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The issue of sex trafficking and of commercial sexual exploitation of children is not a new one, it represents a serious concern at international level, considering the enhancement of this phenomenon. The development of information and communication technologies, and the evolution of the Internet, contribute to the growth of illegal activities involving children, including such offences as prostitution, child trafficking, sexual exploitation by means of technologies of information and communications, pornography and sexual tourism. In this field, states must constantly strive to update the domestic legislation and to reconfigure the legal framework which must be adapted to the social reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student activism plays an important role in student development, so understanding student activists' thoughts, identifying challenges they have encountered, and figuring out ways to support their activities are critical for higher education institutions. A group of college students in Korea has established a student organization actively engaging in varying ways to address the Japanese military sexual slavery (so-called "comfort women") issue. This study examined the motivations, experiences, and perceptions of Korean college students actively participating in this work. Using a case study research design, in-depth, open-ended, semi-structured interviews with 10 organization members were collected and analyzed thematically. Relevant documents showing their various activities were also collected as supplementary data for better understanding of the context. Participants' desire for engagement, the benefits they gained from the KorPeaceWomen activities (i.e. personal growth, sense of solidarity, and awareness of other issues), and overcoming challenges show their development. However, it is necessary to consider the cultural, historical, social, and political contexts in Korea to fully understand their challenges and concerns as student activists. The findings may help us understand student activists' motives, concerns, and needs and explore their engagement as a form of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista CienciaUAT is the property of Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the United States, sex-trafficking awareness and prevention has increasingly become part of government-mandated health education. This exploratory study surveyed 250 U.S. adolescents to learn more about the use of media narratives in curricula about sex trafficking in light of research findings about victim-blaming responses to survivor narratives, as well as adolescents' still-developing emotion-regulation skills. Victim blaming is counterproductive to the goals of trafficking awareness and prevention curricula. Participants viewed one of four narrative messages about a sex-trafficking victim/survivor. Over half of participants reported victim-blaming responses after viewing the message. Participants reported low perceived efficacy regarding the ability to recognize the signs of trafficking, and some participants experienced intense fear responses to the messages. Victim blaming was not associated with fear or perceived efficacy, contradicting predictions from the Extended Parallel Process Model. This study concludes with recommendations for educators and others tasked with communicating with adolescents about sex trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the relation between the different stages of women trafficking (i.e. recruitment, entrance, accommodation, labor, and finance) and the structure of five criminal networks involved in women trafficking in the Netherlands (N s ranging from 6 to 15). On the one hand, it could be argued that for efficiency and avoidance of being detected by law enforcement agencies, the network structure might align with the different stages, resulting in a cell-structured network with collaboration between actors within rather than across stages. On the other hand, criminal actors might prefer to collaborate and rely on a few others, whom they trust in order to circumvent the lack of formal opportunities to enforce collaboration and agreements, resulting in a core-periphery network with actors also collaborating across stages. Results indicate that three of the five networks were characterized by a core-periphery structure, whereas the two other networks exhibit a mixture of both a cell-structured and core-periphery network. Furthermore, using an Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM), we found that actors were likely to form ties with each other in the stages of recruitment, accommodation, and exploitation, but not in the stages of transport and finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory retrospective study analyzes the emotional and mental processes, risk behavior for HIV/STIs, and needed services to exit commercial sexual exploitation. Participants were court-referred to the local survivor-led program, Freedom from Exploitation, in southern California. Data were collected (N = 168) using an intake assessment form for a period of five years (2015–2020). Two groups were identified in the data, self-identified survivors of sex trafficking (SST) and non-self-identified survivors of sex trafficking (NSST). Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions examined the associations of HIV/STI risks and emotional and mental processes with these two subgroups. Findings demonstrated that both groups experienced gender-based violence and similar emotional and mental processes as well as HIV/STIs risks. However, in adjusted models, the SST group had three times the odds of experiencing abuse by a sex buyer when asked to use a condom and eight times the odds of feeling hopeless or desperate and experiencing nightmares/flashbacks among other negative mental health outcomes. Both SST and NSST said they needed assistance to obtain legal services and complete a high school equivalency credential, among other services. Findings may be used by social service and law enforcement agencies to better assist survivors of sex trafficking and similar groups in supporting their rehabilitation and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical opportunity for identifying children experiencing domestic minor sex trafficking exists in healthcare settings. This quantitative study documented the disconnect between youth seeking help and interventions offered by healthcare providers. Ninety-one sex youth exploited through sex trafficking answered questions detailing their experiences of seeking medical treatment for injuries associated with selling or trading sex. Healthcare providers who were aware that injuries were sustained due to sex trafficking did not always alert legal or mandated reporting authorities. This analysis identified violations of the four pillars of ethical healthcare. This investigation revealed lost opportunities to intervene on behalf of youth suffering trauma and abuse from sex trafficking highlighting the necessity for a formal protocol in healthcare settings to effectively intervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Few medical schools incorporate formal education on human trafficking (HT) and sex trafficking (ST) into their curriculum. Our objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate education on HT and ST in the first-year medical student curriculum. METHODS: The curriculum included a standardized patient (SP) experience and lecture. As part of their mandatory sexual health course, students interviewed an SP who presented with red flags for ST and then participated in a discussion led by a physician-facilitator in an observed small group setting. A multiple-choice survey to assess knowledge about HT and ST was developed and administered to students before and after the SP interview. RESULTS: Of the 50 first-year medical students, 29 (58%) participated in the survey. Compared with the students' baseline scores (according to the percentage of correct responses), scores after the educational intervention showed a significant increase in percentage correct on questions related to trafficking definition and scope (elder care, P =.01; landscaping, P =.03); victim identification (P <.001); referral to services (P <.001); legal issues (P =.01); and security (P <.001). On the basis of the feedback, a 2-hour lecture, which was adapted from the American Medical Women's Association–Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans "Learn to Identify and Fight Trafficking" training, was presented the next year to all first-year medical students as part of their longitudinal clinical skills course and before the SP case. Curriculum objectives included learning trafficking definitions, victim/survivor identification, intersections with health care, the local impact of HT, and available resources. CONCLUSION: This curriculum fulfills course objectives and could be replicated at other institutions. Further evaluation of this pilot curriculum is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last thirty years, white evangelical Christians have been one of the most prominent groups in the anti-trafficking movement in North America. Whether advocating for policy changes on behalf of survivors, interacting with populations vulnerable to sexual exploitation, or staging rescues, these moral actors use Christian religious practices and values to respond to trafficking and commercial sex work. Anti-trafficking work is coated with and coded by evangelical whiteness, which uses the norms of sexual, social, and racial purity in their interactions with and recovery of trafficking victims and survivors. In response to the white evangelical stronghold on anti-trafficking interventions, the womanist ethic of encounter utilizes womanist frameworks to center the historical realities lived experience of Black women and talk back to the history of evangelical whiteness in anti-trafficking work. Secondly, it focuses on how to interact with the holistic body of Black women in the urban mission field of anti-trafficking. Finally, the womanist ethic of encounter seeks to bridge the gap between the Protestant moralistic centering of the word of the Gospel that coats rescue and recovery efforts and asserts a Catholic centering of the Eucharist to clarify the power of sacrificing and breaking the body of whiteness in anti-trafficking work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Rev. Margaret Fowler, United Church Minister, was a key supporter of LGBTQ rights and a vocal advocate against human trafficking in Jamaica. As the founder of the Theodora Project, Rev. Fowler served many persons coerced into sex work or subject to sexual exploitation. She argued that human trafficking is a complex connection of economy, gender, social dynamics, law, and foreign relations. She called for the Church to be involved in anti-trafficking work as to do nothing risks "the very real possibility of Jamaica becoming another major area of sex tourism". As we celebrate her life and ministry, we are given the opportunity to carefully excavate her perspective on the nexus among trafficking, slavery, and sex work. It does appear that her discourse follows the traditional Church line, which conflates slavery, trafficking and sex work in a fashion that views sex work as wholly coerced. In exploring the arguments that validated her important ministry in Negril, this chapter centres sex positive approaches to sex work and questions the slavery and exploitation framing that is normal in Christian discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, sexual exploitation of Nigerian and Gambian girls and women has become an increasing concern, particularly in the context of human trafficking. Many of these girls are enticed away from their homes by promises of a job or school, only to be pushed into prostitution once they arrive in Europe. This paper seeks to investigate the issue of Afro-Euro modern slavery in the twenty-first century in relation to the sex trafficking of girls from Nigeria and the Gambia into Europe by studying some noteworthy incidents and discussing the underlying elements that led to this situation. The information was taken from the interview guide and studies from prestigious research institutions. The technique of content analysis was used to analysed the data. Snowball and purposive sampling techniques were used to pick respondents and locations in Nigeria and Gambia, respectively. The findings of the study revealed that economic hardship and insecurity were among the issues identified by respondents as the reasons for the acts of sexual exploitation and prostitution in both countries. These reasons were also justified by scholars who have conducted similar research on sexual exploitation. However, there appears to be a gap in the body of literature concerning the underlying causes of sexual exploitation and its expressions, which have been traced back to decades of slavery and colonial institutions. This has resulted in cultural erosion and distorted values, among other things, in the study areas. This study has reinforced the idea that sexual exploitation in Africa is a result of institutional failure, moral deterioration, and the erection of artificial borders or governments. The study recommends increased dedication on the part of African and UN officials in the fields of study and the integration of African nations on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mega sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games and Super Bowl, are often constructed as corresponding sites of bodily tourism, with a shared motivation among some tourists to purchase and consume both commercialized sport and sex. This paper begins by deconstructing the 'common sense' connection between sport tourism and sex trafficking. It recognizes, however, that both sport and sex tourism are grounded in bodily consumption and conquest. That is, both sex and sport tourism rely on the commodification and consumption of the body as currency and fantasy, defined as a libidinal economy. As such, this paper explores the colonial systems of power that enable and perpetuate the commodification of colonized bodies at the intersection of sport tourism and sex tourism. The paper situates this intersection within the colonial matrix of power and the structural hierarchies maintained through the colonial framing of power, race, gender and sexuality. In this sense, tourism is defined as roving colonialism [Sykes, H. (2017). The sexual and gender politics of sport mega-events: Roving colonialism. New York, NY: Routledge]. Using the colonial matrix of power as a theoretical framework, then, we evaluate the libidinal economies of sport tourism and sex tourism and propose a conceptual understanding of bodily labor and exploitation at this unique intersection. By using this conceptual framework, this paper calls for further empirical study that explicitly evaluates the impact of corresponding systems of sport tourism and sex tourism simultaneously at play within national and international sporting events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Necmettin Erbakan University School of Law Review is the property of Necmettin Erbakan University School of Law Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sex trafficking victims are often advertised through online escort sites. These ads can be publicly accessed, but law enforcement lacks the resources to comb through hundreds of ads to identify those that may feature sex-trafficked individuals. The purpose of this study was to implement and test multi-input, deep learning (DL) binary classification models to predict the probability of an online escort ad being associated with sex trafficking (ST) activity and aid in the detection and investigation of ST. Data from 12,350 scraped and classified ads were split into training and test sets (80% and 20%, respectively). Multi-input models that included recurrent neural networks (RNN) for text classification, convolutional neural networks (CNN, specifically EfficientNetB6 or ENET) for image/emoji classification, and neural networks (NN) for feature classification were trained and used to classify the 20% test set. The best-performing DL model included text and imagery inputs, resulting in an accuracy of 0.82 and an F1 score of 0.70. More importantly, the best classifier (RNN + ENET) correctly identified 14 of 14 sites that had classification probability estimates of 0.845 or greater (1.0 precision); precision was 96% for the multi-input model (NN + RNN + ENET) when only the ads associated with the highest positive classification probabilities (>0.90) were considered (n = 202 ads). The models developed could be productionalized and piloted with criminal investigators, as they could potentially increase their efficiency in identifying potential ST victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the substance use profiles of youth impacted by commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and explore associations between substance use with mental health diagnoses and child welfare involvement. Methods: Data were systematically extracted from the court files of 364 youth who participated between 2012 and 2016 in Los Angeles County's Succeeding Through Achievement and Resilience (STAR) Court, a juvenile delinquency specialty court for youth impacted by CSE. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to quantify associations between youths' substance use with mental health diagnoses and child welfare involvement. Results: Of the 364 youth impacted by CSE involved in the STAR Court, 265 youth had documented contact with a psychiatrist while in court-of whom, 73% were diagnosed with at least one mental health challenge. Before STAR Court participation, 74% of youth were the subject of one or more child welfare referral; of these youth, 75% had prior out-of-home care. Eighty-eight percent of youth reported substance use, the most prevalent illicit substances were marijuana (87%), alcohol (54%), and methamphetamine (33%). Controlling for age and race, youth impacted by CSE with a diagnosed general mood disorder had more than five times the odds of reporting substance use compared with those without a mood disorder diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 5.80; 95% confidence interval CI: 2.22-18.52; p

Prior research has examined the high health care needs and vulnerabilities faced by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), yet their perspectives are frequently absent. We sought to understand the narratives and views of individuals affected by CSE on their bodies, health, and motivations to seek health care treatment. Twenty-one girls and young women ages 15 to 19 years with self-identified histories of CSE participated in the study. All participants had current or prior involvement in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare systems. Data collection included brief questionnaires, followed by semi-structured individual interviews. The interviews took place between March and July 2017 and were analyzed using iterative and inductive techniques, using the shared decision-making model as a guide. "Fierce Autonomy" emerged as a core theme, depicting how past traumas and absence of control led the girls and young women to exercise agency and reclaim autonomy over decisions affecting their health.

Globally, over a third of women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In Russia, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and physical abuse of women are amongst the world’s highest. Applying cognitive dissonance theory and sexual script theory, this study explores whether women (n = 654) trading sex in Russia appraise their experiences of entering the commercial sex trade as voluntary or forced. Contributing client factors were also analyzed, including beatings (66%), rape (66%), and humiliation (86%) by clients. Multiple logistic regression assessed whether women who reported voluntarily entering the commercial sex trade were more likely to experience physical abuse but less likely to experience rape (AOR:1.37); were more likely to perceive men using them as decent/caring (AOR = 2.54); were more likely to sell sadistic/masochistic services (AOR: 2.31); and less likely to stop selling sex (AOR: 5.84). Implications of this study reveal the importance of intervention strategies that account for a woman’s unawareness of her own exploitation and mistreatment as well as the psychological barriers that prevent her from seeking help. The necessity of recognizing women selling sex as sufferers of coercion and abuse is also emphasized.

Background: The core challenge this study addressed is that Adult Services Websites (ASWs) are an extensive and pervasive feature of the digital world that facilitate the advertising, negotiation and purchase of sexual services yet are also considered to be harbourers of sexual exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) Giommoni L. et al. 2021, Milivojevic S. et al. 2020, Sanders, T., et al. 2018. Whilst awareness of cases of internet facilitated MSHT has entered the public and policy domain, little is known about the role and responsibilities of ASWs in this domain. Collaboratively with our partners, the findings from this study will first contribute to understanding how ASWs facilitate exploitation and second how they can become part of the prevention mechanisms and reporters of crimes. Methods: We present the design of our mixed methods study, underpinned by a peer Action Learning Set (ALS) approach. By working closely with ten survivors of sexual exploitation from 7 countries, the peer group have informed the study through participation in the advisory group, instrument design, implementation, analysis and dissemination. A training and support needs analysis prior to engagement in the research project ascertained what skills people would bring, what they would need for further personal and career development and if there were any additional requirements to enable participation. We provided capacity building through a bespoke training package over the project's lifetime. Discussion: Conducting a peer-researcher ALS project informs the research topic by both empowering survivors of sexual exploitation, whilst engaging with their expertise and lived experience to shape the methods and focus. The summative evaluation of our methods informs wider peer research methodologies, little utilised in the field of MSHT research. Thus, this research produces evidence which acknowledges survivors as experts with value towards social science research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is the commercial exchange of sex or sexual acts by an individual under the age of 18. Though many programs aim to serve youth who are (potential) victims of CSEC, it remains unclear what strategies and techniques are most helpful in engaging this population in treatment. Love146 is an anti-trafficking program with an established treatment specific for CSEC-impacted youth. This exploratory study sought to better understand the strategies and techniques that Love146 social workers, administrators, and staff use to facilitate engagement and healing among the children and youth they serve. A total of 14 administrative and clinical staff at Love146 participated in 4 focus groups that were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using a content analysis approach. Three distinct themes emerged, including the importance of using a trauma-informed approach, trustworthiness, and persistence. There are many strategies and techniques that may aid service providers and administrators in engaging youth who have been impacted by CSEC.A full exploration into qualitative results, including implications for policy, practice, and research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research has documented the needs of human trafficking victims, the importance of such needs during the COVID-19 pandemic remains understudied. This study sought to determine the most critical and urgent service needs of social service providers who serve human trafficking victims. Drawing from survey responses collected from 100 service providers from all 15 counties in Arizona, researchers examined agency needs to serve human trafficking victims during a pandemic, the barriers/fears expressed by human trafficking victims to obtain social services, and the saliency of needs regarding training, screenings, protocols, and services provided. Respondents indicated that the most necessary needs included more training, funding, and receiving referrals. Respondents reported that most barriers/fears expressed by sex trafficking clients were feelings of shame and not self-identifying as a victim. Labor trafficking victims lack knowledge about resources and experience little to no social support. Findings highlight a sustained need for awareness building, developing strong partnerships between agencies that serve human trafficking victims, and the needed ability of social service agencies to modify their service delivery systems during a pandemic. Future research is needed to understand the lack of victim demographic data and provide clear guidelines for agencies to handle emergencies such as a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a subset of findings of a qualitative study, conducted with 33 Chinese female migrant massage parlor workers who were defendants of the Human Trafficking Intervention Courts (HTIC) in New York City. Data were collected through individual and focus group sessions and were analyzed for themes and subthemes using the interpretative phenomenological analysis. Themes of negative experiences from their interactions with law enforcement and the HTIC system emerged in the study and contextualized their lives as im/migrants who work in the underground economy, especially in unregulated, lucrative jobs that potentially involve morally sanctioned types of labor. This article concludes with an outline of implications for human service professionals whose work might impact the lives of others whose lives are similarly impacted by the Human Trafficking Intervention Courts – or other carceral mechanisms designed to end prostitution/sex work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking is the fastest‐growing organized criminal activity. Trafficking organizations are driven by profit and provide a service due to existing demand. We examined the feasibility of applying risk assessment methods to understand the problem of sex trafficking from a systems perspective. Focusing on Indiana, we recruited and trained subject matter experts (SMEs) in risk assessment methodologies utilized in Six Sigma (SS); specifically Cause and Effect (C&E) Matrix and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The research team developed a sex trafficking business process map (BPM) and prioritized activities by applying a C&E Matrix to identify the process steps with the potential for disruption. The most common failure modes (FMEA) identified by the SMEs included the trafficker or customer being caught followed by the victim being rescued. We conclude that an SS risk assessment approach is a viable framework in understanding the system of sex trafficking. Limitations and future research suggestions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem definition: Approximately 11,000 alleged illicit massage businesses (IMBs) exist across the United States hidden in plain sight among legitimate businesses. These illicit businesses frequently exploit workers, many of whom are victims of human trafficking, forced or coerced to provide commercial sex. Academic/practical relevance: Although IMB review boards like Rubmaps.ch can provide first-hand information to identify IMBs, these sites are likely to be closed by law enforcement. Open websites like Yelp.com provide more accessible and detailed information about a larger set of massage businesses. Reviews from these sites can be screened for risk factors of trafficking. Methodology: We develop a natural language processing approach to detect online customer reviews that indicate a massage business is likely engaged in human trafficking. We label data sets of Yelp reviews using knowledge of known IMBs. We develop a lexicon of key words/phrases related to human trafficking and commercial sex acts. We then build two classification models based on this lexicon. We also train two classification models using embeddings from the bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) model and the Doc2Vec model. Results: We evaluate the performance of these classification models and various ensemble models. The lexicon-based models achieve high precision, whereas the embedding-based models have relatively high recall. The ensemble models provide a compromise and achieve the best performance on the out-of-sample test. Our results verify the usefulness of ensemble methods for building robust models to detect risk factors of human trafficking in reviews on open websites like Yelp. Managerial implications: The proposed models can save countless hours in IMB investigations by automatically sorting through large quantities of data to flag potential illicit activity, eliminating the need for manual screening of these reviews by law enforcement and other stakeholders. Funding: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [Grant 1936331]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.1196. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the life of the victim's parents in Karnataka and to gain a better understanding of the consequences or impact of sex trafficking on them. Design/methodology/approach: A narrative research design was used in the study. Applying the method of narrative inquiry and the concept of three common spaces, the study explored the actual life situations and experiences of the victim's parents. The study covered three pairs of parents as participants from two cities, i.e. Mysore and Bangalore in the state of Karnataka. Data was collected through in-depth face-to-face interview, informal conversations, photographs and field notes. Findings: The study found that the victims' parents are living an isolated or socially alienated life with potential symptoms of behavioural, cognitive and emotional disorders. The study also found that the victim's parents fundamental right to live with dignity and respect have been violated. A significant finding in the study was that the parents did not cite or refer to any substantial efforts undertaken by non-governmental organisations in reintegrating the victim's families within their communities. There are many rehabilitative services available for the victims. Unfortunately, the victim's parents mostly remain unnoticed and unattended by therapists, social work practitioners and policymakers. An appeal is made to therapists, social workers, policymakers and individuals to support the victim's parents. Originality/value: All forms of human trafficking, especially sex trafficking has drawn considerable interest from researchers, policymakers, charities and non-government agencies. However, very little is known about the living conditions of the victim's parents, especially the psycho-social status in their families and neighbourhood. Therefore, it was pertinent to explore the life of the victim's parents including violation of their human rights. It highlights the importance of support from the society in reintegrating the victim's families with their communities. This paper contributes to the qualitative literature by providing narrative evidence, which will lead to better policymaking and designing effective support services for the victim's parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Estudos Feministas is the property of Revista Estudos Feministas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose of Review: Sex trafficking is a significant global problem that results in millions of individuals being sexually exploited annually. This paper will provide an overview of recent research in the field of sex trafficking and evaluate findings to provide recommendations for future research and policy work. Recent Findings: In recent years, there has been an increase in research focused on understanding sex trafficking and how it can be prevented. Specifically, recent studies have explored characteristics of sex trafficking cases, risk factors for experiencing sex trafficking, recruitment and maintenance processes, identification and intervention techniques, and treatment approaches. Summary: While there have been significant strides to better understand sex trafficking across the globe, numerous areas require further exploration. Additional research conducted internationally and with adults who have experienced sex trafficking is needed to better understand methods that can identify individuals at risk for being trafficked, enhance early detection, and provide services to trafficked individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]