Incidence of Maltreatment and Child Welfare History - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Incidence of Maltreatment and Child Welfare Historyof Victims of Child Sex Trafficking:Policy and Practice Implications

Debra schilling wolfe, MEdSarah Wasch, MSWOne Child Many Hands: A Multidisciplinary Conference on Child WelfareJune 8, 2017

Slide2

BackgroundThe Field Center for Children’s Policy Practice & Research A leader in child welfare system reform, utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to research-informed policy and practice innovationIdentified

Child Welfare to Child Trafficking pipeline as a significant issueDeveloped formal partnership with Covenant House to conduct research on the incidence of child trafficking among homeless youth in three citiesInterested in learning about child welfare factors that may place youth at risk for trafficking, with eye toward recommending policy reforms and practice innovations

Slide3

BackgroundDomestic sex trafficking is starting to receive considerable attention among legislators, social service providers, and researchers, but the magnitude of the problem is not well understood

By combining estimates of youth at risk of sexual exploitation with estimates of child trafficking victims, early estimates are likely highly inflated and the true incidence of the rate is unknown (Salisbury, Dabney & Russell, 2014; Fong & Cardoso, 2010; Stransky & Finkelhor, 2008)Learning to identify victims is first step in preventing domestic sex trafficking

and

assisting survivors

Slide4

Background Most commonly identified risk factor for commercial sexual exploitation of children is history of sexual abuse (Ahrens et al., 2012)Minors

who were sexually abused were 28 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution at some point in their lives than minors who were not sexually abused (National Institutes of Justice, 1994)Multiple placements and/or group homes may expose youth to further abuse or coercion into trafficking (Choi, 2015)Almost 2/3 of those investigated as victims of trafficking had a significant history of child maltreatment and prior child protective services involvement (

Havlicek

, Huston,

Boughton

& Zhang, 2016

)

Slide5

Research ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation among homeless youth in multiple cities through replication of an earlier study utilizing the previously validated Human Trafficking Interview and Assessment Measure (HTIAM-10; Bigelsen & Vuotto, 2013)

To gain insight into the child maltreatment, child welfare, and out-of-home placement experiences as well as resilience factors for victims of child sex trafficking

Slide6

Why Child Welfare FocusToo little research has been done to identify and measure risk factors for sex trafficking victimization

Estimates exist that between 60 and 90% of sex trafficking victims have been involved in the child welfare system so the child welfare system may be best positioned to stem the pipeline to predators

If we can identify

who

is most at risk, we can develop interventions to prevent

victimization

Research is needed to identify

protective factors

that can reduce risk for victimization

Slide7

RecruitmentInterviews took place between September 2016 and March 2017Research Sites:Philadelphia, PA: Covenant House (n

=100)Washington, DC: Covenant House (n=70)Phoenix, AZ: Multiple Sites (n=100)TumbleweedNative American Connections

one-n-ten

Slide8

RecruitmentEligibility to participate in researchEnglish-speaking only

18+ years oldCurrently experiencing homelessnessShelter and site-based staff recruited youth from available census

Administrative

Study Liaison oversaw process and assigned unique participant

ID

Incentives: $10

gift card

and snacks

Slide9

Interview Procedures Youth participated in a semi-structured, face-to-face interview using the HTIAM-10If any commercial sex activity detected → Child Welfare Supplemental Survey

(CWSS) administeredInformed consent process built rapportEliciting InformationRepeat questionsProvide “normalizing” statements

Offer probing questions

Describe framework viewing illegal activities as “work

”

In the event of participant distress, youth were

referred

to the on-site counselor

Interview Length:

20 minutes – 2 hours

Slide10

Participants (N=270)

Slide11

ParticipantsAverage Age: 20.796% were U.S. citizens

Slide12

MeasuresHuman Trafficking Interview & Assessment Measure-10 (HTIAM-10; Bigelsen & Vuotto, 2013)

Originally developed and validated by researchers at Fordham University with study participants served by Covenant House New YorkDesigned to assess trafficking victimization by evoking stories from participants regarding their labor and sexual exploitation experiencesSemi-structured interview protocol in one-on-one, face-to-face format

Field Center adaptation: Included

supplemental questions not asked in original HTIAM pertaining to experience with homelessness, experience with trading sex, and use of Internet to promote sale of sex (e.g.,

Backpage

)

Slide13

MeasuresChild Welfare Supplemental Survey (CWSS)Collaboratively developed by Field Center research team (n=4) based on review of currently available survey tools from ongoing national child welfare and wellbeing studies (e.g., National Longitudinal Study of Child & Adolescent Wellbeing) and over 50 years of collective child welfare

experienceDesigned to be administered only to youth who reported that they had engaged in commercial sexAdministered directly following HTIAM-10 using a semi-structured interview protocol in one-on-one, face-to-face formatDesigned to capture self-reported

maltreatment experiences, child welfare system involvement, living situation, preparation for independent living, and availability & utilization of support systems

Slide14

Slide15

Sex Trafficking Category

Slide16

Rates of Sex Trafficking & Survival Sex By Gender

Slide17

Rates of Sex Trafficking & Survival SexBy Sexual Orientation

Slide18

Use of the InternetOne out of three who engaged in commercial sex used the internet

Of those who were the subject on an online ad, about half were on Backpage, followed by CraigslistParticipants who placed an ad on the internet were more likely to be female (52%) or transgender (17%)

47% who utilized the internet were underage at the time they placed an ad or an ad was placed on their behalf

Of victims of sex trafficking, 44% had been in an online ad

Slide19

Reasons Began Trading Sex: Commercial Sex

Slide20

Reasons Began Trading Sex: Survival Sex

Slide21

Child Maltreatment Rates for Sex Trafficked vs. Other Commercial Sex

*p<.05

Slide22

Child Maltreatment History63% reporting involvement with the child welfare system

More than half of the participants reported that their maltreatment began at age 5 or youngerOnly 69% of those who were abused or neglected reported receiving any help or services for their maltreatment

Maltreatment was reported to occur over a span lasting an average of 5 years

Respondents described multiple episodes of maltreatment and multiple perpetrators

Of those who were sex trafficked, 55% of perpetrators were a biological parent, 43% another relative, 12% a paramour, 5% a placement caretaker, and 33% fell into another category

Slide23

Receiving Help for Maltreatment

Slide24

Sexual Abuse Ratesfor Sex Trafficked vs. Not Sex Trafficked(but other Commercial Sex)

Physical Abuse Ratesfor Sex Trafficked vs. Not Sex Trafficked(but other Commercial Sex)

Slide25

Sexual Abuse as a Risk Factor49% of sex trafficked youth reported a history of sexual abuse

29% of Seattle homeless and runaway youth reported a history of sexual abuse (Tyler & Cauce, 2002)21% of NY homeless and runaway youth reported a history of sexual abuse (Powers,

Eckenrode

&

Jaklitsch

, 1990)

NIS-4 reported a sexual abuse prevalence rate of 18% from 2005-6 data

Lifetime prevalence rate of sexual abuse in the general population was found to be 10.5% (

Finkelhor

&

Dziuba

-Leatherman, 1994)

Slide26

Living Situation as a Risk Factor88% of youth who experienced commercial sex lived in at least one place without a biological parent

Over 50% did not have a place to live at some point prior to their 18th birthday41% report being removed from their homes by the child welfare system

92% lived in at least two places with someone other than a parent, friend or significant other

29% reported that they lived in at least 10 different places

8% reported living in 20 or more residences

4% report living in too many places to count

Slide27

Out-of-Home Care Placement Setting

Slide28

Out-of-Home Care Placement Rates

for Sex Trafficked Youth by City

Slide29

Protective FactorsYouth eloquently identified what would have made a differenceData told us that two key factors emerged as potential protective factorsPresence of a caring adult

High school graduation

Slide30

What Would Have Made a Difference Was there anything that might have helped prevent you from being in this situation or leave earlier? How might others have helped?Family/Parents Someone Who Cared (Other than Parents)

Community Support/Programs

Slide31

Presence of Caring AdultBy Being Sex Trafficked

Slide32

Education as a Protective FactorVictims of trafficking were 72% more likely to have dropped out of high school than other participants44% of trafficked youth had dropped out of high school

Those who received a GED were at the highest risk of sex trafficking, followed by those who dropped out of high schoolOf those who received a high school diploma, the sex trafficking rate was 20 percentage points lower

Slide33

Advice for Other Youth What advice would you give to other young people who might be going through similar things to what you went through?Attitude Matters Ask for Help Access

Programs

Slide34

StrengthsWhy Youth Shared With InterviewerAnonymity – Because no one will know who they are

Confidentiality – Because information will not go in their file/staff will not find outProfessional Distance – Because they will never see interviewer againDesire to Help – Because they want to help other youth

Slide35

LimitationsCould be differences in victimization experiences between homeless youth who seek shelter and those who do notAll data self-reported

Mandated reporting requirement may have limited some youth sharing about illegal activitiesHighly sensitive nature of topics and potential under-reporting of sexual exploitation experiences by some youthYouth may not want to share personal history with a stranger

Youth may fear legal or personal repercussions

Slide36

Limitations Not an even gender distributionResults may look different if more evenly distributed among male, female, & transgender youth

Males may be less likely to acknowledge sexual exploitation out of sense of shame & fear of stigma (Estes & Weiner, 2001; Curtis, Terry, Dank, Dombrowski & Khan, 2008; Willis, Willis, Friedman & Roberts, 2013)

Slide37

Research RecommendationsAdminister CWSS to known sample of trafficked youth (e.g., those involved in Juvenile Justice who were trafficked)Conduct longitudinal work to prospectively follow a sample of trafficked youth over time to learn how they fare later in life

Incorporate administrative data so not solely relying on self-report of sexual exploitation, victimization, and service system experiencesIncorporate standardized measures of health and wellbeingFurther refine CWSS to gather more information about child welfare and protective factors

Slide38

AcknowledgementsCo-Principal Investigator: Johanna GreesonResearch Analyst: Dan TregliaResearch Instrument Design

: Antonio GarciaStudent Researchers: Jennifer Conn, Xuan Trinh, Julia Vadas, Ran ZhangCovenant House International: David Howard and Jayne BigelsenStaff at Research

S

ites

: Covenant House PA, Covenant House DC, Tumbleweed, Native American Connections, one-n-ten

Slide39

Thank YouDebra Schilling Wolfe, MEd Sarah Wasch, MSWExecutive Director

Program Managerdwolfe@upenn.edu swasch@upenn.edu

Field

Center for Children’s Policy Practice &

Research

University of Pennsylvania

3815 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19422

215.573.9779

www.fieldcenteratpenn.org

Slide40

Policy and Practice RecommendationsTarget street outreach services for newly homeless youthPromote programs that support youth to remain in

school and graduate from high schoolAssure that youth who exit the foster care system are financially literate and provided transitional and after-care servicesIdentify and foster emotional attachments with family members and other caring supports

Slide41

Policy and Practice RecommendationsUtilize data to identify populations at highest risk → prevention services

Victimization minimization services for LGBTQ youthPromote psychoeducational intervention and access to evidence-based treatment for victims of sexual abuseSupport out-of-home placement stability