38020 Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking

Course overview

Discussion of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST), including the scope of the problem, red flags to look for to help identify victims of sex trafficking, how to interact with a suspected trafficking victim to ensure their safety, and trafficking-related resources available for healthcare providers and other individuals to utilize. DMST is a major public health issue in the United States, and consists of commercial sexual exploitation of children through buying, selling, or trading their sexual services within U.S. borders. Children who are victims of trafficking suffer physical, emotional, and psychological abuse from their trafficker who coerces and manipulates them into a life of sex trafficking. Nurses and other healthcare workers are often in an optimal position to recognize potential victims of DMST when they present to healthcare facilities to receive care. There are multiple red flags for identifying victims of DMST, and nurses must be aware of the sometimes subtle indicators that a child they are caring for may be involved in DMST. This program discusses the scope of the problem of DMST, identification of and interaction with potential victims, and resources related to DMST that are available.