Social Service Providers’ Knowledge of and Practice with LGBTQ+ People at Risk of Sex Trafficking

Abstract

Abstract Despite growing evidence suggesting that LGBTQ+ people are at risk of sex trafficking (ST), the ways in which social service providers encounter and address this population remain understudied. This study uses a directed content analysis approach to understand providers’ perceived knowledge of and practice with LGBTQ+ people at risk of ST. Authors conducted 24 semistructured, in-depth interviews of social service providers who worked with people who were sex trafficked (predominantly youth and young adults) in a region of a midwestern state. Providers had a range of knowledge and practice strategies, which included using outdated LGBTQ+ terminology and problematic assumptions about ST risk among LGBTQ+ individuals and also about how experiences of trauma influenced LGBTQ+ people’s sexuality and gender. Those who did encounter LGBTQ+ people at risk of ST suggested that there were gaps in services, particularly for trans clients. In addition, providers’ knowledge and practice strategies generally reflected an outdated understanding of gender and sexuality as stagnant and binary. Social service providers have an important opportunity to provide inclusive and affirming services to LGBTQ+ people at risk of ST. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice (e.g., language recommendations and provider trainings), organizations, and future research.