Shea M. Rhodes

Shea, you are the Director & Co-Founder of the Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation at the Charles Widger School of Law at Villanova University. Could you tell us about your path to this role and what your day to day looks like?

I resigned my job as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia at the end of 2012 in order to change the laws and policies in Pennsylvania pertaining to prostitution and sex trafficking. The prostitution statutes were (and still are in some cases) being applied in a way that was harmful, gendered, and in my opinion were not a good use of law enforcement resources. Pennsylvania didn’t even have a clear legal definition of sex trafficking or labor trafficking. I went to law school to make the world better for women and girls – and the criminal justice system was hurting them. I felt called to use my law degree to effectuate positive changes. 

As for my day to day, no two days are the same. And no day goes according to a plan. I spend a lot of my time educating the general public, my students, professionals, and stake holders. I write or rewrite laws, craft advocacy tools, supervise direct legal services, talk to survivors and social service providers, and consult with prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys.   

What first interested you about becoming a Fellow at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia?  

I really enjoy working cross disciplinary and collaborating. The work that we do on behalf of survivors of systems of prostitution and sex trafficking cannot be accomplished only through the law, but by working with physicians and those in public health.   

Tell us about one of your favorite items in the Library or Museum, or your favorite aspect of the College.   

I absolutely love the marble staircase. Every time I walk up the stairs or stand at the top and look down into the rotunda, I feel like I’m in a movie set.  

Congratulations again on being awarded a 2021-2022 U.S. Fulbright Scholar grant for the Fulbright-Schuman European Union Affairs Program by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to conduct research in Austria and Sweden. Would you tell us more about your research titled, “Discouraging the Demand that Drives the Exploitation of Persons that Leads to Human Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation”? How was your research and experience in Austria and Sweden affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?  

My primary research goal for my Fulbright-Schuman award was to study whether Austria and Sweden have implemented the directive to discourage the demand for commercial sex as set forth in Article 9, Section 5 of the Palermo Protocol. Article 9 Prevention of trafficking in persons Section 5 states “Parties shall adopt or strengthen legislative or other measures, such as educational, social or cultural measures, including through bilateral and multilateral cooperation, to discourage the demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons, especially women and children, that leads to trafficking” (Palermo Protocol).   

I chose Austria and Sweden to conduct this research as the countries present uniquely effective locations to study commercial sexual exploitation because of their divergent legal and policy responses. In both countries, like in the U.S., human trafficking is a crime. Austria has legalized the sale of sex, the purchase of sex, and has established regulation of the commercial sex industry. Sweden follows the Nordic or Equality Model, which has decriminalized the sale of sex, criminalizes the purchase of sex, and provides resources to those who want to exit the commercial sex industry. It is important to understand the differences and commonalities in each country’s legal framework in order to study what strategies are effective in reducing human trafficking. The legal structures addressing human trafficking differ, but the root causes of human trafficking, including the fact that the demand for commercial sex drives the market for human trafficking, remain the same. 

Ultimately, I am hopeful that my research will help to expand the knowledge of how demand-driven anti-trafficking policies are working in the EU and help guide policy change in the U.S. The U.S. is currently at a crossroads in addressing human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. We need pragmatic solutions that will ultimately result in less people being harmed in the sex trade. 

What role(s) do you hope to see the College fill within our community in the coming years? 

I hope the College will engage more with professionals like me – those who aren’t doctors or public health specialists, but who have the potential to make real impact in laws and policies and can be a catalyst to effectuate positive change. 

Who is a physician or mentor that has influenced and inspired you?  

When I was a prosecutor, I routinely worked with trauma and emergency room physicians to help me understand how they treated the injuries sustained by victims of gun violence. I really enjoyed working with Dr. Amy Goldberg from Temple – I was always in awe of her calm demeanor and that she would take time out of her busy day to explain the medical treatment the victims in my cases received and the long road of healing – both emotional and physical they would endure. I think that a lot of professionals, including both lawyers and doctors have a “rescue” or “savior” attitude when working with traumatized individuals, but the reality is the person recovering and healing is doing the work to recover and heal. Dr. Goldberg taught me the importance of being a professional who walks along side of a patient or client as just one person in their community of care is what is most impactful. I truly believe she’s a superhero.   

What motivates you and how do you motivate others? 

This isn’t a very positive answer – but anger at the injustice in the world is what motivates me. I hope that I motivate others by leveraging their interests and strengths and encouraging them to always learn and be thoughtful. The law is creative – and I hope to inspire the future lawyers of the world to use their skills creatively and for good.