Through the Survivor’s Lens: A Photovoice Inquiry and Grounded Theory of Child Sex Trafficking

Survivors of child sex trafficking are at increased risk for negative physical and mental health outcomes. However, there is a paucity of systematic research examining the lived experiences of commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). Notably absent from the discourse are the voices of CSEC. This study explored the experiences of CSEC using a participatory, qualitative, and arts-based methodology. Fifteen survivors of domestic child sex trafficking, located in the southern continental United States, participated in a Photovoice project to establish a comprehensive understanding of their life experiences before, during, and after exploitation. These themes were included in a larger grounded theory analysis to produce The CSEC Model of Exploitation, a substantive theory of recovery from childhood commercial sexual exploitation, co-created by survivors of child sex trafficking, that describes risk and resiliency factors. This study provides information that is relevant to the prevention of child sexual exploitation, the clinical treatment of survivors, and advocacy initiatives.