Findings and methodology are presented for an evaluation that assessed whether youth who participated in a commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) survivor-mentor program evidenced changes in CSE victimization, dating abuse victimization, health, delinquency, social support, and coping during the year following their enrollment in the program.
Commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of children is a significant public health and criminal justice problem, but there are few evaluated models of CSE mentorship service. The current evaluation used a one-group repeated measures design and a GEE analysis. Data were collected at baseline, 6 months after baseline (71 percent follow-up) and 12 months after baseline (68 percent followup). At baseline, 72 percent could be characterized as CSE-experienced, while at 6 months the percentage decreased to 24 percent (p < 0.001), and at 12 months to 14 percent (p < 0.001). After 6 months of receiving survivor-mentor services, youth were less likely to have experienced CSE, engaged in sexually explicit behavior (SEB), used illicit drugs, engaged in delinquent behavior, or been arrested or detained by police, and they had better social support and coping skills. After 12 months, youth were less likely to have experienced CSE, to have engaged in delinquent behavior, be arrested or detained by police, and had improved coping skills. The findings indicate that youth who received survivor-mentor services from MLMC experienced improved well-being and less drug use, delinquent behavior, and exploitation. (publisher abstract modified)
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