Researchers are continuing their ground-breaking work into the trafficking of Native women in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition and Prostitution Research & Education released a report in October 2011 that found high rates of sexual abuse, sexual assault and homelessness among Native women in the sex trade. Further research looks into the trading of Native women, teenage girls and boys, and even infants, on ships in the port of Duluth.

"The women and children — and I've even had women talk about a couple of babies brought onto the ships and sold to the men on ships — are being sold or are exchanging sex for alcohol, a place to stay, drugs, money and so forth.," researchers Christine Stark told CBC News. "It's quite shocking."

Some Native women are brought from Ontario to the port, Stark said.

Get the Story:
Native Canadian women sold on U.S. ships, researcher says (CBC 8/21)

Also Today:
Christine Stark: Native women easy prey for traffickers (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 8/3)

Earlier Report:
Garden of Truth: The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota (October 2011)