Vero Beach Police Department and other Florida law enforcement agencies formally charged Robert Kraft with solicitation of prostitution on February 22, 2019. Allegedly, video evidence exists of Kraft visiting Orchids of Asia Spa in Jupiter, Florida twice and paying for sex. Kraft is among nearly 200 other individuals charged with similar crimes as part of a sex trafficking investigation that targeted Orchids of Asia Spa and 10 other spas in Florida. He is scheduled to appear in court in late April and faces up to one year in jail, up to $5000 in fines, and up to 100 hours of community service.
Instructors, click on the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.
Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for Robert Kraft and Sex Trafficking
Video
Articles
- Robert Kraft, massage parlor trafficking, and national efforts to end it
- ‘The Monsters Are the Men’: Inside a Thriving Sex Trafficking Trade in Florida
- Huge Florida sex trafficking sting results in nearly 50 arrests and 200 warrants, with more still coming
- Florida massage parlor bust sheds light on human trafficking problem in US
- Sex trafficking, prostitution is anything but a ‘victimless crime,’ experts say
- Sheriff Who Oversaw Sex Trafficking Ring Bust Describes Investigation
- ‘Dozens of arrests yet to come’ in sex-trafficking ring, Martin County sheriff says: report
- Read the documents detailing the allegations against Robert Kraft
- Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Charged With Soliciting Prostitution
Assessment
- From a Feminist perspective, discuss how women might be at a greater risk than men for enduring the trauma associated with being sexually abused through sex trafficking. Why might immigrant women be particularly vulnerable to becoming victims of sex trafficking?
- From a symbolic interactionist perspective, how does the involvement of Mr. Kraft bring awareness to this story? Is it possible this story would not have received as much attention were it not for the involvement of Mr. Kraft? What does that say about how we define deviance, and more appropriately, deviants in society? Are some crimes more important when people of high status are involved?
- Some view prostitution as a victimless crime. How might the story surrounding Mr. Kraft’s case influence how these people view prostitution—especially after learning about the exploitative nature of the living conditions of the women involved?
- When individuals commit acts of a deviant nature in society, they can be sanctioned in an effort to change their behavior. Do you think the potential sanctions of jail time, community service, etc., corresponding with the charges alleged against Mr. Kraft will change his and others’ behavior? Explain why or why not.
- Labeling theory focuses on how labels can change how individuals are accepted and valued in society. How do you see these charges influencing Mr. Kraft’s status in society? Do you think it is possible for his status to increase among certain populations and decrease among others?
Current Events Quiz
Mr. Kraft is now charged with solicitation of prostitution. A _______ theorist would argue that his reputation can be reduced and devalued as a result of people learning about these allegations of explicit sexual behavior.
a. Functionalist
b. Conflict
c. Feminist
d. Labeling
Potential jail time, fines, and community service are all examples of _______ that Mr. Kraft potentially faces as a result of being charged with solicitation of prostitution.
a. norms
b. sanctions
c. violations
d. controls
A feminist theorist would likely be interested in which of the following aspects of sex trafficking?
a. The total amount of money made annually by sex traffickers
b. Potential corruption in the legal community that allows sex trafficking to occur
c. Patriarchal tendencies of sex trafficking where women are more often the victims and men profit
d. Media coverage of sex trafficking cases at the local level