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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: Child Youth Serv Rev. 2023 Mar 8;148:106906. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106906

Table 7.

Other Sex Trafficking Questions Used by Providers in the Last 12 Months (Qualitative Themes)

Theme Characteristics Sample Quote
Providers’ Questions for Minor-aged Clients (17 years old or younger)
Material Items Gifts, hair, new clothing, cell phones “Has anyone, stranger, or someone you just met, given you any gifts recently and what was the reason for these gifts?”
“If no job where they are getting their hair, nails, new clothing or cell phones from and who’s paying the bill”
Safety Current safety, safety plan, threats to safety “Do you currently feel safe? If not, we will set up a safety plan”
Trading Sex For goods, money, or favors “Has anyone ever promised goods or money in exchange for sexual contact?”
Sex Trafficking Screening questions, discussing with client, providing education “Do you understand that sex-trafficking does not mean being kidnapped and sold into the sex industry?* And then if they do or don’t know I explain to them that is can mean selling or trading sexual acts that are or may not be consensually doing in exchange for housing, food, clothing, shelter and so on is human/sexual trafficking.”
Forced Sexual Activity Forced by family members, sexual activity in relationships “Any family members assist in forcing you to engage in unwanted sexual activity?”
“Whether within your own interpersonal relationship or not, have you ever felt forced to engage in sexual activity for ‘favors’?”
Friends’ Sex Trading Inquiry about friends’ sex trading “Do any of your friends trade sex for money?”
Providers’ Questions for Adult Clients (18 years old or older)
Safety Current safety, safety planning, threats to safety “Has anyone threatened your safety or the safety of your family in exchange for sexual acts/behaviors?”
Abuse/Trauma Physical, sexual, other, open-ended questions about abuse, experiences of abuse/trauma “Have you ever experienced trauma, sexual, physical, or otherwise?”
Sex Trafficking History of, knowledge of “Do you understand what sex trafficking is? Do you know anyone who has been associated with sex trafficking?”
Providers’ Questions for Family Members (including biological, adoptive, or foster families) of your minor-aged clients’ (17 years of younger)
Material Items Multiple phones, cash/money “I’ve encouraged foster parents to watch for cash, things of value that cannot be easily explained* how youth would have* gotten this and taught them about what types of things to be aware of as a red flag”
*

indicates changes to misspelled words