Exploring the relationship between domestic minor sex trafficking myths, victim identification, and service provision

The onus of sex trafficking victim identification currently falls to professionals in youth-serving organizations. Accurate identification of domestic minor sex trafficking victims (DMST) and subsequent delivery of services can be impeded by common myths related to human trafficking. Determine if human service professionals understand the difference between myths and facts pertaining to sex trafficking and if their knowledge affects subsequent service provision. Professionals (n = 69) represented youth-serving organizations from a large metropolitan city in the Southwestern United States. Data was collected in a cross-sectional survey from March 2016 to April 2016. A minority of professionals working in youth-serving organizations believed DMST myths, though administrators most commonly believed the myth that force, fraud, or coercion are required in DMST. Most professionals could not provide an accurate number of victims identified and felt their organizations would benefit from further training. A statistically significant relationship (p