title: Sex Trafficking in the Gold Mining Areas of Kédougou, Senegal
title: A Mixed-Methods Study Estimating Baseline Prevalence and Identifying Perceived Gaps in Prevention, Prosecution, and Protection Response
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Okech, David
name: Kelly, Jocelyn
name: Mbaye Soukeye, Mame
name: Cronberg, Alexandra
name: Yi, Hui
name: Cody, Anna M.
name: Clay Warner, Jody
name: Callands, Tamora A.
name: Alemayehu, Woubedle
name: Nupur, Kedia
name: Shiyun, Mai
name: Cheikh Moussa, N.
name: Toure, Alioune Badara
name: Balch, Alex
name: Bolton, Claire
name: Onyioha-Clayton, Nnenne
name: Diagne Barre, Aminata
Publisher: name: Center on Human Trafficking Research and Outreach
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: FOS: Other social sciences
subject: Sex Trafficking
subject: Senegal
subject: Mixed-methods
subject: Prevalence
subject: Respondent-Driven Sampling

description: Research on sex trafficking in Senegal is lacking but crucial to developing evidence-based policies. The Center on Human Trafficking Research &amp; Outreach (CenHTRO) in collaboration with Mantle: 1. Estimated the prevalence of sex trafficking1 among women (aged 18-30) who were engaged in commercial sex in the Saraya and Kédougou departments in the gold mining region of Kédougou. 2. Identified perceived service and policy gaps in prevention, prosecution, and protection responses to sex trafficking in Senegal. Data were collected in Saraya and Kédougou departments between October – December 2021: 140 qualitative interviews with women (18-30 years old) who had experienced sex trafficking (n=68), parents/caregivers of sex trafficking victims (n=13), and key informants (n=59); including community leaders and professionals. 561 quantitative surveys with women aged between 18-30 years who were engaged in commercial sex (375 in Saraya, 186 in the Kédougou department). 
Results indicate that nearly 1 in 5 (19%) women engaged in commercial sex in the Kédougou region in 2021 were estimated to be victims of sex trafficking (13% in Saraya, 30% in Kédougou department). In total, 1,500 women aged 1830 were engaged in commercial sex in the Kédougou region, of whom 280 were estimated to be victims of sex trafficking. Most victims of sex trafficking came from countries other than Senegal, with most coming from Nigeria (68%). Respondents noted a lack of holistic services, including psychological care, income generation training, and rehabilitation of victims and providing facilities for rehabilitation. Sex trafficking victims reported being disappointed with law enforcement and justice engagement, noting a lack of training and awareness among justice stakeholders on how to work with women who have experienced sex trafficking.
Implications of this study suggest that stakeholders should help survivors establish financial stability through Increased opportunities for vocational training, training in small business practices, and access to saving and loan services. Strengthen referral pathways between medical, legal, economic, and psychosocial services to help ensure that victims and survivors can access the full collection of services they need. Disseminate information about protection mechanisms and available services. Implement a trauma-informed approach to working with survivors at all levels in an organization. Programs should meaningfully involve survivors and advocates in the development, design, and provision of services. Such as through hiring women who had experiences with sex trafficking as peer mentors and to play a key role in program leadership.