Taking Down Backpage: Fighting the World's Largest Sex Trafficker

Backpage.com was the world's largest sex trafficking operation, advertising the sale of vulnerable young people for sex. Seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, in 800 cities throughout the world, Backpage ran thousands of listings advertising the sale of vulnerable young people for sex. Veteran California prosecutor Maggy Krell and her team battled against this sex trafficking monolith, sharing powerful stories of interviews with survivors, sting operations, court cases, and the personal struggles necessary to bring Backpage executives to justice.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 11 January 2022
Publisher: New York University Press

For nearly a decade, Backpage.com stood as the world's largest sex trafficking operation, operating seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, in 800 cities across the globe. Every day, thousands of listings advertising the sale of vulnerable young people for sex were published on the website, generating millions of dollars for its owners through a cut of every transaction. However, a significant number of the individuals featured in these advertisements were children, as young as 12, who were forced into the commercial sex trade through fear, violence, and coercion.

In her book, Taking Down Backpage, veteran California prosecutor Maggy Krell shares the remarkable story of how she and her team fought against this sex trafficking monolith. Beginning with her early career as a young DA, Krell delves into the evolution of the anti-human trafficking movement. Through a captivating blend of memoir and legal expertise, she reveals how she and her team began by prosecuting street pimps and eventually brought down the largest purveyor of human trafficking in the world. Krell shares powerful accounts of interviews with survivors, sting operations, court cases, and the personal challenges that were required to bring Backpage executives to justice.

Furthermore, Krell examines the state of sex trafficking after Backpage and the critical work that remains to be done. Taking Down Backpage is a gripping tale of tragedy, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of justice, offering valuable insights into the fight against sex trafficking in the digital age. It serves as a testament to the unwavering commitment of law enforcement and advocacy groups in the fight against this heinous crime, and their unwavering determination to bring those responsible to justice.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479803040