Help-Seeking Experiences of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Victims in the U.S

Background: Little empirical knowledge exists on the experiences and factors associated with help-seeking among domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) victims. Identifying the characteristics related to help-seeking as well as barriers to exiting commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) can inform individual and community-based intervention strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to describe the help-seeking experiences of DMST victims (i.e. entry into the commercial sex industry under the age of 18) and examine factors associated with help-seeking among current/former DMST victims. 

Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective survey was conducted in five cities in one Midwestern state. Respondent-driven sampling methods were used to recruit individuals ages 16 and older currently involved in the commercial sex industry (N = 273). Help-seeking was measured through a single dichotomous (yes/no) indicator assessing whether respondents ever asked for help to leave CSE. Dichotomous follow-up questions were asked to examine what types of formal and informal sources offered helped, reasons why respondents did not seek help, and whether respondents tried to leave CSE but were unable to for various reasons. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to examine associations between help-seeking and factors including age, race, gender, arrest history, history of mental health issues, frequent alcohol and drug use history, and experiences of pimp or customer violence among current/former DMST victims.

Results: A total of 115 (48.3%) respondents were identified as current or former DMST victims. Among DMST victims, nearly 60% reported asking for help to leave CSE. Additionally, respondents reported asking for help but: no one believed them (6.1%), no one would help (12.2%), or they changed their mind (13.9%). A total of 40% of DMST victims reported wanting to leave CSE but were unable to because they were forced (7%), could not locate other employment (13%), financial reasons (17.4%), were drug/alcohol addicted (16.5%), or did not have a place to go (11.3%). A total of 31.3% of respondents reported that someone else showed  an interest in helping them or seeing that they get proper help including police officers (9.6%), probation officers (12.2%), social workers (9.6%), counselors (9.6%), church members (13%), and family friends (20%). Multivariate results suggest that current/former trafficking victims with frequent alcohol and drug use histories were significantly more likely (OR = 4.11; p< .05) to have asked for help to leave compared to victims without frequent alcohol and drug use histories, after controlling for other variables in the model.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that a number of current/former DMST victims asked someone for help to leave CSE at some point in time. Additionally, many respondents indicated they wanted to leave, but were unable to for various reasons. These findings identify barriers for former DMST victims to exit adult CSE and highlight the need for early intervention with sexually trafficked youth in order to prevent continued CSE. Additionally, informal supports, may play an important role in assisting DMST victims with needed services and resources. Results also suggest that substance abuse and addiction treatment services remain an important need among this population.