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Toward An Understanding Of The Experiences Of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, Lauren Gutman Suarez

Open Access Dissertations

There is a paucity of systematic research examining the experiences of commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). Notably absent from the discourse are the voices of survivors themselves, impeding the provision of effective and culturally appropriate services to survivors and the prevention of youth victimization (Godziak, 2008). This dissertation aims to address a dearth in the literature surrounding CSEC using Photovoice, an innovative and arts-based methodology grounded in the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) (Wang, 1999). A group of 15 female survivors participated in the study, contributing to the field’s understanding of childhood commercial sexual exploitation. Survivors ranged in age …