Lara B. Gerassi’s (she/her) is an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research aims to inform policies and programs that enhance the well-being of people who provide sexual acts or materials for financial compensation. Her work centers the perspectives of people in the sex trades including (but not limited to) sex trafficking survivors, sex workers, and those who do not identify with any one term or label.
Dr. Gerassi’s research consists of two interconnected lines. One line aims to understand the characteristics, contexts, and conditions of people in the sex trades. She uses community-driven study designs to develop, adapt, test, and use methodologically rigorous survey measures to ultimately uncover people’s nuanced experiences of the sex trades. A current project, funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, aims to expand this line of work on a national level. A second line aims to identify actionable strategies to strengthen social and healthcare services for people in the sex trades. Collectively, her research aims to improve anti-oppressive policies and inclusive practices for diverse, often minoritized, people who trade sex under diverse circumstances.
Dr. Gerassi’s first-authored book, Sex Trafficking & Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Prevention, Advocacy, and Trauma-Informed Practice (2017), is the first comprehensive text to critically analyze the current research and best practices for social workers working with children, adolescents, and adults who are at risk of sex trafficking. Her publications are available here.
Dr. Gerassi’s pedagogical and mentoring approach is strongly informed by a critical, intersectional lens, which is essential to dismantling systems of oppression and advancing social justice. She teaches multiple courses including Sex Trading and Sex Trafficking and Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups. Her research and teaching are informed by social work practice experience (LCSW), primarily with survivors of violence.
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Recent Publications
- Gerassi, L.B., *Zimmerman, L. & Walsh, K. (2025). University students who report providing sexual services, acts, or materials for financial compensation: Survey results from a public university. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
- Gerassi, L.B., *Cruys, C. & *Wages, S.. (2024). How People with Lived Experiences of Homelessness and Sex Trades Become Social Service Leaders in Sex Trafficking, Sex Trading, and Youth Organizations: A Community-Engaged Study. Qualitative Health Research.https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241277113
- Gerassi, L.B., *Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2024). Students’ perspectives of providing sexual acts, materials, and services for financial compensation at a large, public, Midwestern university. The Journal of American College Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2024.2367995
- Cheng, S.Y. & Gerassi, L.B. (2024). The roles of dating and victimization on adverse mental health among teens: Survey findings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Adolescence.https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.1237
- Gerassi, L.B., *Zimmerman, L. & Walsh, K. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Sexual Services Acts Materials for Pay (SSAMP) Index: Identifying the virtual, in-person, and material sex trades for financial compensation. The Journal of Sex Research.https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2362897
- Gerassi. L.B., *Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2024). Toward a Multi-Item Measure to Identify Involvement in and Circumstances of the Sex Trades: Findings from Cognitive Interviews. The Journal of Sex Research. DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2023.2228768
- Gerassi, L.B. & *Cruys, S.C., ^Hendry, N. & ^Rosales, M.D.C. (2023). An Exploration of Sex Trading and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Screening Practices from the Perspectives of Young People who Have Experienced Sex Trading and/or Homelessness. Children and Youth Services Review. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107314
- Gerassi, L.B., *Cruys, S.C., ^Hendry, N. & ^Rosales, M.D.C.. (2023). How do providers assess young people for risk of sex trafficking? Observed indicators, follow-up, and assessment questions from a web-based survey. Children and Youth Services Review. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106906.
- Gerassi, L.B., Lowe, S. & Walsh, K. (2022) University Students who Report Exchanging Sex for Money or Other Compensation: Findings from a Public University Sample. Archives of Sexual Behavior. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02215-1
- Nichols, A.J., Gerassi, L.B., *Gilbert, K. & *Taylor, E. (2022) Provider Challenges in Responding to Retrafficking of Juvenile Justice-Involved Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Survivors. Child Abuse & Neglect. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105521
- Gerassi, L.B. & *Pedersen, A.C. (2022). Knowledge of and Practice with LGBTQ+ people at risk of sex trafficking: Perceptions (and Assumptions) from Social Service Providers in a Midwest Region. Social Work Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svac001
- Gerassi, L.B., *Cheng, S.Y., *Muentner, L. & +Benson, M. (2021). Prevalence and Associated Characteristics of Youth Who Trade Sex in a Representative Sample of High School Students. Journal of Adolescence. DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.09.008
- Gerassi, L.B. & Nichols, A.J.. (2021). Social Work Education that Addresses Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation: An Intersectional, Anti-Oppressive Framework. Anti-Trafficking Review.DOI: https://doi.org/10.14197/atr.201221172
- *Pederson, A. & Gerassi, L.B..(2021). Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives on Relevance and Utility of Sex Trafficking Indicators. Journal of Advanced Nursing. DOI: 10.1111/jan.15019Gerassi, L.B., *Klein, L.B., & ^Rosales, M.D.C. (2021) Moving Toward Critical Consciousness and Anti-Oppressive Practice Approaches with People at Risk of Sex Trafficking: Perspectives from Social Service Providers. Affilia. DOI: 10.1177/08861099211025531
- Gerassi, L.B. & *Pedersen, A.C. (2021). Have you ever traded sex for money or drugs?”: Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives on Sex Trafficking Risk Assessments in Clinics. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy. DOI: 10.1177/1355819621997478.Gerassi, L.B. & ^Esbensen, K.. (2020). Motivational Interviewing (MI) among providers in a Midwest region: Perceived use, applicability, and challenges to engagement with individuals at risk of sex trafficking. Journal of Social Work. DOI: 0.1177/1468017320919856
- Gerassi, L.B. (2019). Experiences of Racism and Racial Tensions among African American Women Impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Practice: A Qualitative Study. Violence Against Women. DOI: 10.1177/1077801219835057
Research areas
Clinical
Gender & Women’s Studies
Institute for Diversity Science
Lab website: Pivot Lab
Department of Psychology Faculty Page
Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and Psychology Page
Research interests
Dr. Kate Walsh (she/her) is an H.I. Romnes Faculty Fellow, Professor in Psychology and Gender & Women’s Studies, and director of the UW-Madison Sexual Violence Research Initiative and the Preventing Interpersonal Violence and Overcoming Trauma (PIVOT) lab. As a clinical psychologist, her research examines the intersections of sexual and relationship violence, psychopathology such as posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, and substance misuse. Her current research focuses on improving recovery and well-being among sexual and relationship violence survivors. These projects have been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice-Office for Victims of Crime, and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
One line of research addresses risk factors for sexual violence perpetration and victimization in multiple contexts, including in college and the military. This work seeks to understand risk factors at multiple ecological levels (individual, interpersonal, and broader environmental/societal) with the goal of developing multi-level prevention programs that are tailored to specific environments. Some work also uses daily diary methods to better understand proximal risk factors for drinking and sexual behavior.
A second line of research focuses on secondary prevention and treatment of negative sequelae associated with sexual violence victimization including posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. Dr. Walsh has a current NIDA-funded study to test the effectiveness of a video and text message intervention for preventing the onset or escalation of PTSD and opioid misuse among recent sexual assault survivors. She is also researching ways to expand access to evidence-based interventions and other support for underserved survivors of sexual assault.
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Relevant Publications
- Gerassi, L., Cruys, C., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (accepted). Students who provide sexual acts or materials for financial compensation before and during university: A latent class analysis of consequences. Journal of Adolescent Health.
- Gerassi, L., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2024). Students’ perspectives of trading in-person and virtual sex for financial compensation at a large, public, Midwestern university. Journal of American College Health, 1-9.
- Gerassi, L., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Sexual Services Acts Materials for Pay (SSAMP) Measure: Identifying the virtual, in-person, and material sex trades for financial compensation. Journal of Sex Research, 1-12.
- Gerassi, L. B., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2023). Toward a multi-item measure to identify involvement in and circumstances of the sex trades: Findings from cognitive interviews. The Journal of Sex Research, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2023.2228768
- Gerassi, L.B. Lowe, Sarah, R., & Walsh, K. (2022). University students who report exchanging sex for money or other compensation: Findings from a public university sample. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02215-1
Elizabeth Inman
Sexual Health Researcher
Email: einman3@wisc.edu
Elizabeth Inman (she/her) is an interdisciplinary social scientist with training in social psychology, public health, and gender/sexuality studies. Her research focuses on the intersections of violence, stigma, and health behavior, with an emphasis on using longitudinal methods to understand how these factors fluctuate over time. Dr. Inman earned her PhD in Social Health Psychology from Stony Brook University and her BA in Psychology with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the College of the Holy Cross.
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Relevant Publications
- Hammock, A. C., Inman, E., Madi, P., Violari, A., & Kidman, R. (In press). Testing the pathways between adverse childhood experiences and later perpetration of intimate partner violence in South African male youth using theoretical frameworks. Child Abuse and Neglect.
- Inman, E.M., Zharima, C., Hammock, A.C., Violari, A., & Kidman, R. (2025). The role of masculinity in HIV disclosure among adolescent South African boys living with HIV. AIDS Care. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2025.2547941
- Inman, E.M., Leshabane, G., Kalegina, A., Violari, A., Kidman, R. (2025). Violence and depression among adolescent boys in Soweto, South Africa, 2020-2023. American Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308164
- Inman, E.M., Hammock, A.C., Dietrich, J.J., Zharima, C., Bonello, E.H., Violari, A., & Kidman, R. (2025). Daily predictors of intimate partner violence perpetration among adolescent boys in Soweto, South Africa: A mixed methods study. Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012251348430
- Inman, E.M., Zhang, X., Madi, P., Ramsammy, C., Hammock, A.C., Violari, A., Kidman, R. (2025). Violence as an obstacle to HIV medication adherence and viral suppression: A daily diary investigation among adolescent boys. Social Science & Medicine, 117549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117549
- Inman, E., Nkala-Dlamini, B., Violari, A., & Kidman, R. (2024). HIV stigma, health, and violence: A longitudinal study among adolescent boys with HIV in Soweto, South Africa. AIDS and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04407-x
- Inman, E., Obedin-Maliver, J., Ragosta, S., Hastings, J., Berry, J., Lunn, M. R., Flentje, A., Capriotti, M.R., Lubensky, M.E., Stoeffler, A., & Moseson, H. (2023). Reports of negative interactions with healthcare providers among transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people assigned female at birth in the United States: Results from an online, cross-sectional survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 6007. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20116007
- Inman, E.M., Bermejo, R.M., McDanal, R., Nelson, B., Richmond, L.L., Schleider, J.L., & London, B. (2021). Discrimination and psychosocial engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stigma and Health, 6, 380. doi.org/10.1037/sah0000349
Cassandra Eng
Research Coordinator
Email: Ceng3@wisc.edu
Cassandra Eng (she/her) is a cultural anthropologist, receiving her M.A. from Georgia State University. Her previous research and outreach has been centering human trafficking survivors’ voices globally and domestically. Cassandra’s research interests include intersections of trafficking survivors, sex worker rights, LGBTQ youth, housing insecurity, and the child welfare system. She prioritizes community engagement, equity, and sustainability in her work.
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Publications
- Okech, D., Cody, A., Clay-Warner, J., Balch, A., Yi, H., Callands, T., Bolton, C., Konteh, F., Jalloh, A., Dockweiler, H., Goulart, P., Schroeder, E.L., Liu, L., Eng, C.L., Waswa, A., & Fofanah, U. (2025). Assessing Changes in Child Trafficking and the Worst Forms of Child Labor in Sierra Leone from 2019-2024: An Endline Report. Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. https://doi.org/10.71927/uga.27593
- Okech, D., Cody, A., Chunga, J., Zimmermann, L., Tsoka, M., Alfonso, W., Thakwalakwa, C., Yi, H.,Makonyola, A., Waswa, A., Goulart, P., Ager, M., Bolton, C., Dockweiler, H., Aletraris, L., Eng, C.L., Schroeder, E., Gordon, M.E., Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Johnson, L., Appiah-Kubi, J., Muzei, J., Koomson,I., Sherraden, M.S., & Sherraden, M. (2025). Labor Trafficking in Malawi: Prevalence, Vulnerabilities, and Recommendations for Financial Capability Intervention among Youth and Young Adults in Malawi, A Baseline Study. Center on Human Trafficking Research and Outreach, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. https://doi.org/10.71927/uga.27585
- Okech, D., Cody, A., Chibwili, E., Zimmermann, L., Bwalya, R., Simbaya, J., Yi, H., Mulambia C.N., Waswa, A., Goulart, P., Ager, M., Bolton, C., Pengele, M., Dockweiler, H., Aletraris, L., Eng, C.L.,Schroeder, E., Gordon, M.E., Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Johnson, L., Appiah-Kubi, J., Muzei, J., Koomson,I., Sherraden, M.S., & Sherraden, M. (2025). Labor Trafficking in Zambia: Prevalence, Vulnerabilities, and Recommendations for Financial Capability Intervention among Youth and Young Adults in Zambia, A Baseline Study. Center on Human Trafficking Research and Outreach, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. https://doi.org/10.71927/uga.27584
- 2024 Black, Steven P., Carlos Faerron Guzmán, Carolina Bolaños Palmieri, Cassandra Eng, and Yanet Fundora. American Anthropologist. “Boundary Objects and Collaboration in a Planetary Health Project.” Part of a Vital Topics Forum, Kate Riley (ed.), “Language and Planetary Health.” https://doi.org/10.1111/aman.28002
- 2024 Black, Steven P., Carolina Bolaños Palmieri, Cassandra Eng, Carlos Faerron Guzmán, Yanet Fundora, Leila Garro Valverde, and Jose Carlos Morales Morales. “Brunkajc and Anthropological Perspectives on the Indigenous Law of Costa Rica.” In Carolyn Smith-Morris and César Abadia (eds.), Countering Modernity – Indigenous Communalism: Communal and Cooperative Models from Indigenous Peoples. New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003473565
- 2023 “A Space for Grace: Exploring Avenues to Ameliorate Obstacles Faced by (Embargoed) Human Trafficking Survivors and Resource Providers” , Master’s Thesis in Anthropology, Georgia State University
- PI: Dr. J. Burnet
- 2022 Black, Steven P., Carolina Bolaños Palmieri, Cassandra Eng, Yanet E. Fundora, Carlos Alberto Faerron Guzmán, Belén Cruz González, Kiany Fernandez, Valeria Gutierrez, Fabiana Lazaro, Yatana Lazaro, Jose David Lázaro González, Taba Shidira Leiva Leiva, Daniela Mora Lazaro, Fabio Morales Morales, and Kiany Morales. Historias de Boruca: Balanceando lo Tradicional y lo Contemporáneo a Través de Imágenes (Stories of Boruca: Balancing the Traditional and the Contemporary Through Pictures). https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/anthro_facpub/25/
- 2022 “‘They Just Look for Someone Who Fits the Mold’: Survivors’ Experiences of Marginalization in the Anti-Trafficking Sector”, Eng, Cassandra, Chris Ash, Leigh LaChapelle, Ethan Levine; Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology Conference
Laura Zimmerman
Research Assistant
Email: lszimmerman@wisc.edu
Laura is a PhD candidate in the Social Welfare program at the Institute for Research on Poverty as well as being a STREETS Research Intern. Laura earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Philosophy as well as a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Laura is currently working as a project assistant to Dr. Lara Gerassi on a research project about sex trading among college students. Laura’s research interests are in mental illness and health, stigma, and sexual violence prevention.
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Relevant Publications
- Walsh, T. B., Hoffmeister, M., Zimmerman, L., Meier, S. (2022). COVID-19 and Low-Income Noncustodial Fathers Task 14: 2020–2022 Child Support Policy Research Agreement.
- Gerassi, L. B., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2023). Toward a Multi-item Measure to Identify Involvement in and Circumstances of the Sex Trades: Findings from Cognitive Interviews. The Journal of Sex Research, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2023.2228768
- Walsh, T. B., Hoffmeister, M., Zimmerman, L., Pate, D., & Davidson, D. (2024). “I found the power of my presence”: Low income and noncustodial fathers’ experiences and insights from parenting young children through the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and Youth Services Review, 160, 107568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107568
- Gerassi, L. B., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2024). Students’ perspectives of providing sexual acts, materials, and services for financial compensation at a large, public, Midwestern university. Journal of American College Health
- Gerassi, L. B., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Sexual Services Acts Materials for Pay (SSAMP) Index: Identifying the virtual, in-person, and material sex trades for financial compensation. Journal of Sex Research.
- Hoffmeister, M. R., Walsh, T. B., Zimmerman, L., Pate, D. J., & Davidson, D. (2025). “The Struggle is Real Though”: Influence of Systemic Biases on the Experience of Black Fathers with Low Income during COVID-19. Child Welfare, 102(5), 87–110. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48815026
- Cavaletto, A., Zimmerman, L.S., Graham, L.M., et al. The State of Intimate Partner Violence Research in the Community College; Context: A Scoping Review. Journal of Family Violence (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-025-00958-2
- Gerassi, L. B., Zimmerman, L., & Walsh, K. (2025). University Students Who Report Providing Sexual Services, Acts, or Materials for Financial Compensation: Survey Results at a Public, Midwestern University. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605251331079