High Ridge is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Jefferson County, Missouri. Its population is approximately 4,300. Prostitution activity has been well-documented within the county, and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates results in complaints to law enforcement agencies. Among the more serious crimes associated with the local commercial sex market is sex trafficking.

Consumer level demand provides the revenue stream for all prostitution and sex trafficking, and has therefore been targeted by local law enforcement agencies as a strategy for prevention and response. Demand reduction tactics used in the town include the arrest of sex buyers. For example, six men were arrested in March, 2002, in a raid a local video store in High Ridge during an anti-prostitution operation. The men were patrons who were arrested for having sex were in the pornographic theater area of the store at the time of the raid. The operation targeted store patrons suspected of engaging in a prostitution ring in an effort “…to stamp out the “open and notorious activities” at the video store.”