Letting Kids Be Kids: Employing a Developmental Model in the Study of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking

As American society has become increasingly aware of the plight of sex trafficked American children, attention has shifted from delinquency to victimhood (Mitchell, Finkelhor, & Wolak, 2010) with a corresponding awareness of the trauma that victims endure. This reconceptualization is incomplete without a larger understanding of the developmental vulnerabilities that leave children uniquely susceptible to recruitment and exploitation. Since the average age of entry into the commercial sex trade within the United States is 12-14 (Estes & Weiner, 2001), an exploration of the particular vulnerabilities of young teenagers--separation from parents; the process of identity formation; yearning for love and attention; susceptibility to peer pressure; cognitive and neurological changes; etc.—is essential to understanding the current epidemic of sex trafficking of minors. This article will not only elucidate these developmental liabilities and the corresponding increased risk for psychological distress among adolescents but it will also reveal the unique developmental advantages that facilitate growth and healing among adolescents. Such knowledge will explain why early adolescents are targeted and will consider how society can combat trafficking through reduction of risk factors, prevention and intervention programs, political action, and an appreciation of teenagers’ strengths.