of all missing
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persons' cases. The analysis also found white women were overrepresented in news coverage, accounting for
more than half of missing persons' coverage when they make up 30% of missing persons' cases.16
Education and criminalization
Many survivors in this sample identified that they dropped out of school in or around the 10th grade. Black girls
face significant systemic barriers that hinder academic engagement and contribute to higher dropout rates,
including:
• socioeconomic challenges;
• underfunded schools often lacking the necessary resources to support their academic success;
• pervasive gendered and racial stereotypes that result in lower expectations from teachers; and
• racism and discrimination in the forms of harsh disciplinary practices. 17
The Institute for Women's Policy Research finds that, "Black girls are suspended or expelled from public
schools at much higher rates than other girls, with punishment often leading directly to imprisonment…. The
school-to-prison pipeline leads them to miss out on vital education and has long-term harrowing educational,
economic, and political consequences." 18
Exclusion from anti-trafficking research, outreach, service-work and
administration
Historically marginalized communities are and have been excluded from scholarly research, outreach, service-
work and administration. Black CSE victims and survivors are no different, and study participants report that
being excluded from service work, administration or outreach has negative impacts on them and their healing.
"I feel like being a Black woman out here is, you know, it's an issue within itself, because, you know, like there's
always those stereotypes. There's always the systemic racism, the bias, like, you know, you can't go somewhere
without someone already, like assuming your character, who you are. And so I feel like every day you have to prove
yourself and be like, 'Okay, no, I'm not who you think I am,' or, 'I'm not this, and I'm not that again.' It gets tiring, you
know what I mean? Especially the kind of people that’ll say something, and they don't know the ignorance of what
they're saying." - Statement from a Black, CSI-impacted survivor participant explaining how the lack of representation
makes her feel
Recent research conducted by Boston University affirms the exclusion that study participants reported feeling
in their interviews for this study. In the report titled, "Racism, Sexism and the Crisis of Black Women's Health,"
Boston University finds that, "Despite their disproportionate health burdens, Black women historically have
largely been excluded from clinical research." 19
"When we talk about Black women and barriers that we have, it almost feels like they know that they exist, and they
still don't care, and that's the part. Where does this change when we live in a racist society? And it does cause
depression and anxiety 'cause you feel oppressed, and when you're feeling oppressed it becomes a lot to try to
navigate through." – Statement from a Black CSI-impacted survivor articulating the need for systemic change
16 Sommers, Zach, The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, "Missing White Woman Syndrome: An Empirical Analysis of Race and
Gender Disparities in Online News Coverage of Missing Persons," (2017),
17 The White House, "Executive Order on White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity
for Black Americans," (2021),
18 The Institute for Women's Policy Research, "Increasing Black Women’s Access to Education and Economic Power," (2022),
19 McKoy, Jillian, Boston University, "Racism, Sexism and the Crisis of Black Women's Health," (2023),
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CSE-impacted Black women need to be included in research, service design, and service delivery, and to see
others who look like them in these fields. They need to be included among people who share their experiences
and have a method to meaningfully contribute to the creating a more equitable and inclusive Washington by
advising and sharing the laws that govern our state.
The findings demonstrate that including a variety of prevention techniques is crucial for addressing the root
causes of sexual exploitation. Therefore, the study recommendations focus on identifying and mitigating the
vulnerabilities that make individuals susceptible to sexual exploitation before it ever occurs in addition to
enhancing post-exploitation support.
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Recommendations
Recommendations are divided into two sets. The first set of recommendations are for at-risk and CSE-
impacted youth. The second set is for adults with lived CSE experience. Targeted prevention measures create
a framework that better protects future generations from sex trafficking and sexual exploitation while
supporting the healing of adult survivors.
This is a comprehensive set of cross-sector recommendations that apply to state and local governments,
nonprofit service providers, and other organizations. Further discussion is recommended to identify
appropriate funding streams and programs.
Recommendations part 1: At-risk and CSE-impacted
youth
1. Develop and provide culturally competent parenting programs
To reduce sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of Black and African American Washingtonians, this study
recommends that the outreach programs:
Provide culturally competent and linguistically appropriate education to parents and caregivers about
identifying trafficking risks and potential indicators of exploitation.
Partner with schools, faith-based organizations, and local nonprofits to build trust within vulnerable
communities and offer workshops, and resources tailored to their specific needs.
Develop specialized programming for parents and caregivers to strengthen family protective factors, which
have been shown to reduce the likelihood of trafficking involvement.
Develop and provide Black American culturally competent parenting programs:
• These programs should be specifically designed for parents from minority or marginalized
communities.
• They should address culturally specific challenges, such as language barriers or distrust in public
systems, and teach strategies for strengthening family bonds and protecting children in ways that
resonate with their cultural values.
2. Provide targeted community outreach and culturally-specific
prevention programming designed for youth
Establish and provide culturally specific afterschool programming aimed at reducing the risk of the
commercial sexual exploitation of Black girls by promoting their positive development, specifically through the
use of participatory culturally-specific intervention models.
The study recommends that school districts collaborate with community-based organizations to develop and
implement after-school programs that:
• Promote the positive development of Black girls from underserved communities.
• Provide education on healthy relationships and interpersonal violence, focusing on the vulnerabilities
specific to Black girls.
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• Include mentorship opportunities, skill-building workshops, and resources for personal safety and
empowerment.
• Foster partnerships with local service providers to create a comprehensive support network for
participants.
• Provide culturally-grounded online safety and digital exploitation prevention.
“Almost all of the children that I've served have been recruited or solicited online almost exclusively- like I can think of
in the last year every single one has been an online solicitation.” – Statement from a study participant speaking to
the frequency of online solicitation
Survivors are increasingly being groomed and recruited via internet technology. The recommended after-
school programs would empower them to identify potential online threats, develop healthy online relationships,
navigate social media environments safely, and challenge and reframe narratives around sexual objectification
in media.
“The risk for sexual exploitation increases exponentially for women and girls affected by interpersonal
victimization, mental health problems, substance use disorders, and residential instability, including relocation
and homelessness.” 20
Black girls need access to after-school and community-based programming focused on promoting positive
development and commercial sexual exploitation prevention and awareness. Recognizing this need, the study
recommends that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seek funding opportunities to
support these after-school programs, with an emphasis on grants and community partnerships aimed at
reducing barriers for Black girls facing systemic challenges.
To measure program effectiveness, this study also recommends that the programs have annual evaluation
and reporting requirements, including:
• a program evaluation component to assess effectiveness in reaching at-risk populations and their
impact on participants' awareness and prevention of trafficking.
• a required annual report submitted to the Legislature detailing participation rates, demographic
information, and program outcomes.
This amendment would align with existing research highlighting the importance of targeted interventions for
at-risk youth, especially Black girls, since expanding educational programs beyond the classroom can provide
critical support systems, resources, and skills that empower young girls and mitigate risks associated with
trafficking.
3. Provide Safe Harbor implementation training to local law
enforcement agencies
The Legislature passed Chapter 331, Laws of 2020 (HB 1775), which is also known as the Safe Harbor law.
The law decriminalized prostitution-related offenses for minors under the age of 18 in favor of referring minors
to specialized, CSE-impacted-youth-specific services.
20 Polaris, “Analysis of 2021 Data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline,” (2021),
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While study participants recognize that a multitude of positive outcomes have resulted from Safe Harbor, there
may be a notable unintended consequence: fewer CSE-impacted youth have been identified and connected
with services since the bill was implemented. 21
Study participants identified a potential gap revealed once the Safe Harbor bill was implemented, and that is a
training gap. Prior to Safe Harbor's implementation, officers could detain a minor to intervene, which led some
youth to engage with services. However, now that Safe Harbor has been implemented, law enforcement
officers are expected to engage with youth to divert them to community services, but they have not been
equipped with the training to do so. 22
To better understand why CSI-impacted Black women and girls may be hesitant to engage with law
enforcement, current and historical context is necessary. Data demonstrates that CSI-impacted Black women
and girls are disproportionately impacted by the justice system and over-policing, or “confrontational and
combative policing tactics for even minor offenses or transgressions that can often lead to violent
outcomes.” 23
According to a scholarly article from ARC Journal of Addiction, women’s incarceration rates have increased
dramatically over recent years with Black women’s rates disproportionately and significantly higher than other
races. 24 For example, Black people account for approximately 37% of adult prostitution arrests — more than
any other racial group, 25 and Black children account for nearly 53% of all juvenile prostitution arrests — also
more than any other racial group. 26 Data shows that Black girls are often more likely to be charged for offenses
linked to their victimization, including selling sex or running away. 27 Consequently, Black women and girls can
be resistant to engaging with law enforcement to connect with services.
If law enforcement officers receive CSE-specific youth engagement training, CSI-impacted Black women and
girls may be more inclined to connect with services.
Routing Black women and girls toward services rather than criminalization corrects past imbalances by
recognizing them as victims of systemic inequities rather than perpetrators. This approach also aligns with
trauma-informed and restorative justice principles, offering these girls a path to healing and recovery instead
of punishment.
It is imperative that sufficient funding be allocated for law enforcement to be adequately trained on how to
effectively implement Safe Harbor, identify CSE-impacted Black girls and refer them to services. Given the
disproportionate CSI impacts that Black women and girls are facing in Washington, equity demands
recognizing that Black girls often come from under-resourced communities with limited access to social
services, healthcare, and educational opportunities, which increases their risk of commercial sexual
exploitation.
21 Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families, "House Bill 1775 Implementation Update," (2022),
22 Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families, "House Bill 1775 Implementation Update," (2022),
23 Hession, Margaret, Bridgewater State University, “Over-Policing and Under-Protecting in American Cities,” (Dec. 28, 2022),
24 Walt, Lisa, ARC Journal of Addiction, "Predicting Pathways into Criminal Behavior: The Intersection of Race, Gender, Poverty,
Psychological Factors," (2017),
25 Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Crime in the United States: Table 43C," (2017),
26 Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Crime in the United States: Table 43B," (2017),
27 Killeen, Erin, Georgetown Journal on Poverty, Law and Policy, “The Increased Criminalization of African American Girls,” (April 17,
2019),
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Providing CSE-impacted Black girls with tailored services not only addresses the immediate crisis of
exploitation but also contributes to long-term systemic change. It gives these girls access to resources and
support systems they have historically been denied, offering them a better chance at recovery and success.
4. Provide funding for CSE-impacted youth specialists in local law
enforcement agencies
As a solution to the gap in identification, engagement, and diversion of CSE-impacted youth, particularly Black
girls, and in efforts to strengthen integrated multidisciplinary anti-trafficking solutions, we recommend
investments in peer support CSE-impacted intervention specialists in police departments with historically high
counts of cases involving CSEC.
The study strongly recommends that lived experience be a mandatory requirement for the staff positions
below with an emphasis on BIPOC applicants. According to the U.S. Department of Justice
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's report, "Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement," a key
recommendation for "building trust and legitimacy" in community-police relations is the need to ensure law
enforcement agencies better reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. The report notes it is a
"critically important tool to build trust with communities." The report also emphasizes important
characteristics to reflect, including: race, gender, language, background and experience. 28 Because sex trade
survivors are disproportionately girls and women of color 29, and because representative law enforcement is
key to building trust with communities, BIPOC applicants with lived experience are recommended for the staff
positions below. Recommended staff positions include:
Outreach specialist:
This role would accompany law enforcement patrolling areas with high CSEC activity, and be responsible for
identifying and engaging CSE youth to build rapport and provide generalized advocacy including referral and/or
accompaniment to community supportive services.
Policy specialist:
This role would collaborate with law enforcement to create policies and procedures regarding the complexities
of implementing existing legislation related to CSE youth, such as Safe Harbor.
Subject matter expert and training specialist:
This role would train law enforcement on practical application of trauma-informed CSEC engagement, referral
and diversion.
This role would also:
• partner with CSE-specific and culturally-specific service providers to coordinate ongoing training
offerings for law enforcement and other systems professionals; and
• partner with and provide supplemental support to police department employees with aligned
responsibilities such as high risk victims sections advocates.
28 U.S. Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, "Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement," (2016),
29 Rights 4 Girls, "Racial and Gender Disparities in the Sex Trade," (2019),
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5. Fund juvenile justice systems' Commercially Sexually Exploited
Children (CSEC) screening costs
Washington's Chapter 298, Laws of 2024 (HB 6006) will go into effect July 1, 2025. Among other
improvements to better serve youth victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse, the law will require juvenile
justice systems to screen for youth who are potentially impacted by CSE. According to the law's language
“juvenile justice agency" means any of the following: Law enforcement; diversion units; juvenile courts;
detention centers; and persons or public or private agencies having children committed to their custody. Many
of these juvenile justice agencies are already understaffed and under-resourced before adding the new
requirement to screen. (For example, some law enforcement agencies that previously had anti-trafficking
detectives or units, no longer have dedicated anti-trafficking staff due to lower staffing levels.)
Although the Department of Children, Youth and Families received funding for implementation, juvenile justice
systems professionals who participated in this study directly identified this law as well intentioned but
potentially problematic to implement, because no funding was provided to the juvenile justice systems to
perform the law's required screening. Study participants expressed concerns that the law will not be
implemented properly, or it will not be implemented at all due to the lack of funding to support the work.
Juvenile justice systems professionals reported that despite the decriminalization of CSE youth for
prostitution-related offenses, they’re still encountering a significant number of youths impacted by commercial
sexual exploitation entering their systems, detained for unrelated charges, like assault. This finding makes it
imperative that the juvenile justice systems receive funding for training to effectively identify and engage with
CSE youth, as well as additional resources to ensure sufficient personnel for these efforts.
To provide screenings, juvenile justice systems should hire trainers who can teach the system staff how to
screen for potential victims of CSE, and how to best assist potential victims. Then, additional staff time will be
required to implement the screening practices.
Professionals who participated in this study’s interviews indicated that to implement best practices while
providing screenings, juvenile justice systems should hire CSI-impacted subject matter experts as trainers who
can teach the systems how to screen for potential CSE youth, and how to best address their needs.
6. Require juvenile justice systems to hire Black CSI-impacted adults to
provide CSE-screening training
One of the most important ways the juvenile justice system and its partners learn to provide CSEC screenings
is by hiring CSI-impacted people to conduct survivor-led systems professionals' training sessions, on topics
such as how to screen for potential victims of CSE, and how to best assist those victims.
Black survivors, in particular, offer relevant and essential information on how to recognize and assist Black
CSEC victims more effectively. Moreover, Black survivors impart valuable insights that are critical to
addressing historical harms and promoting resilience in disproportionately victimized CSE-impacted Black
youth.
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Survivor-led screening trainings are both effective and economically empower Black CSI survivors who lead
those trainings by paying survivors for their valuable expertise. However, since funding was not provided to
juvenile justice systems to implement CSEC screenings required by Chapter 298, Laws of 2024, juvenile justice
systems may be impeded from moving forward to hire and compensate survivors for sharing their knowledge
and experience. As a result, Black CSE-impacted youth victims may not receive the most effective assistance,
harming both Black youth and adult CSE victims and survivors.
Given the unique insights and supports that only Black CSE-impacted experts can provide, it is imperative that
the Legislature adequately fund juvenile justice systems for the full cost of providing the screening that
Chapter 298, Laws of 2024 requires. Funding the required screening will ensure Black CSE-impacted youth are
receiving the most effective screenings and supports possible while ensuring that Black CSE survivors are
economically empowered by receiving compensation for the essential, valuable insights that only they can
provide.
7. Develop and fund emergency shelter and transitional housing
alternatives for at-risk and CSE youth
The final recommendation identified to enhance youth protections from commercial sexual exploitation is to
recognize and address a notable gap in sheltering unhoused youth.
Providing shelter to unhoused youth is a critical need. It is often complicated by legal requirements related to
parental consent, implicating child welfare involvement, and differing jurisdictional responsibilities between
child protective services, law enforcement, and shelters. These policies, though designed to protect minors,
can inadvertently limit access to immediate and transitional safe shelter options for this vulnerable age group,
leaving service providers with limited flexibility to act quickly in crisis situations.
The gap in housing for unsheltered youth produces instability that leads to greater vulnerability to exploitation.
Specifically, youth ages 15 and younger have few alternatives in Washington beyond temporary stays and
shelter hopping. Without stable housing options, these young people often lack access to consistent support
services, guidance and a safe environment. This situation exacerbates their risk of exposure to individuals who
may prey on their need for security and stability.
Establishing transitional housing specifically tailored to youth aged 12 to 15, combined with family
reunification resources, education, counseling, and life skills training, could significantly mitigate their
susceptibility to exploitation and provide them with a foundation for a safer, more secure future. Washington's
2018 Health Assessment states that "getting homeless people and families into any permanent housing will
have long-lasting benefits to their health." 30 By recommending enhanced housing stability and educational
resources targeted at young people, the Legislature can help prevent cycles of exploitation from persisting into
adulthood.
These early interventions can build resilience, promote healing, and ultimately reduce the disproportionate
impact of CSE on Black communities. The study offers these recommendations for CSE-impacted youth to the
Legislature both as necessary measures for addressing the immediate needs of vulnerable young people, and
as a pathway toward achieving lasting equity.
30 Washington State Department of Health, "Washington State Health Assessment," (2018),
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Recommendations Part 2: Adults with CSI experience
1. Prioritize essential services provided by people with CSI experience
and representative service providers from the Black community
To help dismantle systemic barriers and counteract the stigmatization facing Black survivors of the
commercial sex industry and commercial sexual exploitation, funders and programs should increase support
for the provision of services provided by CSI-impacted service providers and representative services from the
Black community.
To build trust and most effectively create accessible pathways to services, service providers should reflect the
communities they serve. When serving Black survivors of the commercial sex industry or commercial sexual
exploitation, the ideal service provider is a Black woman with experience in sex work.
“They kinda like minimize her a little bit. Partially because she's a black woman. I still feel to this day that sometimes
I just have a real thing about, I don't feel heard. You know, you can be in a meeting, and you make a statement or
something. It's like they don't even hear you. But then a white woman stands up and says the same thing, and then all
of a sudden, ‘Oh, I get it now,’ and it's like, I just said that. How did they not understand what I said?" - Study
participant highlighting how Black voices are minimized in formulating solutions.
Many supportive programs focus on survivors’ immediate needs like housing or health services but do not
always address the deeper, systemic issues like racism, poverty, or gender inequality. Survivors and service
providers, however, note that effective outreach requires culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approaches that
resonate with the unique experiences of Black women.
Black service providers should use intentional, community-driven engagement strategies tailored to meet the
specific needs of the local Black community. These uniquely-tailored responses can require unrestricted
funding so that Black service providers may implement holistic approaches and interventions. Additionally,
strengthening partnerships with Black service providers can help dismantle barriers and counteract the
stigmatization facing Black survivors of the commercial sex industry and commercial sexual exploitation.
Seventy-one percent of CSI-impacted participants identified key benefits to lived experience support services
including nonjudgement, trust, validation, credibility and hope, suggesting that peer-led interventions foster a
uniquely structured healing environment. Research investigating the effectiveness of psychoeducational
programs facilitated by CSI-impacted individuals with lived experience 31 is limited but promising. A study
published in 2021, with a sample of 37% CSI-impacted Black women participants demonstrated that
supportive programming, instructed by and with CSI-individuals with lived experience had marked reception by
participants; decreased inclination toward risky behaviors, increased ability to recognize “red flags,” or coercive
tactics, and increased confidence in post-exploitation community reintegration.32
31 For this study, "lived experience" specifically indicates that the individual has personally been involved in sex work, emphasizing that
their perspective is informed by personal, direct involvement rather than observational or professional knowledge. Using this phrase is
important to accurately reflect the unique insights and authority that come from firsthand experience.
32 Usacheva, Maria et al., Women and Criminal Justice, “Ending the Game®: A New Psychoeducational Curriculum for Victims of
Commercial Sexual Exploitation,” (2021),
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"Funding Black-led or Black-founded organizations should be its own separate initiative because resources are not
equitably distributed, and it is the Black and brown organizations that have the greatest impact." – Statement from a
lived experience advocate participant
Lived experience leaders and Black service providers understand that vulnerability to exploitation is often
linked to these systemic factors, and can tailor outreach to both provide resources and build pathways to
empowerment and long-term resilience.
2. Establish and implement CSE-specific shelters that offer CSE-
specific transitional living programs
Homeless and domestic violence shelters provide critical temporary support for adults with lived experience of
sex trafficking but are not always equipped to address the specific needs of trafficking survivors, particularly
Black women. CSE-specific shelters can offer tailored, trauma-informed care, and enhanced safety protocols
necessary to stabilize CSI-impacted Black women in the short term by focusing on developing personalized
safety plans, providing legal advocacy, facilitating access to behavioral health services, and providing housing
referrals.
"Nobody taught me how to do nothing. I got taught how to ho! That's what I got told. That was my life skill." –
Statement from a Black CSI-impacted woman commenting on how she was never taught independent living skills
Black women benefit from programs that understand and respect their cultural background and lived
experiences. Expanding culturally responsive two-year transitional living program offerings with intensive self-
management training can provide Black women with independent living skills, education, and economic
empowerment coaching that promote long-term self-sufficiency and economic independence.
Accordingly, we recommend the establishment of CSE-specific shelters that offer CSE-specific transitional
living programs for victims and survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and commercial sex industry-
impacted individuals.
Expanding transitional living programs can help reduce recidivism rates among survivors of CSE by providing
stable housing and support for them and their children, which aligns with Washington’s goals for improving
outcomes for marginalized populations.
Additionally, we recommend the creation of affordable housing options by funding more rental assistance
programs such as housing vouchers or emergency rental assistance funds, implementing rent stabilization, or
promoting public-private partnerships to increase cheaper housing availability.
3. Promote broader culturally competent substance use treatment and
behavioral health services access
Historically, Washington has ranked among the top states in Medicaid spending, demonstrating a commitment
to ensuring access to essential healthcare services for underserved populations. However, several factors
such as inadequate funding, provider shortages, limited facility capacity, high demand, and inequities in access
contribute to the ongoing presence of waitlists for Medicaid services. The demand for behavioral health and
substance use services has risen, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated mental
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health issues and substance use disorders.33 This circumstance is especially problematic for individuals
seeking in-patient chemical dependency treatment and mental health support for whom access to services is
acute, requiring immediate attention.
“That’s why we need more programs that are strictly for ‘street walkers,’ or, strictly for people that are in that
situation. Everybody’s not on drugs, but a lot of them are today, and I think they keep them like that, so they don’t
have to feel, but they can just do.” – A study participant speaking to the need for substance use support
The Health Care Authority (HCA) oversees Medicaid in Washington and has implemented various initiatives to
enhance access to mental health services, including those specifically targeting marginalized communities.
While these initiatives promote telehealth broadly, they do not necessarily specify funding exclusively for Black
providers.
“My frustration is not seeing the access play out the same way for Black and white women or brown and white
women. And then also, you know, just the idea of really being offered more in-depth types of services like treatment,
mental health – shared by a Black survivor advocate.” – Study participant speaking to need for Black advocates and
providers
Since there is a shortage of Black mental health providers in Washington state, CSI-impacted Black women
have managed to get limited online access to networks of Black women counselors, but many study
participants noted that it is not enough.
“I prefer someone that’s Black, you know? I don’t need no white woman trying to talk to me about anything or me
talking to her about anything, you know?” – Survivor participant speaking to the need for a Black counselor
Additionally, when a Black CSE-impacted survivor was asked whom they feel the most comfortable talking with
about painful or difficult situations, the study participant responded:
“Someone that has been down the same road that I’ve been down or is going down that same road. I feel
comfortable, yes. People of color.”
To enhance access to networks of Black women counselors, study participants recommend that Washington:
• bolster financial support of Medicaid reimbursement;
• increase incentives for Black mental health providers;
• include grants or earmarked Medicaid dollars to support culturally specific therapy, group counseling,
and community-based mental health initiatives such as Black counselors, peer supporters/navigators
or Black wellness circles.
4. Expand CSE- and CSI-impacted individuals' eligibility for removing
criminal convictions related to victimization
Law enforcement and the justice system has a legacy of criminalizing Black women with lived experience of
sex trafficking for crimes that occurred as a result of their victimization, which have lasting impacts on
survivors.
For example, when people apply for employment or housing, a background check is often run, which may
include a criminal background check. Washington State Patrol’s Criminal History Report will report “all adult
33 American Psychological Association, "Increased need for mental health care strains capacity," (2022),
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and juvenile convictions in Washington courts, no matter how old the conviction is." 34 Many study participants
shared that they accumulated criminal records while being sexually exploited, and they also shared that they
had been denied employment and housing as a result of the criminal records they accumulated while
exploited.
Many CSE-impacted women reported that they were forced by their trafficker to commit other crimes, not a
unique experience. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime notes, “…Traffickers not only earn a profit by
sexually exploiting the victims, but then make them commit crimes so they can escape liability and
prosecution.…They deliberately use them in low-level roles that were more exposed to law enforcement
authorities – meaning they are more likely to get caught.” 35 The same article refers to this situation as “double
exploitation and victimization of the women and girls.” Accordingly, sexually exploited victims may develop
criminal records as a direct result of their exploitation.
Washington recognizes that some crimes are committed due to being sexually exploited and has a legal
process in place to change the plea on a person's criminal conviction record from guilty to not guilty. This
process is called vacating the victim's record, or criminal record relief. Though some records can be vacated,
not all crimes that are committed as a result of a person's victimization are allowed to be vacated under
Washington's laws. 36 In these cases, when crimes fall outside of prostitution-related offenses, such as larceny,
drug possession or drug distribution, survivors typically cannot have those crimes vacated from their record.
In 2019, a leading commercial sexual exploitation research entity, Polaris, published "State Report Cards:
Grading Criminal Record Relief Laws for Survivors of Human Trafficking," a report grading each state on the
impacts of their criminal record relief laws for adult survivors of sex and labor trafficking.37 Subsequently, in
2021, Polaris compared existing state laws to criteria defined by itself and the Survivor Reentry Project.
Washington was graded "C," or needing improvement, pointing to some of these factors:
Limitations on the offenses that are eligible for removal. (In general, a conviction of promoting prostitution,
violent crimes, felony drug crimes, and crimes involving weapons are ineligible, even if these crimes
occurred as a result of an individual’s victimization).
Requirements that an individual have no open cases other than prostitution, in any state before the record
can be removed.
An individual cannot actively work on criminal record relief in another state at the same time.
Any restitution ordered has to be paid before relief can be approved.
A period of 5 years with no new charges has elapsed since conviction of a class C felony, or 10 years for a
class B felony.
Pay up to $500 for a crime victim penalty assessment, and any legal representation fees.38
34 American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, "Guide to Criminal Records and Employment in Washington State," (2013),
35 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, “Exploited and Prosecuted: When Victims of Human Trafficking Commit Crimes,” (2020),
36 RCW 9.94A.640 states (1) Every offender who has been discharged under RCW 9.94A.637 may apply to the sentencing court for a
vacation of the offender's record of conviction. If the court finds the offender meets the tests prescribed in subsection (2) of this
section, the court may clear the record of conviction. (3) If the applicant is a victim of sex trafficking, prostitution, or commercial sexual
abuse of a minor; sexual assault; or domestic violence as defined in RCW 9.94A.030, the victim or the prosecutor of the county in which
the victim was sentenced may apply to the sentencing court or the sentencing court's successor to vacate the victim's record of
conviction for a class B or class C felony offense using the process in RCW 9.94A.648.
37 Polaris, "State Report Cards: Grading Criminal Record Relief Laws for Survivors of Human Trafficking," (2019),
38 Polaris, "State Report Cards: Grading Criminal Record Relief Laws for Survivors of Human Trafficking," (2019),
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Many study participants with experience of sex exploitation shared that they had been denied employment and
housing as a result of the criminal records they accumulated while exploited. Study participants also
uncovered that crimes that Black survivors are convicted of committing as a result of their victimization do not
always fall neatly into categories of crimes that are considered eligible for removal.
Because crimes committed by CSI- and CSE-impacted women and girls are often committed as a result of
victimization, the state should expand vacating related crimes for CSE- and CSI-victims by broadening the
language of the laws for CSI- and CSE-impacted individuals. This would align with the state's ongoing work and
commitment towards restorative justice efforts.
In the context of this report, restorative justice aims to:
repair the harms caused to individuals with lived experience by their involvement in the commercial sex
industry;
incorporate trauma-informed care; and
focus on healing the psychological and emotional harm victims experience.
In addition to expanding CSE and CSI individual’s eligibility for criminal record relief, this study recommends
that the state also provide sustaining funding for no-cost legal advocacy and representation services, as study
participants reported that the legal process to vacate a criminal record is long, complex and expensive.
"It’s the hardest process... It's obstacle after obstacle. You have to do this, or it has to be this amount of time that you
can't get in trouble. Just a bunch of stuff." - CSI-impacted study participant sharing frustration with the legal process
to vacate a criminal record
Providing no-cost legal advocacy and representation services for CSE- and CSI-impacted women, and
expanding CSE and CSI vacature eligibility for vacating other crimes would address and help repair the
significant disproportionate racial, social and economic disparities that Black CSE- and CSI-impacted women
and girls face due to being prosecuted for crimes that were committed as a result of being an exploited victim.
By providing free legal advocacy services and expanding this vacature eligibility for CSE- and CSI-impacted
women, more Black survivors will be able to access and be eligible for vacature legal relief. When these factors
are addressed, the state will be removing barriers that are currently preventing CSE-and CSI-impacted Black
women from securing housing and employment.
5. Establish a survivor-advocate state policy and programming
advisory committee
Endorse survivor-informed policy planning by establishing a statewide survivor-advocate policy and
programming advisory committee. CSI-impacted individuals from overburdened communities39 would review
proposed legislation for equity, engaging with their communities to gather insights and feedback as well as to
identify gaps in services, and to make recommendations on policies and resource development.
A statewide survivor-informed policy planning committee should be composed of CSI-impacted individuals
from communities with unique risk factors. The committee would be tasked with:
39 RCW 70A.02.010 defines overburdened community as “a geographic area where vulnerable populations face combined, multiple
environmental harms and health impacts, and includes, but is not limited to, highly impacted communities as defined in RCW
19.405.020.
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• reviewing proposed legislation for equity;
• engaging with their communities to gather insights and feedback;
• identifying gaps in services;
• initiating targeted research studies to uncover the needs of Black survivors and align interventions; and
• making recommendations on resource development.
Establishing a statewide survivor-advocate policy planning advisory committee will elevate the voices of adults
with lived experience in commercial sexual exploitation and from communities with unique risk factors. The
outcomes of the committee's work would provide policies and programs that resonate more with the lived
experiences of Black survivors, potentially leading to greater engagement without compromising survivors'
safety or community ties.
6. Create and implement an “Ebony Alert”
Study participants noted a publicity gap when Black girls or women go missing. National Public Radio affirmed
the publicity gap in 2023 by emphasizing that "people of color who disappear seldom get the same amount of
media attention devoted to white people who go missing - especially white women and children." 40 The
"Neglected Epidemic of Missing BIPOC Women and Girls," a federal report, also brought to light that "Black
women and girls make up just 13% of the female population in the country but accounted for fully 35% of all
missing women in 2020."41 To increase public awareness, study participants suggested that Washington
create an "Ebony Alert."
Washington's Amber Alert Program is "a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies,
broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most
serious child-abduction cases."
Similar to the Amber Program, California enacted an Ebony Alert in 2024. More specifically, "The California
Statewide Ebony Alert Program was introduced through Senate Bill 673 and became law in 2024 by adding
Section 8594.14 to the California Government Code. An Ebony Alert is a resource available to law enforcement
agencies investigating the suspicious or unexplainable disappearance of a Black woman or Black person. The
Ebony Alert will provide immediate information to the public to aid in the swift recovery of missing Black
persons."
Black CSI-impacted women who participated in the study agreed that establishing an Ebony Alert based off of
the Amber Alert program would aid in the identification and recovery of missing Black women, many of whom
are likely to be commercially sexually exploited.
"It's always having to go through these spaces. And now I'm preparing to be triggered immensely in this space ….
Even when we're talking about getting this ebony alert, and how the difference is our girls are runaways … blah blah
blah! Really, they're being trafficked! Really, they're not running away! It becomes a lot to try to navigate through." -
Study participant sharing frustration at the lack of media attention that missing Black girls and women receive
40 National Public Radio, "Missing White Woman Syndrome: The Media Bias Against Missing People of Color," (2023),
41 U.S. Government Publishing Office for the Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Committee on
Oversight and Reform: House of Representatives, "The Neglected Epidemic of Missing BIPOC Women and Girls," (2022),
IMPACTS OF THE COMMERCIAL SEX INDUSTRY ON BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN WASHINGTON
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Conclusion
With Washington's commitment to equity, restorative justice and supporting Black, CSI-impacted women and
girls, a better world is possible. Victims and survivors bravely shared their experiences and recommendations
to reduce sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Washington. With the support of state leaders,
these recommendations will lead to a more supportive, safer Washington for all.
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Methodology
Rapid ethnographic assessment
Researchers determined that a rapid ethnographic assessment (REA) was the most appropriate research
method for this short-term project. An REA is a type of qualitative study designed to quickly gather in-depth
insights into a specific cultural or social context, within a limited timeframe, by using interviews, focus groups,
and participant and environmental observations to collect data.
The goal is to understand participants' experiences, behaviors, and perceptions in their natural settings,
allowing researchers to identify themes and patterns that might not emerge in quantitative studies. REAs are
especially useful in situations that require timely information for decision-making, such as public health crises
or evaluations of community needs.
The project team sought to thoroughly interview CSI-impacted Black women, service providers, and
interdisciplinary systems professionals to answer questions such as:
• What services and resources do CSI-impacted Black women need?
• What are the barriers preventing CSI-impacted Black women from accessing essential services?
• How can communities and service providers best support CSI-impacted Black women?
Washington State Institutional Review Board approval
Because the research involved human subjects, the research plan was submitted to the Washington State
Institutional Review Board (WSIRB) for approval. The WSIRB reviews research to ensure that the:
• rights and welfare of human subjects are adequately protected;
• risks to human subjects are minimized, are not unreasonable, and are outweighed by the potential
benefits to them or by the knowledge gained; and
• proposed study design and methods are adequate and appropriate in light of the stated research
objectives. 42
The research team received Washington State Institutional Review Board approval to conduct a rapid
ethnographic assessment to meet the requirements of the proviso.
Participant recruitment
After receiving WSIRB approval, participant recruitment began via targeted email, phone, and in-person
outreach. Efforts were concentrated in the nine counties that the Washington State Commission on African
American Affairs determined to have some of the highest populations of Black individuals residing in them.
These counties include: King, Pierce, Snohomish, Whatcom, Clark, Yakima, Benton, Franklin and Spokane. The
researchers were able to correspond with a number of systems professionals through the varied outreach
methods, which greatly contributed to our overall understanding of several factors that potentially impede the
ability of Black women to access supportive services.
42 Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, "Human Research Review Section," (Oct. 18, 2024),
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Geographic challenges
Of the nine counties that the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs determined to have
some of the highest populations of Black individuals residing in them, almost half (four of nine) of the counties
are in Central or Eastern Washington. Additionally, evidence suggests that CSI-impacted Black women pass
through the Central and Eastern regions of the state while moving in commercial sexual exploitation circuits. 43
Yet, Central and Eastside service providers contacted for this study indicate that they serve few, if any, CSI-
impacted Black women. The gap between CSI-impacted Black women and accessing services underscores the
critical need for further research in Central and Eastern Washington. Understanding commercial sexual
exploitation circuit patterns and help-seeking behaviors of disproportionately impacted populations is crucial
for addressing the unique challenges faced by this population.
While Central and Eastern Washington service providers contacted for this study 44 generally confirmed that
CSI-impacted Black women are eligible for their services, many providers in Eastern or Central Washington
declined to participate in the study citing a lack of knowledge about CSI-impacted Black women. This suggests
there is a need to expand trauma-informed care, antiracism, and implicit bias trainings in Eastern Washington
to help service providers and systems professionals better understand and effectively address the unique
experiences of CSI-impacted Black women.
Moreover, study participants were only aware of one culturally-specific service provider in Eastern Washington.
This highlights a critical gap in culturally responsive care.
Further research in Central and Eastern Washington is essential to comprehensively explore the impacts of the
commercial sex industry on Black women in these regions.
Participant recruitment challenges
The stigmatization, discrimination, and criminalization that CSE youth and CSI-impacted adults endure often
results in reluctance to openly discuss their experiences in the sex industry or the challenging circumstances
that precede or perpetuate their involvement. These factors are especially problematic for Black women and
girls, who feel the disproportionate impacts of racism and compounded systemic barriers that prevent them
from being perceived as worthy of help.
It is this visceral fear of judgment that generally prevents CSI-impacted Black women from coming forward,
opening up about their experiences, and asking for support. Even when these courageous women confront the
systemic obstacles in their paths, micro-aggressions and more overtly discriminatory practices don't
necessarily afford them the same level of access to the services and resources they need to improve their lives
as their non-Black counterparts. The cumulative effect of these adversities can foster deep-seated distrust in
research institutions and social service systems, making participation in studies feel like an unsafe or futile
endeavor.
43 The research team accessed online platforms where individuals whom appeared to be Black women advertised commercial sex
services in the region. To prioritize CSI-impacted women’s safety, the online platforms and number of women selling sex who appear to
be Black will not be disclosed in this report.
44 Organizations in the following counties were contacted for this study: Benton, Franklin, Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, Spokane, and
Yakima.
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To counteract these trepidations, the researchers engaged in the intentional cultivation of rapport with
prospective participants and not merely transactional encounters.
Interviews
Researchers Jasmine Conway, Dr. Carolyn West and Dr. Anindita Bhattacharya interviewed multiple
stakeholders and subject matter experts, most of whom were Black women, who are or have been involved in
the commercial sex industry, to understand its impacts in their lives.
Researchers also interviewed and corresponded with social services providers, with an intentional emphasis
on advocates, peer support specialists, and interdisciplinary systems professionals such as healthcare, law
enforcement and justice professionals to understand which social barriers would need to be redressed to
reduce the trauma, violence, and disproportionate impact of sex trafficking on Black women.
Interview participants
A total of 22 Black women who self-identified as having had involvement in the commercial sex industry (CSI)
were individually interviewed. Twenty-one of those interviews were included in this study. Demographic
information regarding the Black CSI-impacted women interviewed for this study include:
• age range from early 20s to mid-60s
• mixture of inactive to currently active in the commercial sex industry
• approximately 65% entered the commercial sex industry between the ages of 12-17 years old
• approximately 25% were between the ages of 18-20 when they entered the commercial sex industry
Several CSI-impacted women were also identified as being supportive services advocates and or activists, and
their dual identities were explored for their personal and professional expertise regarding meeting the needs of
CSI-impacted Black women. Twelve systems professionals participated via a combination of one-to-one
interviews and focus groups.
Participants graciously permitted extensive interviewing, averaging two hours. Researchers made the decision
that for the purposes of this study, affording all participants confidentiality irrespective of their identities would
elicit the most transparency and forthcoming responses. The insights and approaches in this report have been
formulated as a result of these activities and in response to the requirements of the proviso.
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