Andrea Nichols

Andrea Nichols is a Lecturer in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. She holds a Ph.D. and focuses on human trafficking, criminal justice policy, and victim advocacy. Her work emphasizes practitioner-centered research, exploring community-based responses to sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, particularly through the lenses of gender-based oppression and systemic marginalization.

Her research includes analyzing the intersection of identity-based oppression (race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identities) with trafficking risk and advocating for robust social safety nets. She has authored/co-authored multiple books, including Sex Trafficking in the United States (2016) and Social Work Practice with Survivors of Sex Trafficking (2018). She has also received prestigious awards, including the 2018 Early Career Scholarship Award and 2014 Carnegie Professor of the Year.

Dr. Nichols has led grant projects such as the Strategic Plan to Address Human Trafficking in Missouri (2019-2020) and a systems analysis of juvenile justice-involved domestic minor sex trafficking (2017-2018). She coordinates the Anti-Trafficking Initiative at the Brown School of Social Work and actively engages in policy advocacy, including congressional testimony on human trafficking legislation.

• Research Focus: Sex trafficking, victim advocacy, juvenile justice responses, LGBTQ+ vulnerability, and anti-trafficking policy.
• Key Contributions: Edited volumes on survivor-centered social work practices and policy frameworks.
• Grants & Projects: Overseen initiatives addressing regional trafficking needs, policy development, and resource guides for practitioners.