Journal of Child Sexual Abuse
Volume 22, Issue 3, 2013, Pages 326-340

The illusions and juxtapositions of commercial sexual exploitation among youth: Identifying effective street-outreach strategies (Article)

Holger-Ambrose B.* , Langmade C. , Edinburgh L.D. , Saewyc E.
  • a Minnesota Department of Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity, 444 Lafayette Rd., St. Paul, MN 55155, United States
  • b University of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN, United States
  • c Midwest Children's Resource Center, St. Paul, MN, United States
  • d University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Abstract

To explore sexually exploited youths' perspectives of how street outreach workers can effectively provide outreach and connections to services, we conducted qualitative interviews with 13 female participants, ages 14 to 22, in a Midwest U.S. city. Participants reported multiple types of exploitation, most first exploited by age 13, plus substance use and recurrent homelessness. Nearly all had a pimp, and all used the internet as a venue for sexual exploitation. Participants wanted outreach workers to use "soft words" to refer to exploitation. They expressed contradictory images of their "boyfriend" pimps and their exploitation. They wanted outreach workers to "provide resources," "be nonjudgmental," "listen," and "care." Street outreach can be one way to support sexually exploited youth but should occur in multiple settings. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Author Keywords

street outreach Adolescents Homelessness SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

Index Keywords

Child Abuse, Sexual psychological aspect human Interview, Psychological health service Health Services Needs and Demand qualitative research United States Young Adult Humans psychology Adolescent female prostitution standards child sexual abuse psychologic test Article adult standard Community-Institutional Relations homeless youth homelessness public relations Midwestern United States
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84876779840&doi=10.1080%2f10538712.2013.737443&partnerID=40&md5=6cca228fd9c2ea495bd85d9b974dce1e
DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2013.737443
ISSN: 10538712
Cited by: 24
Original Language: English