DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37599
title: Evaluation of the My Life My Choice (MLMC) Program for Victims of Sex Trafficking, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, 2015-2018
title: Archival Version

description: Commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) is an increasingly urgent problem for criminal justice systems in the United States. Despite the staggering individual and societal consequences of CSE, evidence-based prevention and intervention programs are profoundly lacking. This study used a quasi-experimental, mixed methods, longitudinal follow-up design to evaluate a service provision program for CSE survivors or those identified as high-risk for CSE, My Life My Choice (MLMC). Researchers followed youth who received MLMC services from baseline to multiple follow-up points to see how they progressed over time in terms of building up resistance to being sexually exploited. Youth received one of two different type of MLMC services. One group (Source 1) received one-on-one survivor mentoring, otherwise known as "tertiary prevention." Participants in this program are paired with mentors who have been trained and free from CSE for at least five years. Mentors provide long-term and consistent emotional support to exploited youth or those MLMC believes are at high-risk for exploitation. The Source 1 youth were recruited only from Massachusetts. They participated in quantitative and qualitative data collection at baseline, six months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline. A second group (Source 2) received 3-10 sessions of a psychoeducational prevention group following the MLMC curriculum, otherwise known as "secondary prevention." These groups are led by trained facilitators and are intended for youth at high-risk for exploitation. Participants are taught about sexual exploitation, healthy relationships, sexual health, and how to find help. Source 2 youth received MLMC services in Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, or Connecticut. They participated in quantitative data collection at baseline, time of the last group session, and six months post-baseline. Measured outcomes included instances of sexual exploitation in the past six months, frequency and type of substance use, partner abuse victimization, and housing stability. Researchers hypothesized that, among the secondary prevention group, youth who chose to interact with MLMC staff more often (in terms of attending educational sessions) would score higher on desired outcomes than those frequently absent or who do not interact with staff as often. Among the tertiary prevention group, researchers hypothesized that those who participated would demonstrate improved outcomes from baseline to six months and baseline to 12 months.
description: The primary purpose of the study is to determine whether participation in the My Life My Choice (MLMC) prevention educational groups or survivor mentorship program leads to a reduction in CSE, dating abuse, non-voluntary police contact, and risk behaviors such as substance abuse.
description: <strong>Tertiary Prevention Group (Source 1)</strong>: Participant surveys and interview were conducted at baseline, six months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline. Additional information about youths' history of exploitation was provided by MLMC administrative records. Allowing for a period of rapport-building between mentor and youth, researchers approached participants about study enrollment in person before their third meeting with their MLMC mentor and completed the baseline survey and a contact sheet for follow-up. Participants received a $15 gift card for the baseline survey, a $20 gift card for completing the first follow-up survey, and a $25 gift card for completing the second follow-up survey. Additionally, researchers conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews about the MLMC program with this group of participants at baseline, six months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline. Interviews were conducted in confidential settings separate from the surveys and typically lasted about 25-45 minutes. For completing the qualitative interviews, participants received a $20 gift card at baseline and at each follow-up. <strong>Secondary Prevention Group (Source 2):</strong> Participant data were collected at baseline (the first or second day of the group), the last day of the group (three months later), and six months after baseline. After the initial assent/consent process, participants completed the baseline survey and a contact sheet for follow-up purposes. They received a $10 gift card for completing the baseline survey, a $10 gift card for completing the first follow-up survey, and a $20 gift card for completing the second follow-up survey.
description: Items common to both group surveys include experiences of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and sexually explicit behavior; importance of completing education and getting a well-paid job; experiences of physical, sexual, and psychological dating abuse; knowledge and attitudes about CSE; if they had provided information to someone else about CSE; alcohol and marijuana use; and trust in law enforcement. Demographic variables include age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and how many places the participant had lived in the last six months. Secondary group data also includes number of educational sessions attended. For the tertiary group only, participants were asked about illicit drug use, delinquency, arrests/detainments by police, sources of interpersonal support, physical and mental health, risk-seeking, hopelessness, and coping skills. Administrative record data consist of number of in-person contacts with MLMC staff within the past year; if participant was evaluated as exploited, highly suspected as exploited, or unknown; and if the evaluation came from mentors, medical or police referrals, or another source.
description: Response Rates: <strong>Tertiary Prevention Group:</strong> 43 participants completed the baseline survey, but 2 were removed from the study shortly after completion. 29 completed the first follow-up survey (71%) and 28 (68%) completed the second follow-up survey. For the qualitative interviews, 31 participants completed the baseline, 21 completed the first follow-up interview, and 16 completed the second follow-up interview. <strong>Secondary Prevention Group:</strong> 354 participants completed the baseline survey. 296 completed the first follow-up (84%) and 241 completed the second follow-up (68%).
description: Presence of Common Scales: Items were adapted from the following sources: AddHealth (Resnick et al., 1997) Youth Risk Behavior Survey Dating Abuse Perpetration Acts Scale (Goncy and Rothman, 2016) Rochester Youth Development Survey (Thornberry, Lizotte, Krohn, and Garnworth, 1994) Hopelessness Scale for Children (Kazdin, French, Unis, Esveldt-Dawson, and Sherick, 1983) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), World Health Organization Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (S. Cohen, Mermelstein, Kamarck, and Hoberman, 1985) Perceived Stress Scale (S. Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein, 1983) Self-Control Scale, Risk-Seeking and Impulsivity subcomponents (Grasmick, Tittle, Bursick, Jr., and Arneklev, 1993)
description: <strong>Tertiary Prevention Group (Source 1):</strong> Youth were eligible if they were already receiving MLMC survivor mentorship services in Massachusetts, were at least 11 years old, and could read and speak English. <strong>Secondary Prevention Group (Source 2):</strong> Youth were eligible if they were already participating in an MLMC prevention group, were at least 11 years old, and could read and speak English. Participants were recruited from sites in which the MLMC prevention program model is used (Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, and Connecticut). Youth were allowed to return assent/consent forms until the last day the group met; if they did so, they were enrolled in the study.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Survey Data for Secondary Prevention Participants (Commercial Sexual Exploitation Prevention Group) DS2: Survey Data for Tertiary Prevention Participants (Survivor Mentorship)
description: Youth aged 11-18 years old who are clients of MLMC in Massachusetts (Source 1); youth aged 11-18 years who have been determined to be at risk for sexual exploitation and referred to MLMC-based psychoeducational meetings in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida (Source 2). Smallest Geographic Unit: State
description: face-to-face interview; mixed mode; paper and pencil interview (PAPI); web-based surveyPlease note that only the quantitative data are available for this study.For more information on the My Life My Choice program, please visit mylifemychoice.org.