Women and Therapy
Volume 42, Issue 3-4, 2019, Pages 385-405

Still We Rise: Psychotherapy for African American Girls and Women Exiting Sex Trafficking (Article)

Bryant-Davis T.* , Gobin R.L.
  • a Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, United States
  • b Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States

Abstract

Sex trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Among those who are at greater risk for sex trafficking are women, girls, impoverished persons, runaways, homeless persons, persons who have prior trauma histories, and ethnically marginalized persons, including African Americans. The short- and long-term consequences of sex trafficking are physical, sexual, psychological, social, economic, and spiritual. There are a growing number of programs that have been created to facilitate the recovery process of sex trafficking survivors; however, limited scholarship has focused on the cultural context of recovery for U.S.-based survivors. Based on both a critical review of the literature and clinical intervention experience, the author will provide treatment recommendations for working with African American girls and women who are exiting sex trafficking. These treatment recommendations can be integrated into a range of treatment orientations and approaches. Overall, an integrative strengths-based, culturally congruent model is recommended, which integrates constructs from womanist (Black feminist) psychology. Limitations and policy recommendations are provided. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Author Keywords

Therapy Women African American Treatment Girls Trafficking

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85068235784&doi=10.1080%2f02703149.2019.1622902&partnerID=40&md5=c4945e7c569bd8392228f0c4a501f58d

DOI: 10.1080/02703149.2019.1622902
ISSN: 02703149
Original Language: English