Victim service and community engagement: Understanding law enforcement responses to child sex trafficking cases

• In Event: Findings from a National Survey on Law Enforcement Investigations of Youth Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

Abstract

There has been a growing consensus that law enforcement needs to change its traditional approach to child sex trafficking (CST) to a victim-centered approach. Central to such an approach is coordination between police, victim service and other community professionals to provide a comprehensive approach to these. This presentation utilizes data from 444 cases involving CST coming to the attention of law enforcement in 2021. Most cases involved sex trafficking of a juvenile (49.8%), customers (30.9%), and survival sex (14.2%). Almost half (48.2%) of cases ended in an arrest, usually of an adult suspect; in 2.5% a juvenile was arrested. Many cases involved collaboration with different victim service (43.4%) and community agencies or professionals, including Child Protective Service (70.5%), juvenile detention or probation (17.5%), school (11.5%), SANE Nurse (20.4%), hospital (22.1%), foster care (16.8%), emergency medical services (6.4%), sexual assault support agency (6.7%), Guardian Ad Litem (6.7%), substance abuse treatment agency or provider (4.5%), faith-based organization (2.8%), and a runaway shelter (2.2%). Characteristics of victim service and community responses associated with positive case outcomes (e.g., victim cooperation, conviction of suspect, reunification with safe family) will be discussed as well as implications for future criminal justice responses to CST.

Authors

• Lisa Jones, University of New Hampshire

• Kimberly Mitchell, University of New Hampshire

• Jennifer O'Brien, University of New Hampshire