Human Trafficking Cases Presenting within Child Advocacy Centers.

Although human trafficking of minors is an increasing concern within the United States, very little information is known about how trafficking cases are processed within child advocacy centers (CACs). The current study addresses this gap in the literature by providing descriptive information about victims, service referrals, and prosecutorial outcomes for human trafficking cases presenting at CACs across a Midwestern state. The data originates from a state-wide study focused on understanding the scope of human trafficking cases. Specifically, the dataset includes 210 youth presenting at CACs over a three-year period of time. In this sample, the typical human trafficking case involved sex trafficking of a self-identified white female victim, with an offender known to the victim. Most child survivors passing through CACs were referred to medical and mental health services, although these service referrals did not greatly differ across at-risk versus substantiated trafficking cases. Overall, the findings suggest that CACs are uniquely positioned to encounter human trafficking cases and provide needed services to trafficking survivors. Finally, recommendations are provided for CACs regarding the intake and identification of trafficking cases more broadly.

Burnout and secondary trauma among forensic interviewers.

Child Advocacy Centers provide a child-friendly environment for the forensic interview and subsequent investigation of child victimization cases. However, very little research has examined the effects of burnout, secondary trauma and organizational stressors on forensic interviewers. The present study examined the following research questions. To what extent do forensic interviewers experience burnout and secondary trauma associated with their profession? How do organizational stressors increase these outcomes among interviewers? Data were collected by conducting an online survey of interviewers working at Child Advocacy Centers across the United States. Results indicate burnout and secondary trauma among interviewers in this sample. Decreased job support, increased funding constraints and heavy agency caseloads all result in burnout and secondary trauma. Policy recommendations include continued training and mental health services for interviewers. Future researchers should conduct qualitative interviews and examine how other factors, such as forensic interviewing protocols, influence interviewers' job experience and mental health.