Exploring the relationship between hurricanes and online sex trafficking advertisements: using Hurricane Laura as a case study

Previous research suggests that sex traffickers may take advantage of vulnerable populations in the aftermath of disasters caused by natural hazards. Despite the amplification of vulnerabilities in the wake of such events and the increased likelihood of sex traffickers exploiting them, there is limited empirical evidence to show such a connection. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to answer the following research question: what is the relationship between hurricanes and online advertisements potentially linked to sex trafficking? Hurricane Laura (a Category 4 hurricane that occurred between 20 and 29 August 2020) serves as a case study and data are scraped from Escort Index, an aggregator of popular multi-service adult entertainment platforms in the United States. The results show a significant negative relationship between Hurricane Laura and the number of online sex advertisements potentially linked to human trafficking. The study offers three alternative explanations for this finding and concludes by outlining additional areas of research on this important topic.