Abstract
ABSTRACT Little is known about the prevalence of neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorders among CSEC survivors, and the experiences of CSEC survivors with these disorders with health care. We conducted a self-report survey study with N = 269 youths between the ages of 13 and 24 years old who disclosed that they had experienced CSEC prior to age 18 in the United States. The vast majority, 82%, reported that they had ever been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder or neurological impairment (i.e. ADHD, autism, intellectual disability, or learning disorder), a serious mental illness (i.e. schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder), a mood disorder (i.e. PTSD, depression, or anxiety), or a behavioral disorder (substance use, eating, or conduct disorder). Approximately 26% reported seeking healthcare while being exploited. Those with Serious mental illness (SMI) or behavioral disorder were more likely than other subsets of CSEC survivors to report poor mental and physical health, and negative experiences in the healthcare setting. Our findings have direct implications for efforts that align with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal of “promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies,” in that they provide support for the idea that health care providers will benefit from training in supporting human trafficking survivors with neurodevelopmental, mental, and behavioral disorders.
Published Version
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