Opinion: Homeless in Denver: Sex work and trafficking disrupt lives

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One aspect of living unhoused that rarely gets talked about in Denver is the intersection of sex work and homelessness.

Sex work and forced sex both are realities in the homeless community. Sex work is when someone sells pleasures of the flesh for money at their own will. Forced sex, such as human trafficking, is just that.

I witnessed during homelessness what I expect to be both forms. Due to the circumstances surrounding homelessness, it can be easy to fall into sex work or be trafficked. Sex work often gives a person money to survive. Some people including children say they sometimes find sex work empowering. But it also can destroy a person’s self-esteem.

Johns and pimps prey upon people experiencing homelessness because they know they’re desperate. Being part of a sex work ring brings a sense of social cohesion to people who otherwise feel abandoned and isolated, according to an online presentation by National Healthcare for the Homeless Council.

Young sex workers usually present feminine

Young sex workers tend to be feminine presenting, according to the presentation. That is, “An individual’s gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, haircut or voice, which may be socially associated to feminine/non-masculine behaviors and characteristics.”

A 2005 study on the health of homeless adults showed death rate due to HIV/AIDS was nine times higher among single adult women who used homeless shelters than among the New York City housed adults. Females had 11-fold tuberculosis rates compared to the housed population.

In large cities across America, organizations like the Ali Forney Center in New York City assist LGBT youth. Services at the Forney Center include case management, therapy, psychiatric services, medical care, housing (drop-in 24/7, emergency, transitional, transgender), meals, clothing, vocational training an educational opportunities, outreach, and advocacy.

In Denver, these services are provided to young people via Urban Peak, The Gathering Place, Colorado Coalition for the homeless and others. Often, case managers help sex workers get HIV prevention medications such as PREP and PEP, according to the presentation.

LGBT youths ostracized from families

Most LGBT youths end up homeless due to being ostracized by their families, according to the presentation, with about 40% of youth experiencing homelessness identifying as LGBT. More than half faced negative reactions from parents and caregivers when they came out, with 26% thrown out of their homes. They experienced 7.4 more acts of sexual violence than the housed population and had higher rates of mental health problems, dropping out of high school, engaging in survival sex, victimization, and involvement with the criminal legal system. “Rejection can function as a source of anticipation of ongoing rejection and pain,” according to the presentation.

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A 2016 study of 6,454 individuals who identify as transgender or gender-nonconforming in the U.S. reported:

· 10.7% engaged in survival sex

· 11.4% experienced homelessness due to their transgender or gender-nonconforming identity

· 16.3% had to seek temporary sleeping arrangements or had couch surfed as a result of their transgender or gender-nonconforming identity.

By the numbers: A tale of abuse

According to the presentation, of 466 clients at the Forney Center in New York City in 2018:

63% experienced child abuse

45% experienced childhood sexual abuse

64% witnessed domestic violence as a child

30% experienced intimate partner violence

29% experienced sexual assault/rap

63% experienced witness assault

A third witnessed a killing or serious injury

44% experienced stalking

74% experienced food insecurity

71% were kicked out of their home

28% were in current danger

Finding yourself in precarious positions

I was thrust into situations during homelessness both where I could have been exploited and was propositioned. Often, drugs such as fentanyl and crystal meth play a role. Using drugs during sex increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.

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Human trafficking victims difficult to identify

Those who are being trafficked can be difficult to identify. “Providers in the housing and homelessness field are likely already serving survivors of trafficking without knowing it,” according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness website. “Not all survivors will disclose their trafficking experience, and some may not be aware that their exploitation is considered trafficking. Housing programs have the opportunity to ensure that their services are trauma-informed and person-centered. By creating systems that focus on providing the individual choice and voice in their housing, we can ensure that all clients, including those who have experienced violence and exploitation, can access housing options that feel safe for them.”

Sex work legal in Canada but still dangerous

According to a 2014 study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research:

· 39% of sex workers were supporting at least one dependent

· 77% identified as women; 17% identified as men; 6% identified as other genders

· Less than four in 10 (38%) of sex workers described their mental health as excellent or very good (compared to the general average of three out of four Canadians who do)

“Sex work, and therefore sex workers, are often victimized and marginalized,” according to the Homeless Hub of Canada. “Violence against sex workers is continual and for women working on the street especially the fear of kidnapping, rape, physical assault, theft and harassment is constant.”

What holds true in Canada about sex work is even more pronounced in the U.S., where prostitution is illegal. “Despite sex work being mostly legal in Canada, moralization of sex work – especially as it pertains to women – often causes problems and leads to arrests and harassments. Businesses and neighborhoods may protest visibility of street level sex work in the area, leading police to conduct sweeps.”

Traffickers know where to look for victims

In a blog post on the CU Anschutz website, Kara Napolitano of the Colorado-based Laboratory to End Human Trafficking explains traffickers have no problem finding victims. “We know where vulnerable people are in our communities. We might turn away from it, but it’s no secret where they are,” she said. “Traffickers go to those places and recruit victims.”

In a report last year, the Laboratory concluded that people experiencing homelessness in Colorado are at great risk of being trafficked. “Housing instability and homelessness remain a top challenge for survivors of human trafficking in Colorado and the systems that serve them,” according to the Laboratory website. “We must innovate to create more safe, stable, and trauma-informed housing options.”

The report also shows that trafficking is a threat for other marginalized groups, too, “including immigrant and tribal communities, individuals who hold LGBTQ+ identities, and youth experiencing homelessness…. Colorado must address root causes of human trafficking by looking ‘upstream’ to tackle issues that create risks and vulnerabilities.”

Homeless encampments rife with trafficking

Photo byDenver Homeless Out Loud

Denver police acknowledged two years ago that human trafficking is occurring in homeless encampments. “We have identified people who are being trafficked,” Police Chief Ron Thomas said during a town hall. “We have identified individuals who were being preyed upon by those selling drugs and steered them in a safe direction.”

In August 2023, the FBI in Denver recovered 27 victims of trafficking. “Child trafficking exists here, in our community,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “Our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force works with local, state, and federal partners—as well as community partners and service providers—to proactively combat this heart-breaking crime.”

According to an FBI news release, a 16-year-old girl recovered in the operation was being trafficked by her father in exchange for drugs. Another minor had been reported missing by her foster family and was found in a hotel with a known trafficker. “These and other children were reunified with parents or guardians and provided support services by the various Juvenile Assessment Centers, our child welfare partners, and service providers,” according to the news release.