Today, at the McCain Institute’s Decision Theater in Washington, D.C., Praescient analysts and scholars from the Arizona State University School of Social Work’s Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research presented the findings of a joint effort to investigate sex trafficking leading up to and during the 2014 Superbowl. The culmination of this partnership was the production of a comprehensive report titled “Exploring Sex Trafficking and Prostitution Demand During the Super Bowl 2014.”
Our analysts demonstrated a sophisticated workflow that sourced thousands of online sex ads to find patterns within trafficking events. An important component of their analysis was a software engineering effort aimed at tailoring an advanced platform to the unique needs of this project. Their demonstration illustrated how Praescient’s signature combination of savvy analysts and mission-focused engineers can enable solutions that would otherwise not have been possible.
The project was funded by a grant from The McCain Institute for International Leadership at ASU. “The McCain Institute is proud to invest in new research surrounding sex trafficking and large sporting events,” Mrs. Cindy McCain said in the report’s introduction. “A research based, greater understanding of how these networks are operating gives us all a better opportunity to combat human trafficking every day.” The McCain institute also stressed that this increased awareness enables not only police investigations, but also the recovery of sex trafficking victims.
Analyst Jon Larkin and Deputy Director of Capabilities Josh Gearheart present Praescient’s workflows at The Decision Theater
Several weeks ago, this work was profiled in a piece by Bloomberg news. Check out the full article here:
Super Bowl Prostitution Digitally Mapped by Data Trackers.
Watch a video recap of the coverage, featuring comments from Praescient CEO Katie Crotty and Analyst Jon Larkin, here: Super Bowl Prostitution Tracked by Defense Software.
Learn more our anti-trafficking workflows in this demo video: An Analytical Approach to Stopping Human Trafficking.
Praescient Analytics is a Veteran-Owned Small Business that delivers training, data integration, platform customization, and embedded analytical services in partnership with leading technology providers. Praescient’s teams of analysts and engineers provide comprehensive solutions to federal and commercial clients engaged in critical defense, law enforcement, intelligence, cyber security, financial, investigative, and legal analytics missions.
Charlotte Stasio is Praescient’s Communications Specialist.