Items written by Shea Rhodes
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NBA Cancels Celebration of Magic City Strip Club
Date: March 13, 2026
On February 26, 2026, the Atlanta Hawks National Basketball Association (NBA) team announced a one-night collaboration to celebrate and promote Magic City, a strip club in Atlanta. The announcement sparked major backlash among NBA fans and players, including Luke Kornet, … Read more about NBA Cancels Celebration of Magic City Strip Club »
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor
Date: March 5, 2026
On February 3, Walter Tharrington was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by U.S. District Court Judge Joel … Read more about Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor »
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Prompted to Exploit: AI and the Creation of Deepfake Pornography
Date: March 3, 2026
Deepfake pornography is rapidly expanding as generative artificial intelligence (GAI) enables the manipulation of innocent images into sexually explicit content. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported GAI-related child sexual exploitation cases rising from 6,835 in the … Read more about Prompted to Exploit: AI and the Creation of Deepfake Pornography »
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From Visibility to Vulnerability: How TikTok’s Monetization Model Enables Sexual Exploitation
Date: March 3, 2026
TikTok has rapidly become one of the most influential social media platforms in the world, particularly among minors and young adults. In the United States, a majority of teenagers report using the app, and globally, TikTok’s design prioritizes constant engagement, … Read more about From Visibility to Vulnerability: How TikTok’s Monetization Model Enables Sexual Exploitation »
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The Illusion of Female Sexual Liberation: OnlyFans, Modern Pimps, and the Sex Trade
Date: February 25, 2026
Beyond the false narrative of creators achieving sexual liberation through OnlyFans lies a darker reality in which women, as well as gender minorities and minors, remain particularly vulnerable to abuse. As a subscription-based platform allowing creators to monetize content directly, … Read more about The Illusion of Female Sexual Liberation: OnlyFans, Modern Pimps, and the Sex Trade »
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Catasauqua Woman Convicted in Allentown Child Exploitation and Trafficking Case
Date: February 23, 2026
On January 23, a woman of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, was found guilty on all charges related to trafficking and sexual exploitation of her 12-year-old daughter. After a three-day trial in Lehigh County, the jury found her guilty of criminal conspiracy to … Read more about Catasauqua Woman Convicted in Allentown Child Exploitation and Trafficking Case »
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Built for Connection, Vulnerable to Exploitation: The Case of Discord
Date: February 23, 2026
Discord began as a communication tool for gamers. Today, it has become a general-purpose messaging platform used by over 200 million people per month, including nearly 30% of teens. Despite the platform’s Terms of Service requiring users to be at … Read more about Built for Connection, Vulnerable to Exploitation: The Case of Discord »
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Exploitation on Demand: How Livestreaming Features Accelerate the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
Date: February 16, 2026
From TikTok Lives and Instagram broadcasts to Twitch gaming streams, livestreaming has quickly become a core feature of modern social media platforms. While these platforms market connection and creativity, they have also become a uniquely modern accelerator of the commercial … Read more about Exploitation on Demand: How Livestreaming Features Accelerate the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children »
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Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Buying Sex In Ohio Sex Buyer Sting
Date: February 13, 2026
On January 23, Lamorris Bernard Lowman, a thirty-seven-year-old man from Pennsylvania, entered a plea of not guilty for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, both misdemeanor offenses. A pre-trial hearing was scheduled for March 31. Last December, Lowman was … Read more about Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Buying Sex In Ohio Sex Buyer Sting »
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Four Chinese Nationals Indicted on Federal Charges for Alleged Family-Run Illicit Massage Parlors
Date: February 13, 2026
On January 28th, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted four Chinese nationals on charges of conspiracy, human trafficking, immigration violations, and money laundering. The indictment accuses Qiu Shuhua, 56, Lin Chunlong, 38, Zhao Lijuan, 40, and Zhai Ming, 39, … Read more about Four Chinese Nationals Indicted on Federal Charges for Alleged Family-Run Illicit Massage Parlors »