The Structure and Practice of Residential Facilities Treating Sex Trafficking Victims

ABSTRACT

Ten administrators were interviewed from residential facilities that serve sex trafficking victims in the United States in order to gain a better understanding of the programs they use to treat their clients. Residential facilities are defined as centers designed to separate victims from their perpetrators while proving residential treatment and training to maintain a life outside of sex trafficking. Study participants were asked to describe the clients they serve, the services they provide, the way services are structured, and the standards they use to measure success. Key findings show that residential facilities designed treatment around five program categories to address multiple needs of sex trafficking victims. These are social support, counseling, education, job skills, and life skills. The study also found that residential facilities do not have standards for the evaluation of their programs or a standard definition of success.

KEYWORDS:

• Evaluation standards
• program design
• residential facilities
• services
• sex trafficking
• success

Notes

¹ Organizations that house sex trafficking victims often refer to themselves as safe houses; however, the academic literature tends to use the term residential facilities. In this paper, we will use the academic terminology.

² At the time of this study, there were no known residential facilities in the United States treating male sex trafficking victims. A facility treating males is scheduled to open in 2018 but was not included in this research because it was not in operation when data was collected.

³ Such a network could also be beneficial for collaboration and the sharing of resources.