Starting the Conversation

Immediately after the film, you may want to give people a few quiet moments to reflect on what they have seen. Or pose a general question (examples below) and give people some time to jot down or think about their answers before opening the discussion:

If you were going to tell a friend about this film, what would you say?

Describe a moment or scene in the film that you found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it about that scene that was especially compelling for you?

Did anything in the film surprise you? Was anything familiar?

If you could ask anyone in the film a single question, whom would you ask and what would you want to know?

How do you interpret the film’s title?

Understanding Sex Work and Sex Workers

What did you learn from each woman’s story about the reasons that women become engage in sex work?

Susan’s client says she came to the U.S. because she was the capable one in her family and “I do feel my family's needs are more important than mine.” How do traditional constructions of gender roles contribute to the circumstances that lead some women toengage in sex work?? How are Xiao’s feelings of family responsibility different from and/or similar to those expressed by Judge Toko Serita when she visits family in Japan because, as she says, “I think I'm fulfilling my duty to take care of them.”?

Susan Liu shares that, “many of the requests I make to God [when I pray] are the same requests that the women, tell me in session: Somebody to love me, somebody who will never abandon me, somewhere safe, stable housing, basic things, like in normal people's life…every person want that.” Given Susan’s insight that her clients are just like most people, why do you think that sex workers are so often stigmatized and treated as if they are not normal?

Eliza’s client Kandie says, “I don't think I was human trafficked. I made that choice to do that. And I ended up putting myself in those situations.” How does insecurity both personal and financial, influence the existence of authentic choice? Do you think that a person should be allowed to choose sex work just like they might choose any other job?

Criminalizing Sex Work

Historically, what has been the basis for criminalizing sex work and do you think that these reasons still apply today? Do you think that sex work between consenting adults should be de-criminalized? Why or why not?

When police arrest sex workers and courts convict and jail them, what problem(s) are they solving? What problems are they creating?

How do you feel knowing most of the arrests for prostitution related crimes are manufactured by police operated stings?

Why do you believe police target sex workers that are black, latinx, immigrants and transgender?

How do you feel about the violence women engaged in sex work experience at that hands of the police?

Do you believe services can be provided to people who engage in sex work without arresting them? If so how?

A staffer from Sanctuary for Families notes that,

“The police focus much more attention arresting women who are engaging in prostitution than they do for promoters and exploiters. In their defense, it's a much harder job to get the people higher up in the chain, but it seems like such a waste of resources to pick on the easiest people to arrest. To me, a real investigation is not going on Backpage and finding ads and then calling the number on the ad and making a date to meet at a hotel…I wish the police would dedicate the resources that they spend every week making dates and arresting people to investigating who's behind the ad, who's behind the massage parlors, who's behind the brothels that they suspect instead of just making quick arrests.”

If you were in charge of the police, what would your priorities be in terms of investigating crimes related to sex work and why?

What was your reaction to Eliza reminding her client of how to stay safe and avoid arrest rather than urging her to stop sex work? How would you answer those who would accuse the social worker of “aiding and abetting” a crime?

Human Trafficking Intervention Court

What do you notice about the differences between Human Trafficking Intervention court processes (and what it requires from defendants) and typical criminal courts? Which specific protocols increase the chances that a young woman will change her life?

Social worker Eliza Hook explains to concerned client, “This court is not actually interested in seeing you as a criminal…no one in here wants to see you in jail.” Do you view sex workers as criminals? Why do the people working in this court see it as important not that defendants not be viewed as criminals?

Should victims of trafficking be treated differently by the court than women engaging in sex work voluntarily?

How does the court’s willingness to be flexible in response to defendants’ needs open paths of opportunity (e.g., reducing the obligatory sessions for the high school student whose workload kept her from making required meetings or expediting the sealing of a case for the defendant entering the military)?

Counselors and advocates like Eliza Hook and Susan Liu are not court employees but are essential to its function. What would happen to the court if the private organizations that employ people like Hook and Liu didn’t exist? How would those organizations change if they were run by the government instead of continuing as independent entities?

Eliza Hook is admired, respected, and trusted by her colleagues and clients. What do you notice about her interactions and language choices that earn her such high esteem?

The name of Judge Toko Serita’s court was changed from the “Prostitution Diversion Court” to the “Trafficking Intervention Court.” What’s the significance of the name change?

At one point the Judge says the court has 120 cases. The court’s workload stretches the boundaries of its capacity. Why do you think we don’t fund the justice system at levels that would avoid months of delays while people await hearings and trials?

Eliza has a conversation with Dee about dealing with her anger issues. Others describe depression. In your view, what role should mental health services play in the justice system?

Some see this special court as being too lenient on criminals. How do the people working with and for the court hold defendants accountable?

The U.S. legal system is intentionally designed to be adversarial. The Trafficking Intervention Court seems to turn that on its head, with the prosecuting attorney, Kim Affronti, expressing her appreciation for Eliza Hook and describing how they listen to and learn from each other. Do you think that all courts should consider a more cooperative model of justice? Why or why not?

What is the role of the defense attorney in the court? Do they protect or help victims of trafficking?

Susan’s client is confused when asked about whether police violated her human rights. She doesn’t understand the meaning of the term “human rights.” How would you explain the meaning of the term?

Human Trafficking

What did you learn from the film about the ways that human traffickers entice and coerce women into providing illegal sexual services? Should victims of trafficking be exempt from being prosecuted as criminals?

In your view, whose responsibility is it to counter the lies spread by middlemen who profit from trafficking disguised as help with immigration?

An observer from Massachusetts comes to New York to see how the Queens HTIC operates. She notes the difficulty of distinguishing women who have been trafficked from those who have not. Why would it be relevant to make that distinction?

Why do human traffickers take women outside the borders of their home nation or community? How does being an undocumented immigrant make women who have been trafficked more vulnerable?

An ICE raid tests the court’s fragile ecosystem. In relation to the impact you see on the court’s work, would you agree with the Trump administration that their immigration policies and enforcement efforts are making Americans safer? Why or why not?

The Judge visits her family in Japan. How do you think her experiences help her in her job as she presides over a human trafficking court?

Closing Questions

At the end of your discussion, to help people synthesize what they’ve experienced and move the focus from dialogue to action steps, you may want to choose one of these questions:

What did you learn from this film that you wish everyone knew? What would change if everyone knew it?

If you could require one person (or one group) to view this film, who would it be? What do you hope their main takeaway would be?

This story is important because ___________.

What question(s) do you think the filmmaker was trying to answer? Do you think she found the answers she was looking for?

Complete this sentence: I am inspired by this film (or discussion) to __________.

Additional media literacy questions are available at:https://www.amdoc.org/engage/resources/media-literacy-questions-analyzing-pov-films/using-framework/