Preventing sexual exploitation: evidence summary

Methodology and the evidence base

A rapid literature review was conducted over 3-4 months in 2024 (alongside other reviews^[1] undertaken during the same period). It was guided by the following research question: “what is the current understanding of prevention strategies and interventions aimed at addressing human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the UK?”

A total of 69 sources were considered for this paper, including academic papers and grey literature^[2]. The literature search was undertaken via the Scottish Government’s Knowledge and Evidence library and the Government Social Research EBSCO databases, as well as key websites e.g. WHO, Council of Europe, UNODC, GRETA; Modern Slavery & Human Rights Policy & Evidence Centre. Key word searches included some of the following words: “sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, sex trading, forced prostitution, commercial sexual exploitation, child sexual exploitation, child pornography, prevent*, intervention*, treat*, program*, effective*, evaluation*”. The review included literature written in English, published since 2017, when the first Scottish Government Human Trafficking and Exploitation strategy was published. Whilst it focuses on UK based literature, it does include evidence where human trafficking is discussed in an international or global context or covers the UK alongside other countries.

Given the time constraints, this summary does not include an exhaustive coverage of the available literature but instead describes and summarises the key findings from the evidence sourced in the time available. As per the literature review methodology, the review did not include a critical appraisal of the evidence.^[3] This means that there may be variations in the relevancy and robustness of included studies that have not been considered. The findings should therefore be treated as indicative.

The evidence base

In line with a public health approach, the review aimed to include literature across all levels of prevention – primary (before harm occurs), secondary (early intervention), and tertiary (after harm occurs). However, the majority of evidence tends to focus on interventions addressing the harmful impacts of trafficking and exploitation (i.e. tertiary prevention); there appears to be limited evidence with a primary prevention focus.

Research and evidence on prevention of human trafficking and exploitation is a relatively new field of inquiry and is generally underdeveloped. Evaluations of human trafficking interventions are limited in quantity and methodological quality and so concrete evidence and answers to “what works” is lacking (Walk Free, 2020; Such et al., 2022; Bryant and Landman 2020; Van Dyke and Brachou, 2021; Felner and DuBois, 2017).

Historically, the majority of research on human trafficking has focused on trafficking for sexual exploitation (Cooper et al., 2017). However, the complex, hidden nature of human trafficking and exploitation means that sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking remain evolving research topics. More broadly, little reliable data exists on the numbers of people involved in both the selling and purchasing of sex, and how it overlaps with human trafficking and organised crime (Scottish Government, 2022; Malloch et al.. 2017; Hester et al., 2019). There is also a lack of data on the prevalence of child sexual abuse, of which child sexual exploitation is a form (Kelly and Karsna, 2021; Barnardo’s, 2023). There is also a lack of data on the prevalence of male victims of sexual exploitation (Humphreys, 2023). Furthermore, the shifting terminology associated with sex trafficking and sexual exploitation creates challenges when reviewing associated literature^[4] (CELCIS, 2024; Allan et al., 2023; O’Hara, 2019).

Given the evidential challenges and the time limitations, this review draws primarily on existing evidence assessments of sexual exploitation, in particular the literature review by Public Health England on Child sexual exploitation: prevention and intervention (2019); the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection’s Summary Analysis on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation by (CELCIS) (2024)^[5]; and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) report on Discouraging the demand that fosters trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation (2021). Notable gaps include sexual exploitation involving street prostitution and the sexual exploitation of men and boys (Humphreys, 2023).