Recovering From Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Childhood: Survivors' Perspectives

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth in the United States: A Qualitative Systematic Review

“…Nine of the 19 studies reported qualitative methods with no specific approach identified (Ashley, 2008; Cimino, 2013; Cobbina & Oselin, 2011; Curtis, Terry, Dank, Dombrowski, & Khan, 2008; Dank et al, 2015; Edinburgh, Pape-Blabolil, Harpin, & Saewyc, 2015; Holger-Ambrose, Langmade, Edinburgh, & Saewyc, 2013; Hurst, 2013; Williams & Frederick, 2009). Consensual qualitative research, feminist, narrative, photovoice, phenomenology, feminist case study, constructivist grounded theory, autoethnography, ethnography, and grounded theory were also used (see Table 1 for study details; Bruhns, 2014; Cavazos, 2014; Cecchet, 2012; Meister, 2014; Monheit, 2010; Oselin, 2014; Rees, 2010; Robinson, 2004; Rothman, Bazzi, & Bair-Merritt, 2015; Stevens, 2012). Individual and focus group interviews and observations were most often used to collect data.…”

“…In the majority of studies, participants described experiencing multiple types of traumas including experiencing childhood abuse in every form: sexual, physical, verbal, emotional, and neglect. They reported experiencing multiple forms of abuse from a single or multiple perpetrators that included biological, step, or adoptive fathers; mother’s boyfriend; mothers; sisters; grandfathers; uncles; or neighbors (Ashley, 2008; Bruhns, 2014; Cavazos, 2014; Cecchet, 2012; Cimino, 2013; Cobbina & Oselin, 2011; Curtis et al, 2008; Dank et al, 2015; Hurst, 2013; Monheit, 2010; Oselin, 2014; Rees, 2010; Robinson, 2004; Stevens, 2012; Williams & Frederick, 2009). Youth also reported witnessing violent altercations with and without the use of weapons at home between parents, caregivers, or other adults (Cavazos, 2014; Cecchet, 2012; Hurst, 2013; Robinson, 2004; Williams & Frederick, 2009).…”

“…In addition to physical and sexual abuse, youth described the effects of neglect or the lack of supervision and engagement. Even when basic needs were met, the lack of an attentive adult was described as a contributing factor to commercial sexual exploitation involvement (Bruhns, 2014; Cavazos, 2014; Cecchet, 2012; Dank et al, 2015; Edinburgh et al, 2015; Hurst, 2013; Monheit, 2010; Robinson, 2004; Stevens, 2012; Williams & Frederick, 2009).…”

Moving Towards Self-actualization: A Trauma-Informed and Needs-Focused Approach to the Mental Health Needs of Survivors of Commercial Child Sexual Exploitation

“…That concept is demonstrated in Bruhns et al's (2018) qualitative study of 11 female adult survivors of CCSE aged between 18 and 30 years old, who had been victimized between 2 and 10 years. Bruhns et al (2018) reported that an integral part of their participant's self-concept was how their exploitation had motivated them to help others who had similar experiences. One of their participant's remarked: I don't think I could do anything else.…”

“…Other women participants in Bruhns et al (2018) described their experience of a transition in their self, from a person who did not value their own happiness as much as other peoples' happiness; whereas now they had a determined focus on their own personal and professional ambitions. Similarly, Corbett (2018) conducted interviews with 13 adult female survivors of CCSE who were not in contact with social services during their exploitation.…”