Katharine Bushnell

Katharine Bushnell (1856 – June 18, 1946) was an American missionary, social reformer, and pioneering advocate against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Born in Belvidere, Illinois, Bushnell was one of the first women ordained as a missionary by the Methodist Church and served in missionary work in China and Africa. However, her most transformative work came in the late 19th century when she became acutely aware of the widespread exploitation of women and girls in industrial and domestic settings across America and abroad. She founded organizations dedicated to protecting vulnerable women, including those engaged in sex trafficking—a term and concept not widely recognized during her era. Bushnell collaborated with other reformers to expose the systemic nature of exploitation and advocated for legal protections and social reform. She was also a vocal supporter of women's suffrage, recognizing that political power was essential for women to protect themselves and others. Her writings and activism predated modern anti-trafficking movements by decades, making her a visionary in social justice work. Though her contributions were often overshadowed by other reformers of her time, historical scholarship has increasingly recognized Bushnell as a crucial figure in American social reform movements.