DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37251
title: Failure to Appear: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Victims' Experience with the Juvenile Justice System and Their Readiness to Change, Nevada, 2016-2018
title: Archival Version

description: A critical gap in knowledge about service provision for domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) victims is why youth resist help from providers. This project asked DMST survivors about the barriers they experienced and their readiness to leave their commercial sexual exploitation. The study included an in-depth qualitative phase of formerly sex trafficked women (n=41), followed by a cross-sectional, self-report survey administered to recently trafficked young adults (n=94).
description: A critical gap in knowledge about service provision for domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) victims is why victims resist help from providers, what might help victims reconnect with providers, and how to increase victims' readiness to leave, or exit commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). The Intentions to Exit Prostitution (IEP) theoretical model explains and predicts an exit from street prostitution, but had not been validated with DMST. Therefore, the project's goals were: <strong>Goal 1:</strong> To understand the facilitators and barriers DMST victims face when seeking assistance from the juvenile delinquency system and child protective services. Objective 1.1: Interview young adult DMST victims on their reasons for running away from agencies offering them assistance, the programs/services that could or would have prevented their CSE, and what persons or resources helped facilitate a successful desistance from CSE. <strong>Goal 2:</strong> To understand and assess DMST victims' readiness to leave or exit CSE. Objective 2.1: Refine and validate the IEP model with CSE victims trafficked in adolescence. Objective 2.2: Assess to what extent traumatic experiences, social provisions, and other health attributes affect DMST victims' readiness to exit CSE.
description: This project utilized an exploratory, sequential mixed-methods approach to broadly uncover why DMST victims do not seek help and to quantify various aspects of the CSE exiting process, including the unique interplay of risk and protective factors. To answer these aims, the project sought young adults (ages 18-24) who were commercially sexually exploited before age 18. The study used validated measures as well as new items on perceived facilitators and barriers to exiting revealed in the qualitative phase. The qualitative phase included interviews with young adult DMST victims following a narrative tradition. DMST victims were recruited from and interviewed at non-profit agencies serving CSE youth in Nevada. After providing informed consent, participants were interviewed (45-90 minutes) at these agencies by trained graduate- or PhD-level researchers, some of whom were survivors, which assisted in building rapport. Participants were kept near to staff members with whom that had close relationships with and were provided a safe space to discuss traumatic events. The audio recorded, semi-structured interviews followed a guide that had participants describe their life prior to, during, and after sexual exploitation. Participants had freedom to discuss other topics of their choice, while ensuring that the research aims were addressed. Participants received a $40 gift card for the interview. The quantitative phase surveyed young adult DMST victims on their trafficking experiences, intentions to exit, involvement with criminal justice and child welfare, and physical and mental health. Recruitment was conducted through the same service organizations as in the qualitative phase. All measures, including the IEP, were vetted by 12 DMST survivors to ensure they were sensitive to trauma. After learning of the study, potential participants contacted researchers for eligibility screening and informed consent at which time they received a unique link to a secure, online survey. Participants received a $25 gift card for completing the survey.
description: The quantitative data includes variables on (a) experiences selling or trading sex, (b) Intentions to Exit Prostitution (IEP), (c) resiliency, (d) demographics, and (e) health care. Several demographic variables were excluded from the quantitative data file in order to protect respondent confidentiality. The variables that were excluded are indicated in red in the P.I. Codebook.
description: Not applicable.
description: Response Rates: For the qualitative interviews, all 41 individuals who were referred to the project by service providers, were eligible and chose to do the interview. For the quantitative survey, 99 of the 102 individuals who contacted the survey screeners were eligible to participate. 5 of the 99 who were sent a research link, did not complete the survey.
description: Presence of Common Scales: IEP: Intentions to Exit Prostitution (Cimino, 2013)
description: Participants were recruited through service agencies providing support to victims of human trafficking. Interested and eligible participants were included. Exclusion criteria was not having a history of being exploited.
description: Datasets: DS1: Quantitative Data
description: Adults aged 18-24 who had been victims of human trafficking before age 18. Smallest Geographic Unit: State
description: face-to-face interview; mixed mode; web-based surveyAll items labeled IEP in the quantitative data are copyrighted and cannot be used without the authorization of the author.The qualitative data collected for this study are not available as part of the data collection at this time.