RCT to evaluate Bystander-informed Online Training to Prevent Child Sex Trafficking in Kentucky Middle Schools

• In Event: Panel Overview to Describe CDC-Supported Research Studies that Rigorously Evaluate Approaches to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)

Abstract

Our purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of two multi-level interventions to reduce child sexual exploitation and trafficking (hereafter, CST) in Kentucky.
Approach Justification: Kentucky continues to have this nation’s highest child abuse rates and remains on the forefront of both the opioid and methamphetamine epidemics. We have focused on middle school staff because middle school age children are at high risk for CST particularly if family members experience substance use disorders.
We have designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with both county and school level interventions. 50 Kentucky counties have been randomized to our mass media campaign (Phase 1) to increase awareness of CST. Among the 25 counties randomized to Phase 1, public middle schools will be recruited and their staff will be offered online, bystander-informed CST prevention training (Phase 2). Middle schools in the remaining 25 Kentucky counties randomized to the attention control will be offered online training on CST intervention to include resources, referrals, and reporting. No county-level mass media intervention will be provided for these 25 control counties. Prospective data collection with middle school staff in 50 Kentucky counties (2023-2025). In year 1, intervention training is being finalized. Research updates will be provided in this panel.

Authors

• Ann L. Coker, University of Kentucky

• Ginny Sprang, University of Kentucky

• Annelise Mennicke, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Heather Bush, University of Kentucky