UWMUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison · Social Science
Sex Trading Behavior Lab
Lara Gerassi · Madison, Wisconsin
Research Focus
Lara Gerassi's research focuses on understanding risky sexual behaviors, particularly the complexities of sex trading, which includes both in-person and virtual exchanges for compensation. Her lab employs innovative approaches to measure these behaviors comprehensively, moving beyond traditional single-question methods to examine the nuances in circumstances, risks, and protective factors related to sex trading. By utilizing various methodologies and a diverse sample population, her goal is to enhance the understanding of sex trading behaviors, thereby informing effective public health interventions and policies.
sex tradingrisky sexual behaviorsbehavioral measurementpublic healthyouth interventionsrisk factorscompensationmental healthsubstance useprevalence studies
Research Aims
3AIM 01Adapt the validated sex trading measure for a general population.
AIM 02Identify the prevalence and characteristics of sex trading in a nationally representative sample of young adults.
AIM 03Examine the characteristics of sex trading in a non-probability sample of young individuals who report engaging in sex trading behaviors.
Skills the Lab Values
survey designdata collectionqualitative interviewinglatent class analysisstatistical analysisrespondent driven samplingcommunity-based researchquestionnaire developmentdata validationrisk assessment
Output against the department
Publications42bottom 13% of dept.67th of 77
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations783bottom 17% of dept.64th of 77
this lab
most citedleast cited
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