Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States.
J Interpers Violence. 2022 Apr;37(7-8):NP5394-NP5418. doi: 10.1177/0886260520960302. Epub 2020 Sep 25.
Domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) is the commercial sexual exploitation of a minor citizen or legal resident within the United States. Previous research suggests that although DMST is often discussed as though it is a uniform phenomenon, traffickers may use different tactics and exploit different victim vulnerabilities depending upon their established relationships with those who are at-risk for trafficking. The purpose of this qualitative study, therefore, is to explore the relationship patterns and dynamics that emerge between DMST victims and their romantic partner traffickers. This study utilizes the secondary case files of 38 domestic minors who were trafficked for sex by their romantic partners in one state in the United States between 2012 and 2017. The study is conceptualized according to the principles of directed content analysis and multiple case study design and relies heavily on previous research findings related to victim-trafficker relationship typology. The authors conducted two rounds of coding before applying themes to the case files. The analysis revealed that DMST victims trafficked by romantic partners are often influenced by environmental circumstances, such as gang involvement and family systems involvement. Romantic partner traffickers use specific recruitment tactics to entrap their victims, and exercise methods such as caregiving, sexual violence, and psychological violence to maintain control over their victims. Study results provide a significant extension to the anti-trafficking field's understanding of DMST and the romantic partner relationships that underpin it. The results suggest that anti-trafficking advocates should screen at-risk adolescents for gang involvement, family involvement in the sex industry. They should also educate at-risk adolescents about DMST as a potential component of teen dating violence.
国内未成年性交易（DMST）是指在美国境内对未成年公民或合法居民进行商业性性剥削。先前的研究表明，尽管 DMST 通常被视为一种统一的现象，但根据与那些易受贩卖影响的人建立的关系，贩卖者可能会使用不同的策略并利用不同的受害者弱点。因此，这项定性研究的目的是探讨 DMST 受害者与其浪漫伴侣贩卖者之间出现的关系模式和动态。本研究利用了 2012 年至 2017 年间美国一个州的 38 名被其浪漫伴侣贩卖性的国内未成年人为案例，这些未成年人是 DMST 的受害者。该研究根据定向内容分析和多案例研究设计的原则进行概念化，并严重依赖于先前与受害者-贩卖者关系类型学相关的研究发现。作者在将主题应用于案例文件之前进行了两轮编码。分析结果表明，被浪漫伴侣贩卖的 DMST 受害者往往受到环境因素的影响，例如帮派参与和家庭系统参与。浪漫伴侣贩卖者使用特定的招募策略来诱捕他们的受害者，并通过照顾、性暴力和心理暴力等手段来维持对受害者的控制。研究结果为反贩卖领域对 DMST 及其背后的浪漫伴侣关系的理解提供了重要的扩展。研究结果表明，反贩卖倡导者应该对有风险的青少年进行帮派参与、家庭参与性产业的筛查。他们还应该教育有风险的青少年了解 DMST 作为青少年约会暴力的潜在组成部分。
