Providing a path: Exploratory promising practices for working with sexually exploited/trafficked children and youth
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Date
2017
Authors
Richardson, Jennifer
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Abstract
The sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of children and youth in Canada is a growing concern. In the last 30 years, research has clearly identified several shared characteristics of these children, such as child welfare involvement, poverty, familial abuse and violence, drug and alcohol involvement, and homelessness. Yet, the lack of evidence regarding best practices to reduce harm to this group of children is staggering and practically non-existent.
This exploratory study is grounded in nine in-depth qualitative interviews with the following three groups: (1) young adults who were exploited as children but who are now stable, (2) parents/guardians of exploited children, and (3) specialized service providers. The goal of these interviews is to provide micro best-practice actions, theories and/or strategies to reduce the risk(s) for exploited/trafficked children. A small quantitative survey was also provided to participants on strategies, legislation and/or models from other jurisdictions to seek their feedback on if such practices should be explored in Manitoba. The data from the interviews was then coded and analyzed to look for emerging themes.
The findings of this study demonstrate that there are many strategies that can be effective in reducing the risk of children/youth being exploited, but that there is a strong need to have a secure setting to address co-occurring issues of exploitation, addiction, mental health, and other developmental disabilities that are not all being addressed in existing settings.
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Youth