At The Jensen Project, we believe education is one of the most powerful tools for creating change. Stories have the ability to challenge perspectives, deepen understanding, and connect us more meaningfully to the experiences of others.
This summer, we’re excited to share our 2026 TJP Summer Reading List! This is a curated collection of books centered on survivor leadership, advocacy, resilience, prevention, and systems change.
The list includes works from survivor authors, movement leaders, educators, and advocates whose voices continue to shape conversations around exploitation, healing, justice, and empowerment. Some books offer personal reflections and lived experiences, while others explore broader topics such as policy, prevention, trauma-informed care, and social impact. Together, these titles invite readers to continue learning, reflecting, and engaging with the complexities of this work in thoughtful ways.
We also recognize that education in this field should never happen in isolation from lived experience. Survivor voices remain essential to understanding both the realities of exploitation and the pathways toward meaningful change. We are grateful to the authors, advocates, and leaders who continue to share their stories, expertise, and insights with the broader community.
Whether you’re looking to learn something new, revisit foundational conversations in the field, or simply add intentional reading to your summer, we hope this collection offers both inspiration and perspective.
Explore the full 2026 TJP Summer Reading List below:
Survivor Voices & Memoirs
- Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd
Read Now - From One Survivor to Another by Jasmine Conway
Read Now - In Pursuit of Love by Rebecca Bender
Read Now - Fallen by Annie Lobert
Read Now - And Life Continues by Wendy Barnes
Read Now - From Trafficked to Treasured by Kelli Patterson
Read Now - The Slave Across the Street by Theresa Flores
Read Now - Suicide and Sex Work: Finding God in a Godless World by Hope Doe
Read Now - Ria’s Story: From Ashes To Beauty by Ria Story
Read Now - Nobody’s Girl by Barbara Amaya
Read Now - Hidden Girl by Shyima Hall
Read Now
Education, Research & Policy
- Prostitution and Trafficking in Nevada: Making the Connections by Melissa Farley
Read Now - Social Work Practice with Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation by Andrea J. Nichols, Tonya Edmond, and Aaron C. Heil
Read Now - Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery by Siddharth Kara
Read Now - The Natashas by Victor Malarek
Read Now - The Johns: Sex for Sale and the Men Who Buy It by Victor Malarek
Read Now - Human Trafficking Around the World by Stephanie Hepburn and Rita Simon
Read Now - Invisible Chains: Canada’s Underground World of Human Trafficking by Benjamin Perrin
Read Now - Not For Sale by David Batstone
Read Now - 52 Tips for Combating Human Trafficking by Mitzi Perdue
Read Now - Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders by Anna C. Salter
Read Now - The Campus Rape Frenzy by K.C. Johnson and Stuart Taylor Jr.
Read Now
