UNC Professor Raises Sex Trafficking Awareness in Northern Colorado

Northern Colorado is grappling with a hidden crisis: sex trafficking. Dr. Angie Schultz, a University of Northern Colorado (UNC) professor of sociology, is doing something about it by raising awareness and assisting victims.

Schultz began helping victims after discovering that a UNC student, Megan Lundstrom, was a victim of sex trafficking.

“She absolutely blew my mind,” said Schultz. “I had no idea that sex trafficking was happening here in Greeley.”

Lundstrom didn’t ease Schultz into the hidden world of sex trafficking; it came as a surprise to both of them when the two met. Lundstrom was referred to Schultz as a gender scholar to sit on a panel for Empathy Week.

Schultz took an interest in understanding sex trafficking to help victims. Working side-by-side with Lundstrom, Schultz began gathering data to understand all sides of the issue: victims, traffickers and buyers.

Traffickers typically have a “too good to be true” type of job, such as a music producer or a talent agent. They mainly target women with financial burdens. Traffickers trick women into a romantic relationship, showering them with gifts until a price needs to be paid.

“It’s a slow turning up the heat, slow pushing of your boundaries to the point where you don’t even really realize what’s going on,” Schultz explained.

Buyers are terrified of rejection, so they accept it since none of their victims can say no. Schultz found that buyers are typically in their 20s with either a pornography addiction or erectile dysfunction issues.

Schultz and Lundstrom gathered data in 2022 and found that more male-dominated areas in Colorado have a high demand for commercial sex, which leads to increased levels of sex trafficking. Northern Colorado and Grand Junction show high amounts of sex trafficking due to oilfield jobs being a more male-dominated field.

Schultz now works closely with law enforcement and is an expert witness in cases. Currently, Schultz is an expert witness on a case that’s been ongoing for four years now.

“You need to have massive supports and unfortunately, it’s a civil case,” said Schultz. “So, there’s no state-level or district-level or county-level support for these trafficking victims.”

During ongoing cases, victims are at a huge risk of being re-trafficked. Schultz believes that traffickers are manipulating things "behind the scenes" to stop victims from continuing the lawsuit.

Nationwide, a common vulnerability that exists for young adults is their student loan debt. Schultz outlines signs that students should identify in relation to sex trafficking, such as love bombing, attempts to isolate individuals and controlling or over-sexualized behavior. While some signs may be common in regular relationships or interactions, Schultz says it is crucial to stay aware.

Schultz's full focus is on sex trafficking, even offering courses for students to take to become more aware. These courses help students understand sex trafficking and bring awareness on and off campus. Students interested in getting involved can take Sociology of Sex Trafficking and Sex Work (SOC 304) typically offered in the spring semester at UNC.