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This paper analyses 'human trafficking' with a focus on the unique vulnerabilities and experiences of Cameroonians who migrated to the Gulf Cooperation Council states to work, including those coerced into domestic roles. It critically examines 'human trafficking' as a migration category and scrutinises-related binaries. Ethnographic findings informed by the concept of 'infrastructural violence' indicate that exploitation is embedded in gendered macro-structures and institutions regulating labour migration, intersecting with micro-level interactions that either reinforce or mitigate the structural/institutional impacts. Furthermore, there are discrepancies between policy-induced migrant categories and migrants' navigation of multiple categories, undermining categorical rigidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survivors of child sex trafficking (SCST) experience high rates of adverse health outcomes. Amidst the duration of their victimization, survivors regularly seek healthcare yet fail to be identified. This study sought to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to identify SCST and describe the elements of their healthcare presentation. An AI-supported keyword search was conducted to identify SCST within the electronic medical records (EMR) of ∼1.5 million patients at a large midwestern pediatric hospital. Descriptive analyses were used to evaluate associated diagnoses and clinical presentation. A sex trafficking-related keyword was identified in.18% of patient charts. Among this cohort, the most common associated diagnostic codes were for Confirmed Sexual/Physical Assault; Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders; Depressive Disorders; Anxiety Disorders; and Suicidal Ideation. Our findings are consistent with the myriad of known adverse physical and psychological outcomes among SCST and illuminate the future potential of AI technology to improve screening and research efforts surrounding all aspects of this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial distribution of commercial sex activities (CSA) in urban environments is important in addressing the harms against sex workers and identifying sex trafficking operations. Guided by crime pattern theory, using Census data and New York Police Department (NYPD) prostitution-related arrests data (N = 29,075) from 2010 to 2019, this study examines the "hot spots" of CSA in New York City. Local Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis (LISA) identified distinctive spatial clusters of CSA, whereas logistic regression explained their significant congregation in immigrant and racial-ethnic enclaves. The heterogeneity of clusters by boroughs portrays the convergence of activity space of sex workers, patrons, and sex business opportunities reflecting the high-demand locations of CSA and human trafficking in NYC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters have increased in frequency and severity in recent years. Emerging research also suggests that natural disasters increase the risk of human trafficking. This confluence of phenomena makes it critically important to better prepare communities for preventing and responding to human trafficking during and after a natural disaster. Yet, there is no available synthesis of the extant research to inform these preparations. The present scoping review aims to fill this gap by outlining the existing literature on the nexus of disasters and human trafficking. The review follows the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis—Scoping Review guidelines. Sources were identified through manual reference checking and in four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, APA PsychINFO, and EBSCO Discovery Service. In total, 46 sources met the inclusion criteria, that is, they focused on the nexus between human trafficking and natural disasters, demonstrated scientific rigor, and were published after 2000 and in English. Overall, the reviewed literature provided initial evidence on the association between natural disasters occurrences and increases in national and transnational human trafficking activity, understanding of the compounding vulnerabilities conducive to trafficking following disasters, and recommendations for the prevention and response to human trafficking in the wake of disasters. Future studies should evaluate prevention initiatives, including awareness campaigns and interventions that mitigate trafficking vulnerabilities. In practice, it is crucial to integrate anti-trafficking efforts into disaster relief protocols, empower vulnerable populations, and advocate for enhanced legal protections for displaced and migrant individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breaking the demand chain for sex from minors would render supply worthless, contributing to the elimination of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Using a novel sampling technique, this study reports on actual and potential adult customers of CSEC in two areas in Kathmandu (n = 466). Controlling for refusal conversion, age, education, and income, higher scores on a new Love-Fantasy Scale (LFS) were associated with increased odds of purchasing sex from young girls, as were patriarchal norms emphasizing the power of men. Further research is needed to design interventions that include aspects related to sexual fantasy for young girls to combat demand for CSEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a comprehensive analysis of the debates surrounding pornography in American society. Topics include Burke's exploration of the historical context of pornography debates, covering legal battles and the influence of religious conservatives and feminists; the modern anti-porn movement, with a focus on efforts against sex trafficking and the regulation of online platforms; and evolving attitudes toward pornography.

This scoping review aims to summarize current research on help-seeking behaviors and patterns among children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) victimization and/or are at high risk of exploitation. Because the literature on help-seeking specific to CSEC victimization is limited, the current review was expanded to summarize findings from help-seeking research for children who have experienced harms that often co-occur with CSEC, such as maltreatment and homelessness. The authors searched three large article databases (PsycInfo, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science) for articles that were (a) empirical; (b) measured or used the term "help-seeking" in their framing and/or results; (c) included children between the ages of 12 and 18; (d) primarily focused on children from the United States; (e) published in English. Ultimately, 22 articles met all inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Results suggest that cisgender white females are the most likely to seek help, followed by sexual and gender minority children. Cisgender male children were the least likely to engage in help-seeking behaviors. Universally, children were more likely to engage in informal help-seeking rather than formal help-seeking, with younger children being more likely to reach out to parents and older children more likely to reach out to friends. Importantly, ethnically diverse children were under-represented, leading to limited information about how and why these children seek help. Implications for help-seeking by children impacted by commercial sexual exploitation are discussed, providing guidance for programming and research related to CSEC prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite extant literature on individual-level risk factors for sex trafficking among children and adolescents, little is known about the impact of social and ecological contexts on risk of human trafficking victimization. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlates signaling risk of human trafficking victimization at the individual, family, social, and community levels utilizing a sample of 40,531 justice-involved male and female youth, a small fraction of whom were suspected or verified victims of human trafficking between 2011 and 2015 (N = 801, including 699 female and 102 male youth). Using this sample, we examined differences across individual, family, social, and community characteristics of youth involved in the juvenile justice system who have a history of trafficking victimization and youth without such histories. Series of logistic regression analyses were conducted using varying control groups, created through exact matching and randomized matching groups to address sample imbalances. These analyses indicate that, at the individual level, youth who had experienced childhood adversities were more likely to report human trafficking victimization. Sex differences were found regarding risk factors pertaining to the family and broader socio-ecological contexts. Female youth who had witnessed family violence had an antisocial partner or antisocial friends, or resided in a community with a greater proportion of the population being foreign-born or speaking English less than very well were at heightened risk for human trafficking victimization. Little evidence was found for community-level risk factors of victimization in this specific sample of justice-involved youth. These findings encourage more research to unpack the multilevel correlates of victimizations at the individual, family, social, and community levels, recognizing potential differences between female and male youth regarding the factors that put them at heightened risk for juvenile sex trafficking victimizations. Practice and policy should direct awareness and prevention measures to social and ecological contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qatar has become a significant destination for migrant workers looking to escape unemployment in their home countries. However, highly active labour migration pathways create migration industries that exploit the increased supply of labour migrants, leading to trafficking. Human trafficking has been a longstanding concern in Qatar, especially with low-skilled migrant workers in the informal, domestic service and construction sectors. United Nations bodies and non-governamental organisations have criticised Qatar over the treatment of its migrant workforce, especially with concerns about trafficking for labour exploitation and forced labour. In addition to complaints of human trafficking, concerns have been raised concerning perceived racialised drivers of exploitation in Qatar. According to the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Ms Tendayi Achiume, Qatar battles with issues of structural racial discrimination concerning its migrant workforce. This article examines the links between race and the trafficking of migrant workers in Qatar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child trafficking poses a momentous public health threat to students in public schools. Although school nurses are exceptionally positioned to identify and respond to trafficking, most lack training and resources in this critical area. This project aimed to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention on school nurse preparedness and practices related to child trafficking in an Oklahoma public school district. The project involved Unbound Now's nationally accredited training program for school nurses, implementation of the Fuentes et al.'s Toolkit for Building a Human Trafficking School Safety Protocol (HTSSP) funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and facilitation of a roundtable discussion to initiate community collaboration. The results of the pretraining Fraley and Aronowitz School Nurses' Awareness and Perceptions Survey (SNAPS) illuminated variations in school nurses' knowledge and awareness of child trafficking, demonstrating the need for continued training. Post-training evaluations exhibited highly positive feedback, suggesting its effectiveness in meeting the training's objectives. Following the community stakeholder roundtable, the lead school nurse employed the HTSSP toolkit and directed efforts in successfully constructing and implementing a district-wide policy of procedures to respond to suspected cases of human trafficking. However, the project's limitations include a small sample and a single-school district focus. Despite these limitations, this project delivers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing school nurse preparedness in addressing trafficking. This project serves as a foundation for future initiatives to improve students' safety and wellbeing in public schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year, millions of people experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), with researchers increasingly discussing the overlap between these two forms of interpersonal violence. However, researchers have not yet used quantitative methods to examine the link between IPV and CSE or to explore potential mechanisms underlying the overlap, including child maltreatment risk factors and psychological mechanisms. One potential mechanism is trauma-related shame, a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder commonly experienced by both victims of CSE and IPV. The current study explores trauma-related shame, childhood maltreatment, and IPV and their associations with CSE using a sample of 174 primarily Black women. Binomial logistic regression is used to analyze the impact of IPV, child abuse and neglect, and trauma-related shame on CSE. Results indicate that IPV and trauma-related shame are both significant predictors of CSE. Implications for future research and the incorporation of shame in trauma-related treatment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sex trafficking of persons, a pervasive public health issue disproportionately affecting the most marginalized within society, often leads to health as well as social consequences. Social service provision to meet the resulting needs is critical, however, little is known about the current pandemic's impact on providers' capacity to deliver requisite care. Method: To examine social service providers' perspectives of care provision for domestically sex-trafficked persons in Ontario, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 providers and analyzed these using Braun and Clarke's analytic framework. Results: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social service care provision were connected to individuals' increased vulnerability to trafficking, difficulties safely and effectively providing services to sex-trafficked persons amid pandemic restrictions, and reduction in in-person educational activities to improve providers' capacity to serve this client population. Securing safe shelter was particularly difficult and inappropriate placements could at times lead to further trafficking. Conclusion: The pandemic created novel barriers to supporting sex-trafficked persons; managing these sometimes led to new and complex issues. Future efforts should focus on developing constructive strategies to support sex-trafficked persons' unique needs during public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no consensus on the outcomes needed for the recovery and reintegration of survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. We developed the Modern Slavery Core Outcome Set (MSCOS) to address this gap. We conducted three English-language reviews on the intervention outcomes sought or experienced by adult survivors: a qualitative systematic review (4 databases, 18 eligible papers, thematic analysis), a rapid review of quantitative intervention studies (four databases, eight eligible papers, content analysis) and a gray literature review (2 databases, 21 websites, a call for evidence, 13 eligible papers, content analysis). We further extracted outcomes from 36 pre-existing interview transcripts with survivors, and seven interviews with survivors from underrepresented groups. We narrowed down outcomes via a consensus process involving: a three-stage E-Delphi survey (191 respondents); and a final consensus workshop (46 participants). We generated 398 outcomes from our 3 reviews, and 843 outcomes from interviews. By removing conceptual and literal duplicates, we reduced this to a longlist of 72 outcomes spanning 10 different domains. The E-Delphi produced a 14-outcome shortlist for the consensus workshop, where 7 final outcomes were chosen. Final outcomes were: "long-term consistent support," "secure and suitable housing," "safety from any trafficker or other abuser," "access to medical treatment," "finding purpose in life and self-actualisation," "access to education," and "compassionate, trauma-informed services." The MSCOS provides outcomes that are accepted by a wide range of stakeholders and that should be measured in intervention evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is a serious crime and violation of human rights that results in numerous harms. Although the phenomenon is not new, scholarship on the issue has grown substantially since the first legal framework was passed in 2000. However, the existing literature has been criticized for its skewed focus on victims, among other things. The dearth of information on traffickers and their operations limits our ability to reduce or prevent perpetration. The current study presents a comprehensive and critical review of the existing literature focused on traffickers to synthesize what is already known and highlight the key gaps. Twenty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria of (1) focusing on traffickers and their operations and (2) relying on data either directly from traffickers or sources that contained detailed information about criminal cases against traffickers. We used an iterative process to identify relevant studies, which included collecting articles of which we were already familiar or were identified in existing reviews, searching their reference lists, and conducting cited-by searches until saturation was reached. Topics found in the extant literature included: characteristics of traffickers, relationships between traffickers and victims, organizational characteristics and networks, operations, connections with other crimes, motivations, perceptions of behavior, and risks associated with trafficking. It concludes with recommendations for future research and a discussion of how bridging gaps in the literature could support more rigorous mathematical modeling that is needed to identify and assess promising perpetration prevention and intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking leaves victims with long-term social, psychological, and health effects. Research in this area is still nascent, and there are limited studies that show the effectiveness of existing services for survivors. This study fills the gaps in knowledge of the effectiveness of existing programs through a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Inclusion and exclusion criteria retained 15 studies using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses method, containing 16 populations. Included studies examined programs and/or interventions providing direct services to human trafficking survivors using quantitative pre- and post-intervention measurements published from January 2010 to June 2022. Outcomes among survivors were grouped into five categories: (a) mental health, (b) physical health, (c) social support or social behavior, (d) personal development, and (e) other. Roughly half (n = 31, 51.66%) of the outcomes across the 15 studies were statistically significant. Most measured constructs showed a moderate effect size (E.S.; n = 31, 51.67%). In all, 21 constructs (27.91%) met high E.S. levels, and eight (13.33%) met the criteria for a low-level effect. Analyzing different intervention types, physical-based interventions represented the smallest subset and the largest mean effect size (n = 5, g = 1.632, 95% CI [0.608, 2.655]) followed by standardized therapy (n = 23, g = 1.111, 95% CI [0.624, 1.599]), wrap-around services (n = 14, g = 0.594, 95% CI [0.241, 0.947]), and peer and support group modalities (n = 18, g = 0.440, 95% CI [0.310, 0.571]). A meta-regression showed that non-U.S.-based interventions were significantly more effective than U.S.-based interventions (z = −2.25, p = 0.025). While only 15 studies contributed to this analysis, the current study ushered in new avenues regarding future research, policies, and practice in services for survivors of human trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review is to summarize the available empirical research on parental production and to explore the discursive positioning of parental perpetrators within scholarship on child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Academic databases were searched using a combination of relevant terms, and the review was expanded as new terms were identified. The review identified 66 scholarly articles, papers, or books that referred to parental production of CSAM published since 1970. To explore how parental offenders have been positioned within this literature over time, the review is presented according to a chronological summary, drawing out key themes and empirical insights. The review showed that parental CSAM production is common, more likely to involve pre-pubescent victims, more severe abuse, female as well as male perpetrators, and produces high-demand illegal content with serious long-term sequelae. However, the review found that the focus of child trafficking and sexual exploitation scholarship on "commercial" and profit-driven abuse has marginalized and obscured parental CSAM production as a serious policy challenge. These findings warrant a reorientation of research, policy, and practice approaches to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, as well as a reflection on the resistance of researchers and policymakers to acknowledging the problem of family-based sexual exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the factors predicting sexual exploitation among victims of human trafficking, specifically examining how traffickers' means of control, types of sexual services, nature of recruiter relationships and female age groups play a role in this phenomenon. The data analysed spanned from 2002 to 2019 and were sourced from anonymised public data provided by the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC), a global hub collecting information from counter-trafficking organisations worldwide. Utilising a binary logistic regression approach, the study identified that traffickers employ various means of control, such as debt bondage, taking earnings, threats, sexual abuse, false promises, use of psychoactive substances, exploitation of children, threat of law enforcement and withholding necessities, aligning with Biderman's Theory of Coercion. Additionally, victims experience prostitution, pornography and private sexual services, often recruited by intimate partners and friends. Furthermore, the study revealed that young women aged 30 years and above were less likely to experience sexual exploitation compared to younger girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is a severe form of child abuse and maltreatment. Cases are pervasive and no demographic, socioeconomic status, community, or school is immune. The most effective response to human trafficking in school settings requires increased awareness and establishing policies, protocols, and procedures that support collaborative response to suspected human trafficking. School nurses are well equipped to lead these efforts. While the National Association of School Nurses acknowledges the importance of the role of the school nurse in child trafficking response in their Human Trafficking Position Statement, resources to aid school nurses in coordinated recognition and response efforts remain limited. This article reviews clinical guidance on human trafficking through a school-based lens, highlights indicators that should alert school nurses to the risk of trafficking, outlines best practices for response to abuse and exploitation, and provides additional tools and resources available to aid school nurses in their approach to caring for children experiencing trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understudied bodily harm women experience after commercial sex (CS) may be partially explained by the prominence of Cartesian mind–body dualism in psychological science. Accordingly, we qualitatively explored the mind–body relationship among 79 female sex trafficking survivors. Survivors reported long-term negative alterations in feelings about the body, sex, and physical touch posttrafficking and these negative outcomes did not differ across women who self-perceived as consenting and women who self-perceived as forced. Implications for future research are presented, particularly on measuring dehumanization in CS which contributes to extensive harm even in the absence of physical aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Migration has always constituted a meeting point of opportunity, risk, and vulnerability. Concerns surrounding the sex trafficking of women have caused moral panic since the mid-1800s and led to social workers' preventive initiatives and interventions in Europe and the United States. This article explores a historical moment in which Henrietta Szold, who headed the Social Welfare Department in Mandatory Palestine in 1934, decided to send social workers to the Jaffa and Haifa ports to welcome young, single immigrant women from Germany in the light of rumours of the moral dangers they faced upon entering the country. This feminist historical study of social work employed qualitative analysis of archival texts to investigate the professional decision-making processes involved in sending a social worker to the Jaffa port and the results of the decisions that were made. Findings: The findings trace the course of events that took place in 1934 using three categories: the rumours, their investigation, and the results and implications of the investigations. The findings point to intersections of nationalism, gender, and professionalism in social work. Applications: This article contributes to the evolving knowledge on moral panic in social work and reveals the historical practice used in social work policy and interventions in facing moral panic regarding young women immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of resilience has largely relied on definitions and conceptualizations of resilience produced by academia, with little of the knowledge produced being grounded in the experience and perspectives of those outside academia. The voices of marginalized and stressed populations are particularly rarely integrated into sanctioned institutional discourses of knowledge, reproducing inequality where these institutions have influence. Specifically, little research has explored the ways in which survivors of sex trafficking define and conceptualize resilience. Thus, academic inquiry into survivor resilience may risk missing what is important to survivors themselves regarding the issue. Using thematic analysis, this study explored survivors' responses to the question "What does 'resilience' mean to you?", which resulted in five themes: resilience as (1) resistance, (2) transition, (3) a sustained force over time, (4) transformation, and (5) resources. Participants defined resilience as being primarily a person-centered phenomenon, rather than a process-centered phenomenon, that was the output of their inherent and enduring personal power to survive or overcome and adversity, and to shape their lives in preferred ways despite adversity. Differing from academic definitions of resilience in several significant ways, participants conceptualized resilience as being promoted by external resources and opportunities but existent even in the absence of such resource and opportunities. Findings suggest that for resilience inquiry to resonate with survivors, it must first acknowledge the inherent power of survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently validated among a sample of young adults in the United States, the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults© is a much-needed instrument for assessing trauma bonding, which refers to the emotional attachment that often develops between perpetrators and victims of violent and exploitive crimes and is common among survivors of sex trafficking. To assess its utility with other populations, this study aimed to validate the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults© with a sample of young adults in Kenya. An anonymous survey containing demographic items, the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults©, and 12 items from an open-source measure of posttraumatic stress disorder was administered to 538 young adults aged 18 to 29 in Kenya using Qualtrics XM. Findings from an analysis of psychometric properties suggest that the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults© is a valid and reliable measure of trauma bonding that may be useful in a global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many organizations serving survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) have begun economic empowerment programs, providing financial literacy education, vocational training, and/or employment opportunities for survivors. Yet, very little research has examined these programs, especially those that employ survivors. This project draws on a qualitative, multi-method study of 15 organizations that serve and employ CSE survivors to examine how economic empowerment is constructed through organizational discourse and practices, what tensions emerge in these processes, and how organizational actors frame and respond to them. The findings outline the components of "economic empowerment" and explicate the key tensions of authority-autonomy and compassion-accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and tourism (SECTT) has been described as a serious and growing problem. This study critically analyzes political debates and policy measures proposed by the Dutch government between 1995 and 2020 to combat SECTT. To understand how SECTT is framed in Dutch political discourse, Bacchi's 'what's the problem represented to be?' approach guided a systematic critical discourse analysis of over 200 political documents. Our analysis shows that SECTT has, over time, predominantly become framed as a crime problem. Offender detection, international cooperation, awareness raising, public–private partnerships, and prevention targeted at known sex offenders are the most commonly proposed solutions. Despite the focus on apprehending offenders, the political discourse offers no concrete clues as to who they are; still, conducting research or evaluating policies' effects is seldom proposed as a response. This problem representation overlooks the connections of SECTT with structural issues, such as victim vulnerabilities, colonization, and global inequality on the one hand, and mental health, sexual expression, and cultural values on the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child trafficking continues to be underreported due to multiple factors including differences in state laws, lack of a centralized database, and overall under-recognition. The care of such youth often entails forensic as well as significant clinical considerations given their traumatization. We report on our experience with a 14-year-old female who presented to an Emergency Department (ED), brought in by law enforcement after her parents filed a missing person report in a different state, with concerns about human trafficking; the patient expressed suicidal ideation in our ED. The patient was placed under involuntary hold, after obtaining collateral from the her parents. During the hospitalization, legal challenges presented barriers to safe discharge and a need to collaborate for providing care between disciplines and across state lines. At the same time, through validation and support in the therapeutic milieu of an adolescent psychiatric unit, she was able to understand that she had just survived sexual assault and began to process the impact of it. Although no medication changes were made, the patient began to develop insight at the time of discharge to the Child Protective Team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a dearth of research on trauma bonding among victims of sex trafficking. This study aims to fill this gap by seeking to understand how service providers working with survivors of sex trafficking conceptualize and observe trauma bonding in their clients. This qualitative study involved interviews with 10 participants. Purposeful sampling was employed among licensed social workers or counselors. Two themes emerged: defining trauma bonding (with four subthemes: embracing intensity, power imbalance, distortion of love, and inescapability) and the development of trauma bonds (with three subthemes: universality, gendered, and grooming). These findings provide much-needed insight into the complexities of trauma bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research solidly documents the victim-offender overlap in various crimes, including human trafficking. Given the hidden nature of this exploitative crime, increasing the identification of victims is crucial. One way to do this is through the creation and implementation of screening tools. To date, most screening tools for human trafficking victims are created by and implemented in the field of health care or with youth or young adults, particularly those who have experienced housing instability. However, the use of these tools to identify victims of human trafficking in correctional settings—where victims are often misidentified as offenders—is limited. To address this deficiency, a victim-centered, trauma-informed screening tool was implemented in a local detention center to identify human trafficking victims, with the purpose of offering them resources to facilitate their exit from trafficking situations. This article outlines the creation and implementation of the tool and discusses its successes, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation has flourished within the laissez faire regulatory frameworks of neoliberalism, and argues that political economy should play a more central role in theorising about child sexual abuse. Drawing on the case study of Omegle, a livestreaming website that matches strangers via webcam, the paper illustrates how deregulatory trends have produced an alignment between the sexual interests of child sexual abusers and the economic interests of some online service providers. The paper suggests that intersecting political ideologies and economic structures have increased opportunities for child sexual exploitation and decreased formal and informal controls, while recruiting paedophilic desires and exploitative subjectivities within processes of capital accumulation. The paper explores the implications of political economy for theories of child sex offending, which have typically focused on the psychological, social and legal dimensions of child sexual abuse while overlooking the role of capitalist structures and imperatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are grateful to the Editors of TVA for the opportunity to respond to the commentary on our systematic review of the sex trafficking of minors, specifically regarding the initial recruitment location. Upon revisiting the 7 out of 23 reviewed studies that address recruitment locations, we find that the discrepancy with the commentators' views stems from differing interpretations of the term "initial." We affirm that these seven studies, which include the internet as a prominent initial recruitment site, are valid and appropriate for inclusion. We also emphasize that, irrespective of recruitment location, we and the commentators share deep concerns about the severe impact of sex trafficking on minors, recognizing it as a heinous crime against vulnerable populations. Traffickers use both online and in-person methods to manipulate and exploit youth. Our review highlights the internet as a primary platform for traffickers to form relationships with minors, comparable in danger to in-person interactions. The 23 reviewed papers focus on documenting these predatory relationships and the critical role of supportive, healing relationships in prevention and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines police data to assess the duration for which different groups of victims of modern slavery endured exploitation and the length of time after their exploitation concluded before it was officially recorded. The article proposes that these measures of modern slavery victimisation can provide important insights into temporal dimensions of the problem and how best to intervene. Reference to current numbers of victims 'rescued', it is argued, can be misleading given the proportion of belated reports of exploitation. These are more indicative of systemic failures in the provision of statutory services that young and vulnerable people hesitate to call upon in the context of an increasingly hostile immigration environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a case in which two appellants, who were 17 years old at the time of the appeal, were convicted of drug offenses and sentenced to Youth Rehabilitation Orders. They argued that they should be able to rely on the statutory defense provided in the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which states that a person under 18 does not commit an offense if they were a victim of slavery or exploitation and a reasonable person in the same situation would have done the same act. The trial judge incorrectly instructed the jury that compulsion needed to be established for the defense to apply. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeals and quashed the convictions, stating that the defense does not require compulsion. The article highlights the importance of correctly explaining the elements of the defense to the jury and suggests that closer attention should be paid to the wording of the statute and guidance provided. [Extracted from the article]

It is striking how often the first-person memories in Annie Ernaux's 2016 work of life-writing Mémoire de fille are rendered from a third-person perspective. Visual depictions of the author's younger self are shown to us as if the older Ernaux who is narrating the story were present at the scene, seeing her former self from the outside. The events recounted include sexual exploitation and public shaming for falling foul of the era's sexual double standards, and, in the aftermath of this, an identity crisis and an eating disorder. How does Ernaux's complex interplay of empathy and distance with regard to her younger self affect the social and political themes in the work, and the ethical stance of the text towards them? And how is the reader implicated by the perspective through which Ernaux has us view her teenage self of 1958? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking in the hotel industry represents a hidden threat that demands decisive action. Despite public commitments, the sector's initiatives remain inconsistent, and a wave of lawsuits imposes both financial and reputational risks. Through analysis of relevant legislation and case law, the article demonstrates hotels' potential liability as venues enabling trafficking. However, inconsistent self-regulation and lawsuits reveal limited progress. The authors advocate for insurance companies to play a pivotal role in combatting human trafficking in the hotel industry by strategically adjusting coverage provisions. They trace the historical influence of insurers on the trajectory of slavery when 18th-century British insurers' actions contributed to the rise of abolitionism and argue that similar private regulation today can incentivize hotels' proactive measures against trafficking. The article proposes that insurers possess diverse tools, including exclusions, premium adjustments, auditing, and loss prevention, to compel action rather than complacency. Mandated self-insured retentions can also hold hotels financially accountable for their negligence. However, relying solely on pricing alterations faces challenges due to market competition and inconsistent judicial rulings on liability exclusions. Ultimately, addressing this complex issue requires a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach. Government fines and prosecutions can further incentivize self-disclosure and cooperation, while publicized settlements can promote transparency and empower consumers to make informed choices for hotel venues. This combined framework can transition hotels from passive enablers to active contributors in the fight against human trafficking, fulfilling their duty of care and catalyzing meaningful progress against human exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing international awareness and legislation, the hospitality and tourism industries are still hot spots for modern slavery due to the nature of their businesses. The purpose of this study is to explore corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures of firms in the U.S. hospitality and tourism industry and to examine what actions they have incorporated regarding protecting human rights and preventing modern slavery. Using content analysis, this study provided a benchmarking assessment from a sample of hospitality and tourism companies that were top ranked for their human rights and supply chain performance by CSRHub. A total of 30 code instruments have been classified into three main themes on combating modern slavery including formal guidelines and resources, company-wide compliances and policies, and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive issue. Yet, most research focuses on high-income countries and few studies comprehensively summarize its prevalence, manifestations, and implications in the Global South. This scoping review sought to examine technology-facilitated GBV in low- and middle-income countries across Asia, specifically focusing on trends, common behaviors, and characteristics of perpetrators and survivors. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and gray literature published between 2006 and 2021 yielded 2,042 documents, of which 97 articles were included in the review. Across South and Southeast Asia, findings indicate that technology-facilitated GBV is a widespread phenomenon, with increased incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology-facilitated GBV comprises various forms of behaviors and prevalence varies by type of violence. Women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities, especially those with other intersecting marginalized identities, are often more vulnerable to experiencing online violence. Alongside these findings, the review revealed gaps in the literature including a lack of evidence from Central Asia and the Pacific Islands. There is also limited data on prevalence which we attribute to underreporting, in part due to disjointed, outdated, or nonexistent legal definitions. Findings from the study can be leveraged by key stakeholders such as researchers, practitioners, governments, and technology companies to develop prevention, response, and mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review provides an overview of existing research on risk and protective factors associated with violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and natural disaster settings. PubMed (Medline); PsycINFO; Scopus; and Cochrane Center trials registrar were searched as well as relevant internet repositories for VAWG research. The inclusion criteria covered studies that were published between January 1995 and December 2020, documented risk and/or protective factors for VAWG in conflict or natural disaster-affected settings and included primary or secondary data analysis. A total of 1,413 records were initially identified and 86 articles (covering 77 studies) were included in the final analysis. The findings show that many preexisting risk factors for VAWG are exacerbated in armed conflict and natural disaster-affected settings. Poverty and economic stress, men's substance abuse, exposure to violence, changing gender roles in contexts of inequitable gender norms, and a lack of social support are some of the risk factors associated with male perpetration or female experience of violence. In addition, risk factors specific to experiences during armed conflict or in a natural disaster (e.g., displacement, insecurity or congestion in and around displacement camps, militarization of society, killing of family, destruction of property, etc.) are associated with higher prevalence of VAWG in these contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is predominantly framed as a criminal justice issue with sensationalised, highly visible violence. Stereotypical figures of young women in danger, passively poised to be rescued by figures of the state or vigilante justice, animate public discourse and policy. Yet the reality of trafficking is often far more complex than the linear narratives presented in the mainstream. In this article, I argue that human trafficking is more readily accessible as slow violence, the accumulation and accretion of the consequences of systematic oppression over time. I use Nixon's Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor to articulate a stance against the flash of trafficking's 'master narratives'. Slow violence offers three key elements for theorising human trafficking, i.e. that the harms are so gradual or delayed they: become imperceptible; compound over protracted durations of time; and may be so mundane and unspectacular to not even register as 'violence' in our vernacular. Aligned with a critical trafficking studies approach that draws attention to power dynamics and imbalances, slow violence focuses on the forms of exploitation and precarity that are taken for granted or assumed to be static. I use a collection of artifacts and examples from dominant anti-trafficking organisations and media to demonstrate the urgency required to both rethink trafficking against these flattening overgeneralisations and recommit to a transformative practice that makes more lives liveable. In the tradition of feminist anti-violence scholarship, I conclude by shifting from the micro-level examples of trafficking that fuel misinformation campaigns to the systems that perpetuate violence, exploitation and extraction – and must be eradicated if we are committed to ending human trafficking locally and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain countries are well known for being destination countries for sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and tourism (SECTT). Various factors are assumed to be at play to increase the vulnerability of countries, and the children that live within them, to being destinations for SECTT. The current study uses a cross-national, quantitative approach to examine these assumptions, by investigating macro-level factors relating to tourism, children's living conditions, governance, and economic development that may account for the variation in SECTT occurrence. Our findings indicate that destination countries are, on average, characterized by lower economic wealth and are located closer to the equator. Unlike assumed in previous literature, governance and tourism are not significantly related to destination countries for SECTT. The results for children's living conditions are unexpected: while bivariate analyses show that destination countries have poorer children's living conditions, a positive relation emerges in multivariate models when controlled for economic development. More specifically, we find that within the group of countries with poor economic conditions, SECTT is more likely to occur in countries with better protection of children's rights to life and education. We explore potential explanations for this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored risk and protective factors for resilience in survivors of sex trafficking from the survivors' perspectives. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 participants recruited from survivor-led advocacy agencies and social service agencies that provide trafficking-specific services. Two overarching themes emerged from data analysis: (a) deep connections to self and others facilitate resilience and (b) detrimental "help" threatens survivors' resilience. Our findings suggest that it may be important for service providers to assist survivors build healthy relationships with themselves and others to promote survivors' resilience. Further, our results highlight the importance of offering more inclusive, survivor-centered, and trauma-informed services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated county-level correlates of human trafficking arrest levels in Ohio. Study variables were comprised of measures derived from social disorganization, social capital, and physical contexts of Ohio counties (N = 88). A negative binomial regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between county arrest counts and independent variables. Larger counts of human trafficking arrests were explained by higher levels of racial/ethnic heterogeneity, a social disorganization measure. Additionally, an increase in demand reduction strategy use was associated with a predicted increase in human trafficking arrest count. Further research on the influence of social variables and anti-human trafficking efforts on human trafficking arrest levels is needed to better understand how to effectively identify and combat human trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who are trafficked for sex have high rates of trauma exposure prior to and while being trafficked; therefore, professionals who work with this population are potentially exposed to high levels of trauma details increasing their risk of developing secondary traumatic stress (STS). This study investigated the STS symptoms of professionals working with survivors of sex trafficking utilizing a socioecological framework to guide the design and analysis. An online survey was completed by 583 respondents from a broad range of organizational settings who completed measures tapping into STS symptoms, lifetime trauma exposures, history of being sex-trafficked, dose of direct and indirect trauma exposure at work, use of emotional and instrumental support to cope, state report cards on sex trafficking policies, and organizational-level practices toward being STS informed. STS scores among professionals working with survivors of sex trafficking were high, with those in child welfare settings reporting the highest levels of STS. Hierarchical regression analysis indicates higher STS was associated with variables at all levels of the socioecological model except the macrosystem, with fewer years of experience, a history of being sex trafficked, higher dose of indirect exposure, less use of emotional support, and lower organizational STS scores predictive of higher distress. Together, study findings indicate that STS is a significant concern in the anti-trafficking workforce and that a socioecological framework is useful for understanding STS impacts, highlighting the value of multiple response strategies across levels. This analysis suggests that organizational-level strategies to ameliorate/buffer impacts of occupation-related trauma exposure among these professionals can be especially impactful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking occurs in a cycle of coercion and exploitation of vulnerable people; yet, little is known about those who are trafficked more than one time (re-trafficked). Our study sought to describe the trafficking experiences and explore vulnerabilities to re-trafficking in an urban, majority immigrant, population. This study is part of a parent cohort study that enrolls patients at the EMPOWER Center in New York City, which provides trauma-informed obstetric and gynecologic services to victims of sexual- and gender-based violence. Retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with a history of sex trafficking who were evaluated at the EMPOWER Center from February 2013 to January 2021. A total of 87 patients were enrolled in this study, 23 (26.4%) of whom had been re-trafficked. All were women. Most (88.5%) were victims of international trafficking, most often from Mexico or the Caribbean/Central America. Nine (10.3%) reported contraceptive use and six (6.9%) experienced forced substance use while trafficked. The most reported barriers that women faced in escaping trafficking were threat of violence (28.7%) and financial dependence (19.5%). Re-trafficked patients were more likely to have a history of being undocumented (odds ratio [OR] = 5.29; 95% confidence intervals [CI] [1.34, 20.94]) and experienced childhood sexual abuse (OR = 2.99; 95% CI [1.10, 8.16]), experienced childhood physical abuse (OR = 3.33; 95% CI [1.18, 9.39]), and lived with a non-parent family member (OR = 6.56; 95% CI [1.71, 25.23]). Although these vulnerabilities were no longer significant when analyzed in a parsimonious multivariate logistic regression model adjusting for the other significant variables, likely due to the limited sample size. Almost half (46.0%) reported ongoing emotional effects from being trafficked, which did not vary by re-trafficking status. Our study highlights potential pre-trafficking vulnerabilities, illustrates the complexity of the trafficking experience, and presents potential risk factors for being re-trafficked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on empirical data from Finnish enforcement agencies, we reflect on the challenges of the administrative approach to crime prevention. At the operational level, we identify explicit legal and implicit extra-legal limitations for using the administrative approach, that we call (1) 'tunnel view', (2) 'structural siloes', (3) 'double role', and (4) 'blurred lines'. At the conceptual level, we consider the challenges of using the administrative approach in the context of labour trafficking. We argue that the initial set-up of the administrative approach that stresses the serious and organised crime paradigm limits understanding of the habitual and pervasive nature of labour trafficking. Nevertheless, administrative cooperation has the potential to contribute to full 'labour justice' as a governance framework that coordinates the efforts of public authorities and their multidimensional strategies to account for the entire labour exploitation spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, the Oba (King) of Benin city in Edo state (Nigeria), a spiritual and traditional leader with significant authority, made a public, spiritual declaration on Nigerian human traffickers (especially those originating from Edo state) and proclaimed that victims of trafficking who were bound by oaths taken during the juju rituals were free. The Nigerian trafficking network relies mainly on juju as a control mechanism to keep the victims bound and subservient to them. Based on repeated in-depth interviews with young Nigerian women and teenager teenage victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, this article discusses how juju is used by the trafficking networks to keep their victims exploited, enslaved and indebted. Concurrently, the participants' narratives also illustrate the important impact of the declaration of the Oba for some women and teenagers in their process to leave the trafficking networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking has been identified as a prominant health and human rights concern in Canada. However, there has been little empirical research on the topic and existing studies are largely found within the grey literature. This review sought to identify and summarize the current scholarly literature about sex trafficking of women and girls in Canada. We identified empirical studies using a keyword search in ProQuest, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible articles were published in English in 2000 or later, included a focus on women victim/survivors, and analyzed human/participant data. Only 14 studies met eligibility criteria. Most studies were qualitative, based on interviews or focus groups primarily with stakeholders, and set in the province of Ontario. Key findings highlighted challenges in conceptualizing sex trafficking centered largely around issues of coercion and consent. Pathways into trafficking (economic displacement, past abuse, and broken ties with family and community) and gaps and barriers in anti-trafficking responses (narrow or conflicting definitions, stigmatization and criminalization of sex work, and a lack of accessible or appropriate services) particularly impacted Indigenous, im/migrant, and other marginalized women and girls. There is a pausity of empirical studies on sex trafficking in Canada and this has implications for the development of data-driven policies and protocols. Further research should seek to highlight the voices of survivors and impacted communities and evaluate strengths and limitations of Canadian anti-trafficking interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a serious and persistent global issue affecting up to 5% of the child and youth population worldwide; yet there is no universally accepted definition. To develop a theoretically robust definition of CSE, this review systematically synthesized literature examining CSE definitions aiming to develop a conceptual model and typology. Electronic databases were searched to February 2021, yielding 384 nonduplicative records. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed and grey literature investigations of sexual exploitation, with a mean sample age of 18 years or younger, available in the English language. Literature review and data extraction followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Sixty-six studies met final inclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers extracted relevant data and used an epistemological approach to thematically analyse meaning and patterns across CSE definitions. Key findings demonstrate that CSE nomenclature is widely inconsistent, and despite growing awareness of this severe form of abuse, language continues to perpetuate stigma and criminalisation, utilising terms such as 'adolescent or child prostitute'. Our findings propose a scientifically and trauma-informed definition and conceptualisation of CSE, based on the following four-dimensional components: (1) A child/young person; (2) sexual acts; (3) abuse; and (4) exploitation (abuse + exchange). In this systematic review, a unified definition and conceptual model aims to advance knowledge and understanding of CSE, contributing to the progression of social norms which embrace nuances of trauma-informed practice and support for the identification and recovery of children, young people and families affected by sexual exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite extensive theory and research on the geography of crime, few studies have examined the geography of commercial sex and sex trafficking through a criminological lens. As such, this study explores how social disorganization and routine activities help explain the geography of commercial sex venues, specifically illicit massage businesses (IMBs) that host commercial sex. Because IMBs have also been linked to sex trafficking, understanding which environmental contexts are conducive to their presence may also help identify sex trafficking premises. Findings from hierarchical logistic regression models indicate that both theories point to significant correlates of IMB placement in census tracts and cities, yet neither theory provides a sufficient explanation alone. Implications for future research and policy will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a framework to discuss when a community's data is moved abroad without their informed consent, a practice I term data trafficking. I analyze Grindr, an LGBTQIA+ dating platform that has changed hands between China and the United States to demonstrate what data trafficking is, how it undermines national sovereignty, and how it erodes human rights. In the United States, corporate policies are the leading indicator for data governance practices, influencing a system known as multi-stakeholderism. In China, forced localization to government servers drives data governance practices. This article extends how we think about transnational consumer data security by examining how weak data security designed to support the growth of Silicon Valley firms amplifies the capacity of extra-territorial data governance practices asserted by the Chinese government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Survivors of sex trafficking often develop trauma bonds with their traffickers. A trauma bond refers to an intense emotional attachment that can develop between victims and their abusers. Research on trauma bonds is sparse and as such so are practice recommendations for service providers. This study seeks to answer the question: What recommendations do service providers make for working with survivors of sex trafficking suffering from trauma bonding? This qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 10 participants who were licensed social workers or counselors working directly with survivors. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded utilizing aspects of a grounded theory approach. Findings: Three themes emerged: (1) understanding client needs, (2) the relational approach, and (3) using existing modalities. Participants discussed clients' needs for healthy relationships, education about trauma bonding, and improved material circumstances. The relational approach participants described involves meeting clients where they are at, validating survivors, and establishing facts over feelings. Existing modalities discussed by participants include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and motivational interviewing (MI). Applications: These findings can provide direction for service providers working with survivors of sex trafficking who have trauma bonds. Findings support the need for holistic interventions, and further intervention research is needed to empirically examine the efficacy of EMDR and MI with trauma bonds. Additionally, these findings can inform legislators and policy makers as they consider the needs of survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increase in human trafficking in Canada from 2018 to 2019, which suggests a rising trend in human trafficking, and as such, the number of court cases are likely increasing. Because of this, the current study sought to examine how a defendant and victim's gender, and defendant social status and age impacted mock jurors' decision-making in a child trafficking case. Participants (N = 584) read a mock trial transcript depicting a child trafficking case. They were then asked to render a verdict, answer questions relating to perceptions of the victim and defendant and rate their level of agreements on statements concerning sex and human trafficking. Although there was no effect on dichotomous verdict, mock jurors attributed higher guilt ratings to the male trafficker. Moreover, participants reported more favorable perceptions of the victim when the trafficker was female, and the victim was male compared to female. Participants also reported more favorable perceptions of the victim when the trafficker was of high social status and younger compared to older. Additionally, when mock jurors were well-informed about trafficking victim blaming did not occur. The results of the current study provide some insight into juror perceptions of child sex trafficking cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]