Detecting sex trafficking circuits in the U.S. through analysis of online escort advertisements

Abstract

The use of social network analysis is used to identify possible victims of sex trafficking and the observation of domestic trafficking flows across the U.S. A novel approach to the analysis is presented with the understanding further development is needed. Online escort advertisements were analyzed for virtual indicators of sex trafficking and to identify patterns of activity that may be associated with criminal networks. The results suggest that 67% of the sample contained indicators of movement. Social network analysis methods were applied to identify movement trends across the US. The use of SNA methods allowed prominent hubs and circuits of this activity to be observed, by providing a tool to uncover covert network structures and activity, yielding a method to capture movement trends of potential trafficked persons. The integration of geospatial data allowed maps to be created in order to visualize movement patterns.