In the US, roughly 1.7 million younger folks run away from residence every year, exposing themselves to the dangers of intercourse trafficking and prostitution. Shockingly, most victims of intercourse trafficking are between the ages of 12 and 14.

Regardless of the enactment of federal and state legal guidelines to guard these runaway youth, they proceed to be arrested, charged, and detained for prostitution. This solely worsens their susceptible conditions, as they usually have a historical past of victimization and psychological well being points that led them to run away or be sexually exploited within the first place.

Sadly, there’s restricted data in regards to the traits and danger components of youth who’re incarcerated for operating away or intercourse trafficking in comparison with those that are detained for extra severe offenses. To fill this information hole, a research performed by Florida Atlantic College used a nationally consultant pattern to check the traits of detained runaway/intercourse trafficking youth with these detained for extra severe offenses.

The research, revealed within the American Journal of Legal Justice, revealed vital variations between the 2 teams. Runaway/intercourse trafficking youth had larger charges of all kinds of abuse and polyvictimization in comparison with youth detained for extra severe offenses, aside from witnessing severe violence. Furthermore, a better proportion of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth reported experiencing bodily abuse as a toddler.

Understanding the traits and danger components of detained youth who’ve run away or been exploited for prostitution and intercourse trafficking is essential with a view to present acceptable alternate options to detention. By providing early intervention primarily based on these danger components, a extra responsive coverage might be developed to cut back hurt and enhance outcomes for these susceptible kids.

• 18.8% of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth had been molested as kids, in comparison with the youth severe offender group.
• 11% of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth had been raped and 43% skilled emotional abuse as kids.
• 29% of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth reported three or extra kinds of victimization.
• 35% of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth had latest suicidal ideas, and 31% reported having tried suicide in some unspecified time in the future.
• Runaway/intercourse trafficking youth had decrease charges of alcohol and drug use in comparison with youth severe offenders.
• 92.1% of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth reported prior probation.
• 45% of each teams reported above-average melancholy signs.
• Runaway/intercourse trafficking youth had been extra more likely to be residing in foster/group properties or be homeless in comparison with youth severe offenders.
• 60% of youth severe offenders had faculty suspensions, whereas 45% of runaway/intercourse trafficking youth reported being suspended.

When prevention just isn’t doable, it’s essential to have intervention and remedy packages which can be absolutely funded and available to assist youth who’ve skilled victimization. Whereas these packages could also be expensive, they’re nonetheless cheaper than coping with the long-term results of victimization on kids, together with healthcare, youngster welfare, and justice system prices.

The research used a nationally consultant pattern of 84,328 youth to look at the danger components and traits of those that are detained for operating away or intercourse trafficking victimization. The common age of the respondents was 16.1 years.