Sexual Exploitation Research Articles

Disclosing Past Adult Sexual Assault to Romantic Partners: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

The primary aim of the current mixed-method study was to examine factors that predict adult sexual assault disclosure in romantic relationships and understand how romantic partners respond if survivors choose to disclose their experiences to them. Sexual assault survivors ( N = 330; 93% cisgender women) completed online surveys assessing disclosure and various factors that might be associated with disclosure, and described how their partner responded to their disclosure or what prevented them from disclosing (qualitatively coded). Many victims did not disclose experiences of assault to their partners. Proportional odds logistic regression revealed that survivors who perceived their partners as more responsive were more likely to have disclosed, but partner trust was unrelated to disclosure. Attachment avoidance (but not anxiety) was negatively related to disclosure. Sexual and gender minority victims were more likely to have disclosed to their partners; race was unrelated to disclosure. The most common qualitative response was that partners reacted to disclosures with emotional support, although some responded negatively. Survivors most often chose not to tell their partners because the assault was too difficult to talk about or was not relevant to the relationship. Sexual assault stigma may play out in victims’ disclosure decisions and partners’ disclosure reactions.

PERLINDUNGAN HUKUM TERHADAP ANAK KORBAN TINDAK PIDANA PELECEHAN SEKSUAL

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The Evolution of the Measurement of Rape and Sexual Assault Over 50 Years: Milestones, Definitions, Operationalizations, and Classifications

For the past 50 years, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has been committed to improving crime victimization estimates through three crime surveys: the National Crime Survey (1972–1991), National Crime Victimization Survey (1992–2023), and the redesigned National Crime Victimization Survey (2024–present). This article explores the progression of how rape and sexual assault (RSA) have been measured across these surveys, highlighting key milestones, legislative impacts, and measurement changes. The key aspects include the transformation of sexual victimization definitions, the focus on behaviors and tactics in the type of crime classification, and the expansion from solely measuring rape to a broader spectrum of RSA. The dedication to refining RSA screening and classification methods through extensive testing and evaluation is evident. This evolution demonstrates BJS’s ongoing efforts to produce accurate RSA estimates and adapt to changing societal and legislative contexts.

Turning ethnography on its head in research about internet sexual offending

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on methods from a 17-month ethnography in UK group programmes for 81 users of online child sexual exploitation material. It analyses the affordances and restrictions of conducting research in a defined programme/service and professional setting segmented from participants’ everyday lives, as well as procedures put in place for enhanced participant anonymity, confidentiality, privacy, and boundaries. The article demonstrates that the setting and methods resulted in limitations that were simultaneously assets, arguing that information about online sexual offending would likely not have been gleaned otherwise. As a result, the typical ethnographic trajectory was turned on its head: sensitive information rarely told to anyone was divulged in detail, while basic elements about participants, their social networks, and their lives were not. This invites researchers to consider which tenets of ethnography are immovable versus flexible, and the types of information that can/should be obtained through certain methods for specific topics.

EFFORTS OF THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN PROTECTION UNIT (PPA) IN RECOVERING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEEP TRAUMA IMPACTS ON VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AT THE LOMBOK TIMUR POLICE STATION

The Women and Children Protection Unit is one of the institutions responsible for upholding the law. The PPA Unit is required to participate in supporting the realization of protection and overcoming criminal acts of violence against children, therefore the government has passed Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection and Law Number 23 of 2004 concerning the Elimination of Domestic Violence, so that the Women and Children Protection Unit of the East Lombok Resort Police is required to be able to assist in the process of resolving and dealing with criminal acts of violence against women and children. The aim of this research is to analyze and understand the optimization of the services of the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) in recovering from the psychological impacts and deep trauma of victims of sexual violence at the East Lombok Police and to analyze and understand the obstacles to the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) of the East Lombok Police in Providing Recovery Services for the Psychological Impact and Deep Trauma of Sexual Violence Victims. The research method used in this research is Empirical Law. The results of this research are that the number of women who experience sexual violence is still very high. The state in its constitution is responsible for the protection, promotion, enforcement and fulfillment of the human rights of every individual as explained in Article 28I of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. The state's protection for victims of sexual violence can also be seen from the formation and ratification of the Law. Number 12 of 2022 concerning Crime of Sexual Violence. In handling cases of sexual violence, a Women and Children Protection Unit was formed, this unit is specialized in handling victims, witnesses or suspects involving women and children who require special handling. The efforts that have been made by this unit to deal with cases of violence experienced by women and children are non-penal and penal efforts. The PPA Unit's optimization of victim recovery can also be seen in the case handling process as well as collaboration with community institutions and psychologists. Obstacles to victims' recovery are quite frequent and pervasive in society

Perlindungan Hukum Terhadap Korban Eksploitasi Seksual pada Tindak Pidana Perdagangan Orang di Yogyakarta

Legal protection for victims should be considered in the running of justice in Indonesia. Protection of victims talks about fulfilling a victim's rights, both in and after the judicial process. One form of legal protection that is quite interesting to discuss is related to legal protection for victims of sexual exploitation. This research seeks to answer the forms of protection for victims of sexual exploitation of criminal acts of human trafficking in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and the obstacles in implementing legal protection for victims of sexual exploitation of criminal acts of human trafficking in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. This type of research is field research using an empirical juridical approach. The results of this research show that legal protection for victims of sexual exploitation (sex trafficking) of criminal acts of human trafficking in the Special Region of Yogyakarta has not been fulfilled, because there are still victims who are neglected due to several factors, including, legal officials who lack competence in handling victims of sexual exploitation. Victims who are not cooperative in the protection process or law enforcement process, inadequate protection facilities, including shelters as rehabilitation places whose needs have not been met, as well as a team of psychologists and legal counselors who are not proportional to the number of victims. The obstacles to implementing forms of legal protection for victims are that the mechanism for blocking the assets of perpetrators or convicts has not been regulated, causing the right to restitution not to be fulfilled optimally. Low public knowledge and awareness of exploitation and its impacts, causes victims not to feel like they are victims of sexual exploitation.

Emotional Dysregulation, Anger, and Masculinity in Men Who Have Experienced Lifetime Sexual Violence.

Many men experience strong negative emotions and a "diminished masculinity" following sexual victimization. These men may be more willing to express anger, rather than more vulnerable emotions (e.g., shame), in an attempt to maintain their masculinity. However, increased expression of anger among men is linked to other negative outcomes such as increased substance abuse (Eftekhari et al., 2004), suggesting that anger is an ineffective coping strategy for distress. Compared to women, men are understudied in the sexual violence literature. Studies that have been conducted have focused primarily on child sexual abuse, adult males in prison, or military sexual violence samples. Few studies have investigated men's sexual abuse across their lifetime. This study intended to fill this gap by investigating sexual violence against men across the lifespan. The goal of the current study was to examine how conformity to masculine norms and emotional dysregulation influence the relationship between lifetime sexual violence (LSV) and anger. We hypothesized that the relation between LSV and anger would be mediated by conformity to masculine norms and emotion dysregulation. Data were collected from 532 community and 185 college men. Participants completed measures focused on childhood maltreatment, adult sexual victimization, masculinity, anger, and emotion dysregulation. Two hundred and one (27.1%) men reported LSV experiences. Results suggest men with LSV reported significantly higher scores on conformity to masculine norms, anger, and emotion dysregulation. Regression analyses revealed that LSV directly predicted increased conformity to masculine norms, emotion dysregulation, and anger. Additionally, the indirect effects of emotion dysregulation and masculinity were significant. Findings indicate trauma interventions need to target masculine ideology and emotion dysregulation to help reduce anger as a traditionally acceptable emotional outlet for men.

An in vivo examination of the relationship between metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 and suicide attempts in people with borderline personality disorder

BackgroundBorderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a serious psychiatric condition, associated with a high risk for suicide attempts and death by suicide. However, relatively little is known about the pathophysiology of BPD. The metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGlu5) has been specifically implicated in the pathophysiology of BPD and suicide attempts, with more general roles in emotion regulation, social and cognitive functioning, and pain processing. Here, we examined the relationship between mGlu5 availability, BPD, and suicide attempts in vivo for the first time. MethodsEighteen individuals with BPD, and 18 age-, sex-, and smoking-status matched healthy (HC) and 18 clinical comparison controls with major depressive disorder (MDD) completed comprehensive clinical assessments and participated in an [18F]FPEB positron emission tomography (PET) scan to measure mGlu5 availability. Volume of distribution (VT) in the frontolimbic circuit implicated in BPD pathophysiology was the PET outcome measure. ResultsWe observed significantly higher frontolimbic mGlu5 availability in BPD compared to both HC (p=.009, d=0.84, 18.43% difference), and MDD (p=.03, d=0.69, 15.21% difference). In the BPD, but not MDD group, higher mGlu5 availability was also associated with history of suicide attempts (SA; 19-25% higher, p’s=.005-.02). Further, mGlu5 availability was positively correlated with risk factors for suicide (e.g., sexual victimization, perceived burdensomeness) in BPD-SA group. ConclusionsResults show higher mGlu5 availability in BPD and suicide attempt for the first time. Our preliminary findings suggest mGlu5 may be a critical treatment target for BPD symptoms, including suicide attempts, and warrant further investigation in larger samples.

Corruption and neo-colonialism in Latin America

Corruption is deemed one of the main drivers of development challenges in many countries, mainly in those territories that drag the shackles of colonialism. The roots of corruption in underdeveloped countries can be traced from Colonial times from South America, Asia to Africa the pattern seems to be repeated: populations subjugated to new masters, disenfranchised indigenous people, labour and sexual exploitation, brutal punishments for those who resisted colonial power were commune features for countries that experienced colonialism. Many of those power excesses have been recognised historically, however one of the most persistent element of Colonialism that survives until nowadays is corruption. The present text aims to shine a light on the relation of colonialism and corruption in Latin America. The hypothesis raised suggests that corruption was installed through colonialism in the Latin America region. The text is presented in three parts; the first one offers some historical considerations about European colonialism, the second one describes the strategies used by colonisers and the use of corruption as a tool to impose their rule and consolidate their power, and the third one exposes the new colonial form of corruption carried out by the West, led today by the United States.

Improving the Estimate of Trafficking in Human Beings and Modern Slavery by Integrating Data From ILO/Walk Free/IOM and UNODC

Abstract An improved global estimate of the amount of trafficking in human beings/modern slavery is produced. The paper develops the methodology for data to populate Indicator 16.2.2 in the UN SDGs, ‘the estimated number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age, and form of exploitation’. The improved estimate is constructed by integrating data from the International Labour Organization/Walk Free/International Organization for Migration (ILO/Walk Free/IOM) with administrative data from United Nations Organization on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) rather than from the Counter Trafficking Global Data Collaborative (CTDC). The data from the UNODC is more comprehensive and less volatile than that from the CTDC on registered victims of trafficking. The new estimate is more than 30% larger, increases the proportion of trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation from 27 to 56%, and increases the proportion of victims of trafficking who are female from 54 to 64%. This has implications for the priorities for social and public policy for prevention and for the provision of services to mitigate harms.

Empathy Through Immersion: The Impact of 360-Degree Virtual Reality on Fostering Perspective-Taking and Sense of Oneness in the Embodiment of a Sexual Harassment Victim.

Sexual harassment (SH) against women is one of the most worldwide problems. To mitigate its incidence, various programs, including virtual reality (VR), have been developed for both prevention and treatment. 360-degree video has emerged as a subfield of VR capable of inducing the body swap illusion and facilitating perspective-taking (PT), as well as eliciting related emotions. The present study represents a progression from a previously published work, featuring a within-subjects design approach that showed the superiority of the immersive video to elicit empathy compared to a control condition. The aim is to investigate and validate the feasibility of using 360-degree video to foster empathy, PT, and a sense of oneness, potentially reducing violent attitudes toward a female victim of SH compared with a traditional PT task (control condition) in a between-subjects design. Forty Mexican men were randomly assigned to one of the conditions. Results confirmed the feasibility of the 360-degree video in significantly enhancing PT and a sense of oneness compared with the control condition. However, no significant changes were observed for the variables of empathy and violent attitude. Moreover, the findings supported the potential of the 360-degree video in eliciting a sense of ownership and presence with the virtual character and the immersive environment, with ownership showing a positive correlation with empathy and PT. Lastly, participant body awareness was found to be a positive predictor of ownership. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

The Digitalization of Outreach Social Work: Hybrid Practices in Italian Anti-Trafficking Efforts

ABSTRACT This study contributes to understanding digital social work efforts by outreach professionals engaging in anti-trafficking interventions in Northern Italy. It aims to answer the following research questions: How are digital resources being mobilized by outreach social workers in preventing, countering, and redressing forms of exploitation and trafficking in persons? What contribution does this offer to the understanding of the new opportunities and risks created by digital social work, applied to outreach activities toward highly marginalized groups at risk of being trafficked for labor and sexual exploitation? In this paper, we first contextualize the issue through essential literature in the areas of trafficking in persons, outreach social work, and digital social work. We then briefly outline the methodology, which is followed by a presentation and discussion of some of the strategies outreach social workers have enacted to mobilize digital resources to prevent, identify, and redress exploitation. A brief conclusion highlights the main takeaways. Some methodologies aim to enhance the digital agency of persons at risk, while others generate user-led digital contact pathways or promote digital safety practices, thus contributing to achieving UN sustainable goals 5, empowering women and girls, and 16, promoting just, peaceful, and inclusive societies

Prevalence of Neurodevelopmental, Mental, and Behavioral Disorders in a Sample of U.S. Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth, and Associations with Health and Health Care Access

Prevalence of Neurodevelopmental, Mental, and Behavioral Disorders in a Sample of U.S. Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth, and Associations with Health and Health Care Access

Deaf Populations and Human Trafficking: Risk and Protective Factors for Consideration

ABSTRACT Deaf populations have a significant vulnerability to sex trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Despite the presence of literature on the incidence of sexual abuse and other types of gender-based violence in Deaf communities, this topic has gone unresearched to date. This integrative review article provides an overview of the research on experiences of Deaf populations and sex work, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other overlapping types of violence which often obfuscate victim identification. Additionally, the article summarizes findings from the literature and makes recommendations for practice in work with this population.

LGBTQIA+ Identity-Related Concerns of Sexual Assault Survivors Who Access an Anonymous Online Hotline.

LGBTQIA+ individuals experience higher rates of sexual violence victimization than their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts. Emerging research suggests unique barriers to disclosure and help-seeking in the aftermath of sexual assault, but relatively little work has examined LGBTQIA+ identity-related concerns discussed in a help-seeking context. This study examined anonymous, archival data, from a sample of 292 visitors to the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline. Analyses were limited to visitors who identified as the victim of a sexual violence event, disclosed they identified as LGTBQIA+, and discussed concerns related to their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Open-ended responses from hotline staff revealed four overarching themes: (1) Identity-related blame and discrimination, (2) barriers to disclosure and/or help-seeking, (3) discussion of identity and/or behavior, and (4) When perpetrators are LGBTQIA+. Practitioners should be aware of the unique barriers LGBTQIA+ survivors face in disclosure and help-seeking and how their experiences may differ from heterosexual, cisgender survivors. Findings underscore the need for more affirming and accessible care for LGBTQIA+ survivors.

Prevalence of Neurodevelopmental, Mental, and Behavioral Disorders in a Sample of U.S. Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth, and Associations with Health and Health Care Access

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.

Children's Pathways into Commercial Sexual Exploitation in the United States: A Systematic Review.

This study examined current evidence on children's pathways into commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) in the United States to determine if characteristics, vulnerabilities, and social contexts were distinguishable by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and location. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines, peer-reviewed studies and grey literature were included if they were focused on CSE pathways prior to age 18, available in English, U.S. based, and published in or after 2013. In total, 1,989 articles were screened and 306 were eligible for full-text review. In total, 22 studies were analyzed. Nine studies focused on cis girls or women. No studies exclusively focused on CSE among cis boys, gender diverse children, children identifying as LGBTQ+, or children initiated from infancy through preadolescence. Findings indicate that boys and girls at different life stages were initiated into CSE by five pathways, including: (a) family members and caregivers' paramours; (b) romantic partners; (c) peers, friends, and acquaintances; (d) strangers; and (e) circumstantial need. Girls and boys in infancy, toddlerhood, and preadolescence and across rural-urban classifications were exploited by family members, parent's romantic partners, and acquaintances known to their family. Adolescent girls, including those with intellectual disabilities, were trafficked by boyfriends, strangers, and out of circumstantial needs. This is the first review to provide a contemporary overview of dynamics that marked children's CSE pathways from infancy through adolescence. Findings revealed need for future research on CSE-impacted boys, gender diverse and LGBTQ+ children, and intellectually challenged children across early life stages and geographic areas.

Sexual Victimization Among Gay and Bisexual Emerging Adult Men: Multivariate Differences in Substance Use, Minority Stress and Relationship Characteristics

ABSTRACT This study documented between-group differences in factors associated with lifetime sexual victimization in a sample of young sexual minority men. Diverse samples of gay (N = 205, ageM = 24.33 years) and bisexual (N = 201, ageM = 23.31 years) men were recruited using the CloudResearch platform to assess recent experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Participants were categorized into four groups, cross-classified by dichotomous self-reports of (a) childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and (b) sexual IPV. Principal components analysis was used to reduce the number of variables associated with sexual IPV in three domains: Past-year substance use involvement, minority stress, and relationship characteristics, separately for each sample. Gay men reporting both CSA and sexual IPV reported significantly higher mean factor scores for a principal component with high loadings for recent substance use, daily discrimination, relational aggression and relational victimization, compared to other groups of gay men. Bisexual men who experienced sexual IPV reported significantly higher mean factor scores for a principal component with high loadings for five measures of minority stress, compared to counterparts with no history of sexual victimization. Adult sexual IPV among gay men reporting CSA appears to occur in conditions that include harmful substance use, daily discrimination experiences, and relationship violence. Sexual IPV among bisexual men is associated with multiple minority stressors. Our findings highlighted different patterns of risk factors for sexual IPV among sexual minority men, providing information for tailored risk reduction initiatives, including the need for trauma-informed services and specialized training for service providers.

Cognitive Map of Perceptions of Social Networks as a Means of Justice in Sexual Offenses

The decision to share deeply personal experiences of sexual violence publicly is complex and multifaceted. This study provides valuable insights into this phenomenon. Interviews conducted with fifteen victims of sexual assault in Israel provide insights into the decision-making pathways of victims. The existing literature on sexual victims of sexual assault in Israel offers insights into their decision-making pathways but often lacks integration between theoretical concepts and practical outcomes. This article contributes to this field by proposing a detailed cognitive map that illuminates the specific decisions made by victims in choosing where to disclose their assault. The cognitive map presented in this study provides a comprehensive view of victims’ decision-making pathways. This study is part of a larger research project that involves interviewing communication consultants and analyzing posts from the social network platform Instagram to better understand the perceptions and behaviors of sexual assault victims. The interviews brought up four main themes: the existence of communicative justice and its importance as an arena for achieving justice; social media is critical for achieving justice, sometimes even more than the institutional arena; procedural justice is more important than outcome justice; voice is a leading principle in procedural justice principles.

Law Enforcement and the Role of Educational Institutions in Handling Cases of Sexual Harassment in Internships and the Workplace: Victim Perspectives and Policy Recommendations

This research investigates the victim's viewpoint about the efficiency of the judicial system as well as the function of offices and educational institutions in addressing sexual harassment instances that occur in internship and employment settings. using the normative juridical approach of legal study to examine how normative legal rules are applied in each unique legal situation that arises in society. As a result, the literature review and different approaches to comprehending the nation's positive laws serve as the study's main foci. The present research further delineates many obstacles encountered by victims while attempting to get justice and proposes multiple measures for policy enhancement to enhance safeguarding and assistance for sexual harassment victims. In order to avoid and address harassment instances more skilfully, the recommended policy changes include bolstering reporting procedures, providing victim rights counselling, and enhancing training for office managers and educational personnel. It is anticipated that the findings of this research will aid in the creation of more accommodating and sensitive regulations addressing the problem of sexual harassment in internship and employment settings.