<p> Human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a dire human rights violation, is a world-wide problem. According to the Polaris Project (n.d.), the illegal sex trade makes 32 billion dollars yearly. Women and children are often sexually exploited for profit after being lured away by “fraud, force, or coercion” (U.S. Department of State, 2009, p. 8). This phenomenon poses a serious threat to women and youth who are at risk and vulnerable to exploitation. The majority of females are victimized in their own country (McClain & Garrity, 2011). Nonetheless, many Americans are not aware that such tragic underground criminal activity is thriving right here, within our own borders. Trafficking occurs in every state across the nation and approximately 14,500 to 17,500 foreign victims are trafficked each year into our nation (McClain & Garrity, 2011; Polaris Project, n.d.). This is not only a problem for third world countries; this is a global problem that threatens the safety of countless women and children. Though primary prevention is the ultimate goal, Young (2012) illuminates the need for continued education and training of professionals working with survivors as well as collaboration across multiple service venues over time. The current study seeks to contribute to the limited but growing body of literature in this important area by identifying factors that are important to consider when working with survivors of sex trafficking. This researcher will personally interview professionals and staff who work directly with survivors of sex trafficking and recruit survivors to respond anonymously to a questionnaire about their experiences. Both the interview and the questionnaire inquiries will pose open-ended questions in order to gather qualitative data from service providers and survivors, respectively. This study will provide an opportunity to gain insight and perspective on the pertinent factors that need attention when working with this unique population. </p><p> Key words: sex trafficking, survivors, service providers, factors.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10096832 |
| Date | 16 April 2016 |
| Creators | McCarthy, Paget Bridget |
| Publisher | Union Institute and University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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