Limited research focuses on the nature of the lived experiences of women engaged in sex trafficking. This study employed qualitative methods of in-depth structured interviews with ten convicted sex traffickers (ages 24-56; 100% identifying as female). Participants' lived experiences revealed circumstances that led them to trafficking, specific needs, and the stigmatization they faced after exiting economies tied to trafficking. Inductive analysis yielded three key barriers to reintegration success: limited choice; negative labeling; and unmet physical, emotional, and social needs. These findings enhance understanding of the factors influencing the successful reintegration of convicted female sex traffickers into mainstream society.
Women are increasingly represented in policing; however, inclusion alone will not eradicate existing structural and cultural barriers to meaningful change. Insights from interviews with ninety-one Canadian women police of varied rank and tenure, demonstrate women's experiences of structured ambivalence as they strategically deploy and resist gendered policing narratives of the Brotherhood, Boys' Club, and Sisterhood to negotiate their own 'fit.' In this way, they both challenge and reinforce gendered boundaries that create barriers to meaningful transformation. These findings demonstrate the need for change initiatives to address the complex and ever-shifting role of gender in policing organizations.

