What are the factors that prevent social workers from identifying domestic minor sexual traffic victims.

Date

2017

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

California State University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore methods of how to better identify victims of Domestic Minor Sexual Traffic (DMST). Human trafficking still exists in modern society, due to the volume of underground sexual solicitation; it has become more difficult to identify victims of sexual exploitation in vulnerable youth population. The research study conducted obtained different perspectives of social workers within various human services agencies. The research study also collected data with a via-email survey. The measures that were utilized were knowledge of sexual trafficking victim’s characteristics, perceptions, beliefs, and competence. Data was analyzed by using the SPSS software to analyze data, provide a descriptive statistic by utilizing level of comfort chart. Table 1 (see appendix D), identified 21% of females, and 14% of males. The results showed that social workers had an understanding and the knowledge of sexual trafficked victims, but their comfort level had a significant difference where it was reported that they felt the need to have further training in regard to DMST victims. The literature was consistent with the findings, workers are in need to further obtain training regarding DMST victims. Due to the lack of research in DMST victims, it was inconsistent whether social workers prevent from identifying DMST victims due to their own perceptions.

Description

Keywords

domestic minor sex trafficking, identification, vulnerable youth

Citation

Dimas, A. E. (2017). What are the factors that prevent social workers from identifying domestic minor sexual traffic victims. California State University, San Bernardino.

DOI