Child Sex-Trafficking Recognition, Intervention, and Referral: An Educational Framework for the Development of Health-Care-Provider Education Programs

Authors: Miller, Cathy; Duke, Gloria & Northam, Sally

Abstract: The purpose of this Delphi study was to obtain consensus among an international, multidisciplinary panel of child sex-trafficking experts and child sex-trafficking survivors on the most important elements needed in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary health-care-provider education program on the recognition, intervention, and referral of child sex-trafficking victims and survivors. A two-round Delphi method was utilized to identify the most important elements of a child sex-trafficking health-care-provider education program. A content validity index score was utilized to determine consensus and order importance of each element. Eight content areas including 63 subcontent areas were identified by an international panel of 23 subject-matter experts representing clinical professions, law enforcement, academia, and community support organizations as important for inclusion in comprehensive health-care-provider education programs. Three content areas and 19 subcontent areas were identified by 10 survivors as important for inclusion in comprehensive health-care-provider education programs. The Individual Content Validity Index (I-CVI) was utilized to determine consensus and rank importance. The findings of this Delphi study provide the first scientifically based framework to guide the development of comprehensive, interdisciplinary education programs for health care providers on the recognition, intervention, and treatment and referral of child sex-trafficking victims and survivors. The use of the I-CVI allows the program developer to tailor the education-program components to the time and scope of the program under development.

Keywords: child sex trafficking, Delphi study, domestic minor sex trafficking, health-care-provider education, human trafficking