My Life My Choice Curriculum as a means to Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

Commercial exploitation of children (CSEC) is the sexual exploitation of children for commercial gain through prostitution, pornography, and stripping. Children under 18, under both state and federal law, who are involved in commercial sex are considered to be victims of human trafficking regardless of whether there is force, fraud, or coercion. Many children in Kentucky are exchanged for commercial sex by their own parent or caretaker, who sees their child as a commodity to get things they want/need (drugs, money, etc.).

In 2016, Kentucky Rescue & Restore was awarded money to implement My Life My Choice (MLMC) groups to teen girls across the state. The support group model of the MLMC Curriculum, developed through the Justice Resource Institute of Boston, provides a psycho-educational emphasis as well as a relational/clinical component. The specific goals of the support group curriculum are:
1. "Change attitudes by increasing teens' perceptions of the commercial sex industry as dangerous and debilitating.
2. Improve teens' understanding of CSE
3. Increase teens' ability to reduce the risk of exploitation

This poster will present the evaluation data of the MLMC program in Kentucky, including both pre/post-test data from participants, and qualitative focus group data from facilitators.

Author

• Elizabeth Perkins, Morehead State University