The Perspectives of Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth on Help-Seeking and Help-Related Experiences
Ayelet Prior, MSW; Danya Koren Shimshoni, BA; Roni Eyal-Lubling, PhD, MSW; Guy Shilo, PhD, MSW & Einat Peled, PhD, MSW | September 22 | 10:15-11:15 am
Topic: Research, International | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
Commercial sexual exploitation of youth (CSEY) is being increasingly framed as a severe social problem. Many agree that understanding CSEY perspectives on help-related experiences is essential for improving the help offered to them (Hampton & Lieggi, 2020). Yet, the literature on helping CSEY is based mostly on professionals' perspective (Lefevre et al., 2019). This presentation will bring the perspectives of CSEY on help-seeking and help-related experiences to the fore. Findings of an interpretive qualitative meta-synthesis (QMS) of a corpus of 34 studies will be presented. Using the conceptual framework of help-seeking, the QMS yields novel insights into CSEY's perceptions of their involvement in commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), and how they define their problems, decide to seek help, and engage in the proper help. Particularly, the QMS underscores that CSEY don’t always perceive their involvement in CSE as problematic, nor identify themselves as victims of exploitation. The findings highlight the significance of developing social services that specialize in helping CSEY and involve CSEY in decisions about the support they are provided. Secondly, findings of a qualitative-constructivist study about CSEY's help-related experiences within key relationships will be presented. The findings are based on a naturalistic analysis of qualitative interviews with 20 CSEY. They reveal the multiple challenges encountered by CSEY when seeking and receiving help, and their perception of relationships primarily as a sphere of harm and abuse. Nonetheless, participants described "good, beneficial help" as taking place mainly within meaningful relationships (with family, friends and help providers). The study underscores the importance of meaningful relationships in the context of help-seeking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Familiarize the audience with the literature on help-seeking processes of CSEY
· Share research findings on the meaning of relationships in help-seeking processes of CSEY