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ABSTRACT
Over the last decade, modern slavery has emerged as a major social-justice issue. Many new organizations in the United States have begun serving survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST), while others have expanded their services to include this vulnerable population in their mission. This qualitative study describes the principle-based practices that emerged from structured interviews with staff employed at five well-established organizations in the United States whose missions include providing direct services to DMST survivors. Thematic analysis identified five guiding principle-based practices for working with DMST survivors: nurture the humanity and dignity of clients; contextualize the needs of survivors within a broader social-justice framework; prioritize the immediate and practical needs of clients; support of the dynamic nature of survivors’ healing; help identify and engage community and professional partners who are essential to the work of serving DMST survivors and ending sex trafficking. This research enhances the field’s understanding of principle-based practice with DMST survivors and encourages those working with DMST survivors to critically consider the principles behind their practice. The findings are particularly important given complex vulnerabilities and needs, and the significant rise in the number of untrained organizations providing services to survivors.
Acknowledgments
We thank the organizations that participated in this study and shared with us their invaluable expertise and practice experience.
Notes
1 Slavery, modern slavery, trafficking in persons, and human trafficking are terms that are often used interchangeably. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) uses the term trafficking in persons.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Karin Wachter
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Laurie Cook Heffron
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Noël Bridget Busch-Armendariz
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Maura B. Nsonwu
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Matt Kammer-Kerwick
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Bruce Kellison
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Amy L. E. Jones
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.
Gretchen M. Sanders
Karin Wachter is a social work doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and a Project Director at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA). Dr. Cook Heffron is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Busch-Armendariz is the Associate Vice President for Research and founding director of the of Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kellison is Associate Director of the Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kammer-Kerwick is Research Scientist, Bureau of Business Research, IC2 Institute, The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Nsonwu is an Associate Professor and Interim Bachelor of Social Work Program Director in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Amy L. E. Jones, LSW, is a licensed social worker in Illinois, and is currently the self-defense and violence prevention program manager at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Gretchen Sanders is a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, Texas. In 2015, Gretchen started Audio Archives, an oral history recording business.