Compounding Prejudice? Investigating Canadian Mock Juror Perceptions of Victim Race and Work in the Sex Trade

Indigenous women and sex workers experience high rates of violence in Canada and are often blamed for their victimization. This jury simulation examined how victim race (Indigenous, White) and work in the sex trade (sex worker, non-sex worker) affected mock juror verdicts in a first-degree murder trial. Although victim race and involvement in sex work did not significantly affect juror verdicts, victim blame was affected by stereotypes about Indigenous women and sex workers, as well as negative attitudes about sex workers. Overall, these findings suggest perceptions of Indigenous women and sex workers affect victim blame; however, these perceptions are not directly related to verdict decisions.