Working with Families of Minors Experiencing Sex Trafficking:Family Based Risk Factors and Implications for Family Based Interventions
Date
2024
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Abstract
The current study explored family based risk factors for sex trafficking of minors and the implications for family centered interventions post identification. Methods: Drawing from 30 interviews with social service and criminal justice professionals in a Midwestern metropolitan area, this study focused on their perspectives and experiences working with families of minors involved in sex trafficking. Inductive analysis of professionally transcribed audio recorded interviews involved a multi-phase open and selective co-coding process conducted by a small research team. Results: Results indicated that parents were often unaware of their child’s involvement in a sex trafficking situation, and did not recognize warning signs. Family based risk factors preceded children’s experiences with sex trafficking and continued to present challenges post-identification. Such risk factors included parental substance use disorder, child sexual abuse, and inaccessibility of resources to meet basic needs. Furthermore, family members’ ability to provide a supportive relationship and provide structure for their child following sex trafficking involvement was also described as challenging. Conclusions: Implications for prevention of retrafficking include providing sex trafficking related education to family members of minors involved in sex trafficking, as well as family based interventions facilitating development of supportive relationships, discussing the importance of providing structure following a sex trafficking situation, and providing individually tailored resources to family members to address substance use disorder and/or basic needs.
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Keywords
Sex Trafficking, Commercial Sexual Exploitation, Family Interventions
Citation
Nichols, A. J., Oberstaedt, M., Slutsker, S., & Gilbert, K. (2024).Working with Families of Minors Experiencing Sex Trafficking: Family Based Risk Factors and Implications for Family Based Interventions. Available at SSRN 4776719.