Salem is a town of approximately 29,000 residents, located along New Hampshire’s Rockingham County, near Methuen, Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts. Prostitution activity, both internet and storefront business-based, has been reported in the community for years. For example, in early 2014, Salem drew significant attention when five men were arrested at a local hotel for their involvement in the sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl. The traffickers and victim had reportedly traveled to Salem from the Boston area, and had advertised the victim on a website known for prostitution advertisements. The Salem Police Department launched the investigation after receiving a tip from Boston Police, who had reportedly been tracking the victim’s movements on Facebook. In October 2015, two of the men involved pled guilty to “crimes involving transporting a minor across state lines for prostitution.” Both entered into plea agreements binding them each to eight years in prison.

Among the ways in which the community has responded has been the use of demand reduction tactics. Although local efforts to curtail the underlying consumer-level demand for prostitution remain limited, SPD officers have conducted at least one investigation that proactively targeted sex buyers. In November 2011, officers monitoring Salem hotels for illegal activity arrested a man after stopping him as he left a hotel room. Arrested sex buyer ultimately pled guilty to “soliciting a prostitute.” The man’s identity was publicly disclosed.