No Youth Left Behind to Human Trafficking: Exploring Profiles of Risk

• In Event: Sex Work and Trafficking

Abstract

Adolescents at risk for juvenile human trafficking (JHT) are often overlooked, not identified, and not referred for services. The current predominate risk profile of JHT victims is narrowly focused on a severely abused, runaway girl. The objective of this study was to analytically identify JHT risk profiles based on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and health risk behaviors. First, the study examined which types of ACEs and health risk behaviors were more prevalent among trafficked adolescents using sample of 913 male and female juvenile-justice-involved adolescents with suspected or verified JHT abuse reports documented between 2009 and 2015 and a comparison group (matched by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and location). Second, six distinctive profiles of risk for JHT were identified using latent class analysis. Three JHT risk profiles were characterized by extensive child maltreatment and health risk behaviors and were differentiated by placement in foster care and substance use. Three JHT risk profiles were characterized by less extensive histories of child maltreatment and were differentiated by drug use. In conclusion, these findings highlight that the current depictions of adolescent victims of human trafficking are too narrow and may lead to critical health care and service provision disparities for many trafficked adolescents.

Authors

• Joan A. Reid, University of South Florida St. Petersburg

• Michael T. Baglivio, Truecore Behavioral Solutions

• Alex Piquero, University of Texas at Dallas

• Mark A. Greenwald, Florida State University

• Nathan Epps, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice