Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth: Recommendations for the Mental Health Provider

Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi; Mekeila Cook; Elizabeth S Barnert; Shushanik Gaboian; Eraka Bath

doi:10.1016/j.chc.2015.08.007

Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth: Recommendations for the Mental Health Provider

Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2016 Jan;25(1):107-22. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2015.08.007.

Authors

Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi¹, Mekeila Cook², Elizabeth S Barnert³, Shushanik Gaboian⁴, Eraka Bath⁵

Affiliations

¹ VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard, Building 500, Room 1601, Office of Healthcare, Transformation and Innovation, Mail Code 10-C, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA; Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Electronic address: rijadimaghsoodi@mednet.ucla.edu.
² Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, 11075 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA.
³ Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
⁴ Department of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
⁵ Child Forensic Services, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Medical Plaza, Room 1243, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Abstract

Mental health providers are frequently at the forefront of addressing the multifaceted needs of commercially sexually exploited youth. This article provides an overview of the definition of commercial sexual exploitation of children and relevant legislation including the shift toward decriminalization of commercially sexually exploited youth. To provide clinicians with tools needed to deliver competent care to this population, a review of risk factors for commercial sexual exploitation of children and the role of the clinician in identification, assessment, and treatment of commercially sexually exploited youth are discussed.

Keywords: Commercial sexual exploitation of children; Commercially sexually exploited children; Exploitation; Human trafficking; Sex trafficking.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology*
Human Trafficking / psychology*
Humans
Sex Work / psychology*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding