Human trafficking services for youth with minoritized identities: Application of an access to care framework

Abstract

People with minoritized identities often experience barriers to accessing needed services that address their unique needs. The current study applied the Access to Care framework to examine minoritized youths’ access to human trafficking services based on the perceptions and experiences of law enforcement and service providers working in this area. The study was guided by the following two research questions: (1) Based on the Access to Care framework, what does access to human trafficking services look like for youth with minoritized identities? (2) How appropriate is the Access to Care framework for understanding access to human trafficking services among youth with minoritized identities? Eighty law enforcement and service providers from 11 different communities across the United States participated in in-depth, individual interviews on law enforcement responses to child sex trafficking, including the differential experiences of youth with minoritized identities. Findings centered on four Access to Care dimensions (i.e., availability, accessibility, accommodation, and acceptability) and the importance of acknowledging how larger societal factors impact access. Critical implications highlight the need for policies that reduce vulnerability and increase access for youth with minoritized identities, internal agency assessments to identify biases and consider practices to increase access (e.g., representation, trainings, culturally responsive services), and more research centering the voices of youth with diverse identities.