The Victimization of the Vulnerable: A Comprehensive Study on Time in Sex Trafficking with an Index of Coercion Using Global Synthetic Data Based on Real Victims

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This study examines how coercion shapes the duration of sex trafficking experiences among adult women, using global synthetic data from the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). Focusing on 700 female survivors aged 18–47, the research employs a multinomial regression model to analyze how a multidimensional index of coercion, based on Biderman’s (1957) framework, influences time spent in trafficking. Controlling for age and year of registration, the findings reveal higher levels of coercion are associated with a shorter amount of time in trafficking. Predicted probabilities suggest that extreme coercion may act as a tipping point, accelerating victim exit or rescue, while victims … continued below

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Kennedy, Emery Cait July 2025.

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This thesis is part of the collection entitled: UNT Theses and Dissertations and was provided by the UNT Libraries to the UNT Digital Library, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 49 times, with 19 in the last month. More information about this thesis can be viewed below.

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  • Kennedy, Emery Cait

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This study examines how coercion shapes the duration of sex trafficking experiences among adult women, using global synthetic data from the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). Focusing on 700 female survivors aged 18–47, the research employs a multinomial regression model to analyze how a multidimensional index of coercion, based on Biderman’s (1957) framework, influences time spent in trafficking. Controlling for age and year of registration, the findings reveal higher levels of coercion are associated with a shorter amount of time in trafficking. Predicted probabilities suggest that extreme coercion may act as a tipping point, accelerating victim exit or rescue, while victims facing less overt coercion may remain entrapped longer due to subtler control mechanisms. The study contributes to trafficking and deviance literature in two key ways: (1) it challenges traditional deviance theories, such as Best and Luckenbill’s Social Organization of Deviance, by demonstrating how coercive trafficking systems defy voluntary or peer-based organizational models; and (2) it introduces a theory-driven, multidimensional coercion index that offers a more nuanced understanding of how control tactics affect victimization length. These findings underscore the need for survivor-centered interventions and policies that recognize the layered, often hidden forms of coercion in trafficking contexts and call for more research that captures the diverse experiences of all trafficking survivors.

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  • July 2025

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  • Sept. 8, 2025, 8:46 p.m.

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  • Oct. 15, 2025, 1:52 p.m.

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Thumbnail image of item number 1 in: 'The Victimization of the Vulnerable: A Comprehensive Study on Time in Sex Trafficking with an Index of Coercion Using Global Synthetic Data Based on Real Victims'.
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Kennedy, Emery Cait. The Victimization of the Vulnerable: A Comprehensive Study on Time in Sex Trafficking with an Index of Coercion Using Global Synthetic Data Based on Real Victims, thesis, July 2025; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2482629/: accessed July 22, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .

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