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Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States

This is the key resource for current information about the commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors in the United States.

This report is divided into three parts:

  • "Part I: Understanding Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States"-introduction, the nature and extent, risk factors and consequences, and legal framework;
  • "Part II: Current and Emerging Strategies"-the legal system, victim and support services, health and health care, the education sector, the commercial sector, and multisector and interagency collaboration; and
  • "Part III: Recommendations"-overall conclusions and recommendations.

"The report finds that, even with law enforcement, policymakers, and media focusing increasingly on sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children, the U.S. is in the very early stages of recognizing, understanding, and developing solutions for these problems. Further, the report demonstrates that no one sector, discipline, or area of practice can fully understand or respond effectively to the complex problems surrounding commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors. Therefore, participation from and cooperation among numerous individuals and entities-including victim and support service providers, health and mental health care providers, legislators, law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, public defenders, educators, and the commercial sector-is required."

Appendixes include: "Disentangling the Language of Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States"; and "Lessons Learned from International Efforts to Respond to Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors".

This website provides access to the full report, Report Brief, Myths and Facts, an infographic "How We Are Preventing, Identifying, and Responding Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the U.S.?", and the related video.