Preventing sexual exploitation: evidence summary

This paper is part of series of evidence reviews which aim to explore current understanding of prevention strategies and interventions in relation to human trafficking and exploitation in the UK. This paper focuses on the prevention of sexual exploitation of adults and children.


References

Allan, C., Winters, GM., and Jeglic, EL. (2023) Current Trends in Sex Trafficking Research. Curr Psychiatry Rep, 25(5), pp. 175-182.

APPG (2021) Bust the Business Model: How to stop sex trafficking and sexual exploitation in the UK. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade.

Barnardo’s Briefing Paper (2023) Child Expoloitation, A Hidden Crisis - June 2023.pdf.

Barrow, J. F., Combes, H. A., and Rathbone, L. (2021). 'Using Q-methodology to Explore What is Valued from Child Sexual Exploitation Services: The Importance of Safety'. Journal of child sexual abuse, 30(6), pp. 746-763.

Benavente, B., Díaz-Faes, DA., Ballester, L., and Pereda, N. (2022) Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in Europe: A Systematic Review. Trauma Violence Abuse, 23(5), pp. 1529-1548.

Brown, S. (2023) Key messages from research on child sexual abuse by adults in online contexts (csacentre.org.uk) Barkingside: Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse.

Bryant, K., and Landman, T. (2020) Combatting Human Trafficking since Palermo: What Do We Know about What Works?, Journal of Human Trafficking, 6(2), pp. 119-140.

CELCIS (2024) Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: Overview analysis to inform prevention and response. Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.

Cockbain, E., and Bowers, K. (2019) Human trafficking for sex, labour and domestic servitude: how do key trafficking types compare and what are their predictors?. Crime Law Soc Change 72, pp. 9–34

Cooper, C., Hesketh, O., Ellis, N., and Fair, N. (2017) A Typology of Modern Slavery Offences in the UK Research Report.

Cross-Party Group on Commercial Sexual Exploitation (2021) Online Pimping: An inquiry into Sexual Exploitation Advertising Websites.

Dyke, V, R., and Brachou, A. (2021) What Looks Promising for Tackling Modern Slavery: A review of practice-based research.

Felner, J.K., and DuBois, D.L (2017) Addressing the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth: A Systematic Review of Program and Policy Evaluations. Journ Child Adol Trauma 10, pp. 187–201.

Franklin, A., Brown, S., and Brady, G. (2018) The Use of Tools and Checklists to Assess the Risk of Child Sexual Exploitation: Lessons from UK Practice. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 27(8), pp. 978–997.

Giommoni, L., and Ikwu, R. (2024) Identifying human trafficking indicators in the UK online sex market. Trends Organ Crim, 27, pp. 10–33.

Graham, L., Macy, Eckhart., A, Rizo., C & Jordon, B. (2019) Measures for evaluating sex trafficking aftercare and support services: A systematic review and resource compilation, Aggression and Violent Behavior, 47, pp. 117-136.

Grant, M., Fotopoulou, M., Hunter, S., Malloch, M., Rigby, P., Taylor, K. (2023). Survivor-informed support for trafficked children in Scotland. Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre.

Greenbaum, J. (2020) A Public Health Approach to Global Child Sex Trafficking. Annu Rev Public Health, 41, pp. 481-497.

GRETA (2022) Online and technology-facilitated trafficking in human Beings.

Henderson, G., Kurlus, I., Parry, R., Baird, N., Dagon, D., Kirkman, M. (2020) CSE research report - Sexual exploitation of children involved in the Children's Hearings System October 2020 (PDF).pdf (barnardos.org.uk) Barnardo’s Scotland.

Hester, M., Mulvihill, N., Matolcsi, A., Lanau Sanchez, A., Walker, S-J. (2019) Nature of prostitution and sex work in England and Wales - GOV.UK

Home Office (2024) Modern Slavery: National Referral Mechanism and Duty to Notify statistics UK, end of year summary 2023.

Hopkins, M., Keighley, R., and Sanders, T. (2024). Organised Crime and the ecosystems of sexual exploitation in the United Kingdom: How supply and demand generate sexual exploitation and protection from prosecution. Trends Organ Crim, 27, pp. 56–76.

House of Commons (HoC), Home Affairs Committee (2023) Human trafficking HC 124. Human trafficking.

Humphreys, E. (2023) Sex Trafficking of Men and Boys. Nottingham Rights Lab. briefing-sex-trafficking-of-men-and-boys.pdf.

Hynes, P., Connolly, H., and Duran, L. (2022) Creating Stable Futures: Human Trafficking, Participation and Outcomes for Children Creating Stable Futures.

Internet Watch Foundation (2023) Trends and Data Summary | IWF 2023 Annual Report.

Internet Watch Foundation (2023) How AI is being abused to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online.

Jones, J. (2017). Preventing Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation: Ending Demand in Winterdyk, J. (eds) Crime Prevention: International Perspectives, Issues, and Trends. Routledge: New York. pp. 147-178.

Keighley, R., and Sanders, T. (2023) Prevention of modern slavery within sex work: Study protocol of a mixed methods project looking at the role of adult services websites. Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre.

Keighley, R., and Sanders, T. (2024) The Eyes and Ears of Sexual Exploitation Online: Are Sex Buyers Part of the Prevention Puzzle to Reduce Harms in the Online Sex Industry?, The British Journal of Criminology, 64(5), pp. 1131–1149.

Kelly, L., and Karsna, K. (2021) The scale and nature of child sexual abuse: Review of evidence. Barkingside: Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse.

Kewley, S., Mhlanga-Gunda, R., and Van Hout, M. C. (2021). Preventing child sexual abuse before it occurs: examining the scale and nature of secondary public health prevention approaches. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 29(1), pp. 1–33.

Kim, B.-K. E., Dierkhising, C. B., De Leon, J., Sandoval, J., Brissett, A., and Bounds, D. (2023). Evaluation of Services for the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth: A Scoping Review. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 24(5), pp. 3236-3250.

L’Hoiry, X., Moretti, A. and Antonopoulos, G. A (2024). Identifying sex trafficking in Adult Services Websites: an exploratory study with a British police force. Trends Organ Crim 27, pp. 34–55.

Lucy Faithfull Foundation (2024) Creating safer environments for children and young people: situational prevention of child sexual abuse.

Lucy Faithfull Foundation (2024) Situational prevention: the practical approach to preventing child sexual abuse - Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

Malloch, M., Robertson, L., and Forbes, E. (2017) Evidence assessment of the impacts of the criminalisation of the purchase of sex: a review. Scottish Government.

Matolcsi, A. (2022) Police Implementation of the Partial Sex Purchase Ban in England and Wales. Eur J Crim Policy Res, 28, pp. 135–153.

Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre Policy Brief (2023) Survivor Support: based on the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre funded research portfolio.

NSPCC Learning (2019) Contextual safeguarding | NSPCC Learning.

NSPCC Learning (2023) Online Risks to Children: Evidence Review Main Report.

O’Connor, M. (2018). Comparative report: disrupt demand. Dublin: Immigrant Council of Ireland.

O’Hara, M. (2019). Making pimps and sex buyers visible: Recognising the commercial nexus in ‘child sexual exploitation’. Critical Social Policy, 39(1), pp. 108-126.

Ofcom (2023) Protecting people from illegal harms online. Volume 2: The causes and impacts of online harm. volume-2-the-causes-and-impacts-of-online-harm.

ONS (2020) Modern slavery in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

OSCE (2021) Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking Discouraging the demand that fosters trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation | OSCE.

OSCE (2022) Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking Policy responses to technology-facilitated trafficking in human beings.

OSCE (2023) Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking Mapping the online landscape of risks of trafficking on sexual services websites across the OSCE region.

Paphitis, S. Jannesari, S., Damara, B., Witkin, R., Katona, C., Sit, Q., Dang, M., Joseph, J., Howarth, E., Triantafillou, O., Powell, C., Rafique, S., Sritharan, A., Wright, N., Oram, S., (2023). The Modern Slavery Core Outcome Set: A Survivor-Driven Consensus on Priority Outcomes for Recovery, Wellbeing, and Reintegration. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231211955

Public Health England (2019) Child sexual exploitation How public health can support prevention and intervention Literature search.

Quayle, E. (2020) Prevention, disruption and deterrence of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. ERA Forum, 21, pp. 429–447.

Rigby, P., Malloch, M., Beetham, T., Callaghan, J. (2020) Child Trafficking in Scotland. University of Stirling.

Scottish Government (2022a) Challenging demand for prostitution: international evidence review - gov.scot.

Scottish Government (2022b) Challenging men’s demand for prostitution: policy principles - gov.scot

Scottish Government (2023) Equally Safe strategy - Violence against women and girls (VAWG) - gov.scot.

Scottish Government (2023) National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland.

Scottish Government (2024) Strategic Approach - Prostitution - challenging and deterring men's demand: strategic approach - gov.scot..

Such, E., Hayes, K., Ariyo, M., Aminu, H., Barnes, A., and Brierley, R. (2022). Prevention of adult sexual and labour exploitation in the UK: What does or could work?.

Such, E., Laurent, C., Jaipaul, R., Salway, S. (2020) Modern slavery and public health: a rapid evidence assessment and an emergent public health approach, Public Health, 180, pp. 168-179.

UN (2024) Prostitution and violence against women and girls: Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem. United Nations.

UNODC (2022) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (United Nations publication). Trafficking in Persons.

UNODC (2024) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (United Nations publication). Trafficking in Persons.

Usubillaga, J., Diaz, C., and Forrester, D. (2022) 'How are policies implemented in children’s services? Developing an initial programme theory to evaluate the implementation of the new Child Sexual Exploitation guidance in Wales,' Child and Family Social Work, 28(1), pp. 268–278.

Walk Free (2020) Promising Practices: Five years of lessons learned | Walk Free.

Weston, S., and Mythen, G. (2023) Child sexual exploitation and the adoption of public health approaches to prevention: critical reflections on evolving processes and practices. Crime Prev Community Saf, 25, pp. 227–242.

WHO (2022) What works to prevent online violence against children? executive summary (who.int) Executive Summary Geneva: World Health Organization.

Wurtele, S., and Miller-Perrin, C. (2017). What Works to Prevent the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth in Dixon, L. (2017) The Wiley Handbook of What Works in Child Maltreatment: An Evidence‐Based Approach to Assessment and Intervention in Child Protection. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 176-197.

Contact

Email: justice_analysts@gov.scot

Back to top