Research

My research focuses on the discourse around sex trafficking, sex work, and sexual violence, specifically analyzing how Asian/American women become visible and legible as “deserving victims.” I examine archives that document and depict Asian and Asian American women in “sexual slavery.” Here, the term “sexual slavery” refers to sex work, particularly (forced and voluntary) prostitution. As such, I focus on two different historical depictions of migrant sex work and sex trafficking in which Asian/American women were primarily involved. I analyze the archives for the so-called “Yellow Slave Trade” in the U.S., and for Japanese militarized prostitution (euphemistically known as “comfort women”).