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Introduction: Risk factors were identified participants who entered into the sex industry prior to the age of 18. Researchers compared the following risk factors: having been an adolescent runaway, having experienced prior child abuse, having been sexually assaulted before entering the sex trade, the presence of drugs and alcohol use and abuse, experience with homelessness, educational difficulties or success, having a much older boyfriend involved in some aspect of the sex trade, in addition to others.
Methods:A cross-sectional design was employed across five cities in one Midwestern state. Respondents were recruited through respondent driven sampling. Data collectors were required to know at least two individuals currently involved in the commercial sex industry. Individuals over the age of 16 that reported involvement in the commercial sex industry in the past year were eligible to complete the survey. The initial seeds completed the survey, were compensated, and received five coupons to provide to their peers in the industry. Peers who took the survey were compensated and received five coupons and so on to provide access to social networks.
Results:Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and t-tests were conducted. Of the 328 respondents, 115 identified themselves as having had a trafficker. Findings revealed that individuals who were commercially sexually exploited before the age of 18, were more likely to suffer child abuse and neglect, to have a close family member involved in the sex trade, to suffer depression, to have been raped, to run away from home, to have difficulty in school, to have interacted with the police, to have spent time in juvenile detention, and to have been in the proximity of those who sold, bought, or sold others for sex. In addition, before being trafficked, victims were likely to have a much older boyfriend. Almost forty percent (39.5%) were victims of childhood abuse, specifically 37% were victims of childhood sexual abuse, 32.6% were victims of physical abuse, 32.6% were victims of emotional abuse, and 30% were victims of neglect. Twenty five percent were diagnosed with depression, 20.9% were diagnosed with anxiety, 4.6% were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and 16% were diagnosed with another mental health condition. A total of 41.8% were raped while under the age of 18 and 30% had been homeless at some point during their childhood.
Conclusions:Practitioners should be cognizant of the factors that make youth more vulnerable to domestic minor sex trafficking in order to work toward prevention and intervention strategies.