Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: An Evaluability Assessment of the Love 146 Survivor Care Programs

• NCJ Number: 309569
• Author(s): Lisa M. Jones; Jennifer O’Brien; Kimberly J. Mitchell
• Date Published: 2024
• Length: 44 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2020-V3-GX-0076
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

This report published by the Crimes Against Children Research Center evaluates the Love 146 Survivor Care Programs for child and youth victims of sexual exploitation.

Abstract

This final research report published by the Crimes Against Children Research Center details the process and outcomes of an evaluability assessment conducted with the non-profit organization Love 146, which provides services to commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSE) victims through their Survivor Care program since 2014. Love 146 developed the Survivor Care Program in 2014 to support youth in the state of Connecticut who are known to be or highly suspected of being victims of CSE. Referred youth are provided with a range of services including psychoeducation, intensive case management, life-skills assistance, criminal justice support/advocacy, transportation, and crisis management/support. Policy makers and advocates have urged the development of interventions and programs that can provide young victims of commercial sexual exploitation with needed services to reduce the likelihood of re-victimization and improve physical health, mental health, and education goals. Communities have responded to the problem of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) by developing a variety of victim service models. However, there has been almost no rigorous evaluation research conducted to help the field understand what service models provide victims with the best outcomes. One of the reasons that evaluation research has been slow to develop is that there are logistical and ethical issues that need to be carefully addressed before engaging youth in rigorous research. It is also important that before undertaking an outcome evaluation, service delivery and research partners have engaged in an evaluability assessment to ensure that the program is prepared for evaluation.