Every year, the United States alone spends hundreds of millions on programs to combat human trafficking and rescue trafficked victims. But what do sex workers themselves have to say about these issues? These eighteen interviews were gathered as part of an extensive research project for the author’s 2012 book, Selling Sex Overseas. With the publication of these full, unvarnished accounts, we are now able to hear firsthand how and why these women left China to work in the sex trade abroad, how much they make, what hardships they face, and what hopes they have for the future.
What Others Are Saying
“Ko-lin’s in-depth fieldwork has set a new standard for nuanced sociological inquiry into thorny social issues. The women he interviews deserve not judgment but understanding of the complex circumstances and challenges they face. Through sheer tenacity and painstaking documentation, Ko-lin allows us to see for ourselves the human stories behind each veiled entrance and every dimly lit doorway.” —Sheldon Zhang, San Diego State University
“Ambitious in global scope while staying focused on individual stories, this book vividly and poignantly reveals the impact of anti-traffi cking laws and campaigns on the everyday experiences of Chinese sex workers overseas, and illuminates the ways these policies imperil the very people they purport to assist.”—Tiantian Zheng, Professor, Anthropology
Highlights
- Stories of life in the transnational sex trade, told by the women themselves