Interactions Between Financial Insecurity, Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE), and Physical Health Problems for Youth

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Abstract

Prior research has documented that insufficiency of basic needs (e.g., financial resources, housing, and food security) is a key risk factor for youth commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and that financial insecurity and CSE are both connected to compromised physical health. However, research on risks and outcomes of CSE has drawn mostly from clinical samples, limiting comparisons between youth with and without histories of CSE. The current paper examines the interaction among financial insecurity, CSE history and physical health variables from a general population sample to better understand implications for CSE prevention and for improved health service delivery for survivors. The study draws from online survey data collected from a diverse sample of 267 youth and young people ages 13-24 as part of a larger study on youth CSE and health care access. Regression models identify complex and interactive relationships between key study variables. Qualitative data collected from adult survivors of CSE as part of the study provide context to quantitative findings. Identifying ways to improve financial stability for youth and young people should be a key focus for policy-makers interested in reducing CSE and improving health outcomes for survivors of CSE.

Authors

• Lisa Jones, University of New Hampshire

• Jennifer O'Brien, University of New Hampshire

• Alisa Lincoln, Northeastern University

• Emily Rothman, Boston University

• Kimberly Mitchell, University of New Hampshire