abstract: Sexual trafficking, the commercial sexual exploitation of individuals for profit, is reported to occur around the world. Tens of thousands of women and children are reported to be trafficked into the United States each year. Reports indicate a negative impact on an individual’s physical, mental, and interpersonal health. Presently, therapeutic models have been proposed but not yet formalized. Current training programs are not focused on developing therapeutic skills. The primary researcher developed the present study to discern an understanding of the lived experience of mental health professionals who have provided therapy with this population. Moreover, the primary researcher sought to understand how these mental health professionals view current preparation programs. The present study used qualitative inquiry to examine the experience of practitioners in this field. Constructivism was used to center upon each interviewees’ description of their lived experience. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data generated within each interview. Thematic structures were intricately linked to the data generated by focusing on the internal elements of the interview rather than a pre-conceived structure. Validation was employed through analytic memo writing and audits. Findings were consistent with core components of therapy; however, analysis yielded some themes specific to therapy with survivors of sexual trafficking. Interviewees shared a common practice of conceptualizing each client and a motivation to build a safe and collaborative relationship, provide focused therapeutic structure, and support their clients beyond the average boundaries of therapy. Interviewees reported a minimal amount of interaction with training programs due to scarcity. The findings suggest an increased need for training programs to prepare professionals to provide therapy with this population. Interviewees described a need for sensitive and specific trauma therapy training, consistent with suggestions in the literature. Future research may include further investigation into training programs when more have been developed. Interdisciplinary teams were a common desire among interviewees. Future research may explore the efficacy of interdisciplinary teams with this population. Finally, interviewees indicated advocacy work as an intricate part of their role as a therapist with this population and future research could investigate how this may impact the therapeutic relationship. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counseling 2018

Vi har i detta kandidatarbete gjort en deltagande observation på en hemsida där sexuella tjänster annonseras ut. På hemsidan finns det ett forum där sexköpare och sexsäljare diskuterar sina tankar om sex och köp av sexuella tjänster. Ofta uttrycker sig sexköparna som om de vore offer i sexbranschen och inte kan hjälpa att de har en stark sexualdrift. De skyller på att det så länge det finns ett utbud av sexuella tjänster, kommer att finnas en efterfrågan på att köpa sexuella tjänster. Vi har också lagt märke till att det finns en acceptans hos sexköparna när det gäller när det gäller personer som skaffar sig en tillfällig sexuell förbindelse mot ersättning och att kåta okontrollerade män ofta håller varandra om ryggen.I motsats till sexköparna anser vi att så länge det finns en efterfrågan på köp av sexuella tjänster kommer också marknaden för sexuell trafficking att finnas. Detta eftersom många som är offer för sexuell trafficking annonseras ut som om att de säljs av fri vilja. Av den anledningen kommer vi i detta kandidatarbete problematisera kring kring sexuell trafficking som en konsekvens av sexköparens handlingar. Vi vill som medieproducenter, genom bilder, belysa sexköparens ansvar samtidigt som vi synliggör samhällsproblemet sexuell trafficking med hjälp av provokativ nätaktivism. / In this bachelor essay we´ve made an participant observation on a website where sexual services are for sale. This website contains a forum where sexbuyers and sexsellers discuss their thoughts about sex and purchase of sexual services. Sexbuyers often express themselves as victims because of their own extreme sexual cravings. They argue that as long as there is sexual services for sale, there is going to be a demand to buy them. We notice that there is an acceptance for sexbuyers to have an temporary sexual relation in exchange for money. We notice in our studies that these so called “intemperated horny men” tend to protect one another.We consider, in contrast to the sexbuyers, that as long as there is an existing “craving” for sexual services, the phenomenon of sexual trafficking will continue. Much because many victims of sexual trafficking are being sold as if it was by their own free will. Because of this, we will in this bachelor essay problematize sexual trafficking as a consequence of sexbuyers actions.We as mediaproducers would like to, through pictures, shed light on the consequences of sexual trafficking and at the same time emphasize this through provocative internet activism.