Overview of Domestic Trafficking of Minors in the United States ...

Page 3demographics, how they entered trafficking, victimizationhistory, or history of receiving services.This lack of information results in professional andpublic misunderstanding about sex trafficking, limits theavailability of services, and makes it difficult for researchersto assess the impact of these crimes on society.Treating victims as victimsOnce detected by authorities, trafficking victims arefrequently put in jails, juvenile detention facilities orprisons. Law enforcement may be unable to determinethe true identity and age of a child victim because of falseidentification supplied by the trafficker/pimp, or maysimply believe that the victim is a prostitute in need ofincarceration and prosecution.Victims of trafficking are often wrongly incarcerated fortheir alleged “involvement” in prostitution, lack access toappropriate services and resources, and acquire a criminalhistory that impedes future employment, housing options,and education. Incarceration also limits access to victimreparations. Additionally, victims may face the stigma ofprostitution when receiving services, which may impactthe way in which they are treated by services providersand others in the community.Once a child is identified as a victim of sex trafficking, thechild is often placed in a juvenile facility to protect himor her and to ensure he or she is available for testimonyand prosecution of the trafficker/pimp. Victims of othersexual crimes, including victims of rape, child sexualabuse, or domestic violence, are rarely detained for thesame purposes. The detention of the victim conflicts withthe victim status of minors under the protection act, andcan re-victimize the child and limit the services availableto him or her.Law enforcement often mistakenly apply the criteria foradult trafficking for youth victims. Under the TraffickingVictims Protection Act, proof of force, coercion, or fraudis not necessary for determining that children involved incommercial sexual exploitation are victims of domesticminor trafficking. Further compounding the problem ofmisidentifying domestic minor trafficking victims arestate laws that do not always align with federal laws.Variations in state and federal statutes, and the inconsistentapplication of existing laws, have implications for theidentification, prosecution, and sentencing of pimps/traffickers and buyers of children, while also impedingservices and reparations for victims.Serving victimsVictims experience extensive trauma and manipulation,and are at risk for a number of medical and mental healthissues. There are few services specific to youth victimsof sex trafficking across the U.S., especially protectiveshelters. As recently as 2009, Shared Hope Internationalidentified only five residential facilities dedicated toserving child victims of commercial sexual exploitationin the U.S.In addition to limited shelter resources, there are fewspecialized services for child victims of sex trafficking.Victims may be treated as victims of other forms ofchild sexual abuse, which may not address the complexitiesof the trafficker/pimp manipulation and trauma-bond.They have unique needs associated with their traumaticexperiences, and these needs must be identified duringintake and through the monitoring and treatment processes.An emerging service model is trauma-informed servicesthat address behaviors in the context of past and presentunderlying traumatic experiences. This type of treatmentcan be more successful than conventional approaches.Trauma-informed services help mental health practitionersand others better understand the immediate consequencesof traumatic events and their subsequent impact on longtermcoping and well-being.Targeting demandCurrent laws and policies focus primarily on the protectionand treatment of victims and prosecution of traffickers/pimps. Prevention efforts that attempt to reduce demandfor children victimized through commercial sexualexploitation are more limited. Traditional methods of