Researching Immunity Laws in American Sex Work

Olivia conducted research for her Public Policy Honors Thesis, examining how Nevada’s brothel model impacts the working conditions and safety of sex workers compared to full criminalization in other U.S. states. Her preparatory work included navigating a rigorous IRB approval process to ensure ethical engagement, confidentiality, and positionality in her research. She also conducted extensive background research, exploring transformative justice and harm reduction frameworks through key texts like Revolting Prostitutes and Pleasure Activism.

Although she was unable to conduct interviews with sex workers in Nevada due to challenges in community engagement, Olivia pivoted her focus to harm reduction policies such as immunity laws. She began interviewing advocacy experts from sex work nonprofits and incorporated a quantitative analysis of immunity laws’ impact on arrest rates and crime reporting. This experience highlighted the importance of earning trust in community research and strengthened her ability to adapt while pursuing meaningful, community-centered public policy research.