A pilot study of the outcomes of human trafficking survivors assessment with girls who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation.

PURPOSE: This study utilized the Outcome of Human Trafficking Survivors (OHTS) to monitor the progress of female victims of CSE over a year while they were enrolled in a comprehensive treatment program. METHODS: Sixty-seven girls (M age 17.70 years) who were identified as confirmed victims of CSE (46 %) or at risk for CSE (54 %) and presented for treatment were administered the OHTS upon intake into the program and again at 90 day intervals resulting in four data points. Ratings were provided by staff members who interact with the member in each area assessed. A repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted comparing mean outcome differences across all four timepoints. RESULTS: Results indicate that significant changes were found in the area of Housing and Education, with gains in Education over time. For this sample, Parenting and Immigration were domains of less relevance and data was not consistently obtained in these areas. Other categories assessed by the OHTS did not demonstrate significant changes over time. CONCLUSION: The OHTS can be used to track progress of clients enrolled in treatment programming, but the goals of the program should align with the categories that are assessed in the OHTS. Repeated administration may be difficult due to high dropout rates in treatment and there may be rater bias.

Prevention of child sexual abuse in the United States: Scoping review of United States legislative policies.

BACKGROUND: States in the United States (US) have passed and enacted legislation for the purpose of preventing child sexual abuse (CSA) since 2000, but it is unknown whether these legislative policies reduce adult-perpetrated CSA. OBJECTIVE: Review the literature from 2000 to 2023 to understand which US CSA prevention policies have been evaluated, the effectiveness of these policies, study populations, and barriers and facilitators associated with the implementation of CSA prevention policies. METHODS: The study protocol was published prior to undertaking the review: PMC10603531. The review follows Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and is reported according to the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. We searched 27 databases, hand searched reference lists of included studies, and sent notice via listserv to other researchers in the field. Articles were included if the content focused on CSA prevention policies and the effects. No limits to methodology were applied. Methodological rigor was assessed. RESULTS: 2209 potentially relevant articles were identified; 20 articles advanced to full-text review, three satisfied the inclusion criteria. Three eligible studies focused on CSA prevention education policies, while the other focused on mandated reporting policies. Effects of these policies were mixed in relation to CSA reporting and substantiation rates. No study considered child demographics. CONCLUSIONS: Despite decades of legislative action for CSA prevention across the US, only a few studies have assessed the effects of these policies. These findings highlight the need for additional research to ensure that CSA prevention policies such as CSA prevention education in schools and mandated reporting practices are working as intended.

Child Sexual Abuse in the United States: A Commentary on Current Policy Approaches to Prevention and Aspirations for the Future.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant threat to the health and well-being of children in the United States (US). Public policies are a key public health strategy for the primary prevention of violence, including CSA. In 2021, the Enough Abuse Campaign and Prevent Child Abuse America published a comprehensive report entitled A Call to Action for Policymakers and Advocates: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Legislation in the States to encourage state leaders to create a comprehensive strategy to prevent CSA in the US. Findings from the report show that the nation has made some effort to address CSA, but more focus needs to be given to primary prevention strategies that stop it from occurring in the first place. The report also illustrates the variability of CSA prevention policies across the US and highlights critical gaps in current approaches that must be addressed. In the spirit of the special issue, the authors reflect on key policy issues in the field, including the lack of a federal policy framework for CSA prevention, dedicated funding for the prevention of CSA, and research on the effectiveness of policies intended to prevent CSA. Suggestions for future directions in relation to policy development provided in this commentary will be useful to a variety of stakeholders interested in the topic of CSA prevention policy.

Prevention of child sexual abuse in the USA: a scoping review protocol of US legislative policies.

INTRODUCTION: Child sexual abuse (CSA) poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of children in the USA and globally. Many states have introduced or implemented policies to address and prevent CSA, but little research has linked the effects of this legislation on the reduction of adult-perpetrated CSA. The objective of this scoping review is to identify US policies which aim to prevent CSA, explain the components of these types of legislation, review evidence of effectiveness, describe the populations included in the literature, and identify barriers and facilitators to the implementation of said policies. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review will follow Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and will use the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews Checklist. Sources of peer-reviewed evidence from January 2000 to July 2023 will be included. Relevant publications will first be searched in PubMed/MEDLINE database, then 25 other databases. The reference lists of included studies and high-yield journals will be hand searched. Articles which focus on the types of CSA prevention policies and their effects will be included. Studies must clearly demonstrate a connection between policies and CSA outcomes. Title, abstract, full-text screening and extraction will be completed by a team of three researchers. Critical appraisal of the included studies will be performed. Extracted data will be displayed in tabular form and a narrative summary will describe the results of the review. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This scoping review will provide an extensive overview of legislative policies which aim to prevent CSA in the USA. Results of this review will inform future CSA prevention policies in the USA, particularly regarding policy development, evaluation and implementation. Results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication.

The collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary community-based team to address victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the perceptions of members of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) when working with victims of commercial sexual exploitation. METHOD: Sixteen members of a state-mandated MDT, representing various professions, were individually interviewed to gain their perspective on the functioning of the MDT, including challenges and strengths. RESULTS: Members of the MDT held basically positive perceptions of the process and reported a sense of teamwork. They emphasized ways in which multiple disciplines are needed to best provide for these victims. CONCLUSION: Results provide support for the role of MDTs in handling cases of commercial sexual exploitation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Vicarious Traumatization and Burnout among Service Providers for Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation.

Victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) are in need of multiple community services to aid in their recovery. Service providers are critical to ensuring these victims receive needed treatment. Given the complex trauma of these victims and the necessity of long-term treatment, these service professionals may experience vicarious trauma (VT) and burnout. This qualitative study interviewed 12 professionals who have provided direct services to victims of CSE about their experiences. They had on average about 8 years of experience and three were survivors of CSE. Almost all reported instances of burnout and VT but also had strategies for the prevention of such experiences. Most participants reported experiences of VT and burnout are inevitable when working with this population, but self-care strategies and peer support are essential to combatting these negative experiences. These results can inform agencies that provide services to victims of CSE so as to ensure their staff stay healthy and avoid burnout.

Adolescent girls with a history of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE): Perceptions and characteristics of social networks.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated that social support systems such as family, peers, or social services can play a role in adolescent girls' involvement in commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) (Hargreaves- Cormany & Patterson, 2016; Phillips, 2015, Reid & Piquero, 2016). OBJECTIVES: Few studies have specifically explored the meanings adolescent girls with a history of CSE give to their social networks and how these may be associated with CSE vulnerability. The current study examines how important networks are labeled and characterized by these youth. PARTICIPANTS: This study identifies the social networks used by eight racial/ethnic minority adolescent girls who have experienced CSE. METHODS: Using individual interviews, participants were asked to identify individuals and systems with which they interact and provide meanings about these social supports' roles and value in their lives. Additionally, the degree to which participants viewed each source as influential was explored. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Social Network Theory guided the analysis. RESULTS: Two major themes emerged from the data: a) the social networks perceived as influential in the participants' daily lives and b) the perception of the social network's characteristics as negative or positive. Both positive and negative social networks contained some of the same members. CONCLUSION: The current findings point to key social networks for racial/ethnic minority adolescent girls and the potential role of these networks regarding girls' CSE vulnerability. The duality of some network members illustrate the importance of viewing the role of social networks as both complex and dynamic for girls who have experienced CSE. Clinicians should take care to consider the role of intersectional factors when treating members of this community.

College students' recollections of childhood sexual abuse prevention programs and their potential impact on reduction of sexual victimization.

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse prevention programs are offered in many schools globally, but research is scant on whether or not these programs actually decrease the rates of CSA among youth who participate in them. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine if participation in a CSA prevention program (based on participant recall), in the US or another country, led to lower rates of self-reported past victimization among youth, affected disclosure and effects on sexual satisfaction. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: One thousand five hundred and two students from an ethnically and racially diverse university in the southeast served as participants. METHODS: Participants completed measures on line (Qualtrics). This included demographic information and participation in CSA prevention programs in schools, concepts that were covered, and recollections of sexual victimization. The second measure was a revised version of the sexual satisfaction scale (Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory). RESULTS: Students who had not participated in a CSA prevention program were significantly more likely to be abused than those who did participate, regardless of the program or location (χ2 (1,1498) = 19.01, p < .001). Those participating in programs in the US were more likely to disclose abuse than those participating in the programs in other countries (χ2 (1,212) = 5.49, p = .019). No significant difference was found between those who participated in prevention programming and those who did not on sexual satisfaction (χ2 (1,1469) = 1.76, p = .184). CONCLUSION: These results highlight the importance of universal CSA prevention programs in schools worldwide as one part of comprehensive prevention.

Assessment of commercially sexually exploited girls upon entry to treatment: Confirmed vs. at risk victims.

BACKGROUND: Research has documented many risk factors for commercial sexual exploitation of children as well as serious emotional and behavioral consequences for such victims. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide an understanding of risk factors and symptom presentation of girls who are victims or at risk for commercial sexual exploitation. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Ninety-six girls (12-18 years) who were referred to a child advocacy center's specialized treatment program for commercially sexually abused girls served as participants (56 confirmed victims, 40 at risk of commercial sexual exploitation). METHODS: At intake participants were administered the Youth Self-Report, the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, and the UCLA Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) Reaction Index for DSM -5. Parents or guardians were asked to complete the Child Behavior Checklist and the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM - 5(Parent/Caregiver). RESULTS: Intake information revealed significant differences between groups with confirmed victims reporting higher levels of sex work, kidnapping, physical abuse, physical assault and sexual abuse by a non-family member (p < .05) than at risk victims. All participants were exposed to traumas, were racially and ethnically diverse and lived primarily with their families. At risk girls were significantly more likely to be in school than the confirmed victims. The UCLA PTSD Index revealed that the confirmed victims had experienced significantly more physical abuse than the at-risk group and 26.7% of confirmed victims and 7.7% of the at risk victims met the DSM criteria for PTSD. Twenty percent of the confirmed victims met criteria for Dissociative subtype, while only 7.7% of at risk victims did. On the CBCL, victims from both groups scored in the clinical range on Externalizing Problems and Total Problems and the at risk group scored significantly higher on the School subscale than the confirmed victims group. CONCLUSION: Commercially sexually exploited girls have experienced multiple traumas in their lives and display emotional and behavioral difficulties. Early detection of girls who may be at risk for sexual exploitation may allow for prevention and intervention as these girls also have traumatic backgrounds and display similar symptoms.

Increasing Child Serving Professionals' Awareness and Understanding of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Child serving professionals need increased understanding of the identification and therapeutic needs of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a training program aimed to increase awareness of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) among professionals likely to encounter victims in their work. Professionals' (N = 227) knowledge level was examined prior to the training, immediately thereafter, and in a 6-12 month follow-up. Despite professional position or years of experience, participants had similar levels of CSEC knowledge before the training and all showed a significant improvement in their knowledge after the training. However, follow-up testing on a smaller subsample demonstrated that knowledge gains were not maintained. The analysis of the participants' responses to how their behavior would change subsequent to the training revealed important themes including: (1) greater ability to identify/assess or recognize CSEC victims, (2) greater understanding and knowledge of CSEC, (3) increased ability to communicate, interact, and engage with CSEC victims, and (4) heightened desire to educate others and raise awareness about CSEC. Results also indicated that participants were very satisfied with the training and found it highly relevant to their work.