Purpose. To explore the factors that differentiate trafficked homeless youth from not-trafficked homeless youth. Methods. From November 2015–February 2017, homeless youth served by Covenant House New Jersey, aged 18–22, received a trafficking assessment. Youth were stratified based upon trafficking experience, and their responses to demographic and social history questions were examined for association with trafficking occurrence. Results. Of 344 participants, 9.6% had a trafficking experience. Having an Individualized Education Program/504 plan was, for the first time in anti-trafficking literature, associated with a trafficking experience in bivariable analysis. IEP/504 plans are developed for school-aged children whose ability to succeed in traditional educational formats is challenged by learning, social, or functional problems. In the multivariable analysis, a history of arrest was associated with being trafficked while the presence of a supportive adult was associated with not being trafficked. Gender was not associated with a trafficking experience. Conclusions. This study is the largest to specifically assess homeless youth’s demographic and social variables for association with trafficking experience. Homeless youth who are and are not trafficked share similar life experiences, but those with a supportive adult in their life had lower odds of being trafficked. Building upon our research, future investigations exploring order of occurrence will elucidate the risk factors for and protective factors against trafficking among homeless youth, contributing to evidence-based prevention efforts.

Chisolm-Straker, M., Sze, J., Einbond, J., White, J., & Stoklosa, H. (2018). A supportive adult may be the difference in homeless youth not being trafficked. Children and Youth Services Review, 91, 115-120.

The Voices of Survivors:  An Exploration of the Contributing Factors that Assisted with Exiting from Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Childhood

Annie Corbett, PhD

ABSTRACT

According to the FBI, cases of CSEC have increased considerably in the United States over the past few years, with over 1.1 million reported cases (ECPATUSA, 2017), particularly in the Northern California San Francisco Bay Area. From a strengths-based trauma-informed perspective, this study explored the factors that assist youth with exiting the life associated with CSEC. The primary research question was, “What can be learned from the lived experiences of women who successfully exited childhood commercial sexual exploitation and perceive themselves to be functioning well despite this history?”

This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 13 predominately women of color, average age of 25 (range 21–26), who successfully exited the Life after enduring an average of 4 years (range 1–9). The average age for the group for becoming exploited was 13 (range 8–17), with all exiting during their 17th year. A thematic analysis identified 20 themes organized under three primary categories. The first category, Self-Defined Wellness (4): naming of self-outside the Life, positive family connections, breaking the cycle, and embracing the term survivor. The second, Describing the Life (6): sex for goods, surviving the Game, pimp control, wanting to be loved/look good, contributing family factors, and the grooming process. The third, Exiting Process (10): naming one who has exited, others depend on me, not profitable to exit, fear keeps you in, thinking about leaving, the role of family, pending motherhood, wanting to be free, sustaining exit, and professional systems not accessed. There were four recommendations from survivors: active listening, encouragement, non-judgment, and don’t leave when we push. Two anecdotal themes emerged: treated like garbage by the legal system, and I thought I was grown.

Corbett, A. (2018). The voices of survivors: An exploration of the contributing factors that assisted with exiting from commercial sexual exploitation in childhood. Children and Youth Services Review, 85, 91-98.

Annie Corbett, PhD, is the President and CEO of Corbett Homes Inc. Annie’s expertise lies in the area of Public Administration, facilitating the relationships within the foster care community and public officials at the county and state level, while fostering the future vision, progress and growth of Corbett Group Homes. In December 2013, Annie founded the R.I.S.E. Program. The founding of The R.I.S.E. Program, as “sister” of Corbett Group Homes, Inc., is an extension of the passion for youth in foster care, children left behind, and children people prefer to not think about. Annie received her PhD in Psychology with a concentration on transformative social change from Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center. 

Justice in Their Own Words: Perceptions and Experiences of (In)Justice among Human Trafficking Survivors

Hanna Love, BA; Jeanette Hussemann, PhD; Lilly Yu, BA; Evelyn McCoy, MA; & Colleen Owens, BA

ABSTRACT

Funding Opportunities

• • Community-Based HIV/AIDS Efforts
    • Close Date: September 28, 2018 (LOI: 8/31/18)
  • NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program
    • Close Date: October 4, 2018
  • NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
    • Close Date: November 1, 2018
  • Domestic Public Policy Program
    • Close Date: TBA