Session: Risk and Protective Factors for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: Implications for Policy and Prevention (Society for Prevention Research 23rd Annual Meeting)

SESSION INTRODUCTION: In the last decade, human trafficking has emerged as a high-priority social and public health problem in the U.S. To respond to the issue, many states have passed anti-trafficking legislation that calls for law enforcement, service providers, and healthcare professionals to collaboratively respond to human trafficking cases with a particular emphasis on domestic minor sex trafficking victims. While anti-trafficking legislation and policy has improved intervention responses to human trafficking, very little attention – including research - has been dedicated to the prevention of human trafficking in the U.S.

This symposium will report on findings from a human trafficking study conducted in five cities in one Midwestern state.  Risk and protective factors for domestic minor sex trafficking will be discussed, including an interdisciplinary response model for prevention and intervention. The researchers in this symposium represent diverse institutions from three regions of the United States, have substantial expertise and knowledge in the area of human trafficking and are actively engaged in research on this issue.

The first paper, “Risk Factors for Entrance into Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking” reports on the risk factors present a year or more before trafficked individuals entered into the commercial sex industry. This presentation provides information for a diverse range of professionals that may encounter youth at-risk for trafficking.

The second paper, “Distinguishing Between Traditional Child Abuse and Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking” provides participants with information on identifying domestic minor sex trafficking and how these identifiers differ from traditional child abuse. This paper suggests that children involved in the child welfare system may be at greater risk for sex trafficking.

The third paper is titled “Integrating a Dynamic Risk Factor Model into Policies for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Prevention.” This paper synthesizes the risk factors into three response models for a multi-system approach to prevent sex trafficking and to promote better outcomes among youth who have been trafficked. The paper will provide strategies for immediate assessment, intervention and treatment.

At the conclusion of the presentations the discussant will provide summary statements and initiate a discussion between the presenters and the symposium attendees. It is anticipated that the discussion of risk factors combined with information on differences between traditional child abuse and child sex trafficking, and assessment and intervention models will provide participants with knowledge and strategies to prevent and intervene in domestic child sex trafficking.