“She was willing to send me there”: Intrafamilial child sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking of boys

• Published in: Child abuse & neglect 2023-08, Vol.142 (Pt 2), p.105849-105849, Article 105849
• Main Authors: Mariaca Pacheco, Ena Lucia, Buenaventura, Andrés Eduardo, Miles, Glenn Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); Barriers to disclosure; Familial trafficking; Female perpetrators; Intrafamilial child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA); Trauma-informed practices
• ISSN: 0145-2134; 1873-7757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105849

Boys subject to intrafamilial child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) - in particular, cases which begin as incest and later evolve into child trafficking for sexual exploitation - face many barriers in disclosing their exploitation, often leaving victims and survivors feeling isolated from society and dismissed or mishandled by service providers such as law enforcement officers, child protection specialists, medical staff and mental health professionals. This study explores the unique characteristics of intrafamilial CSEA through the sex trafficking of boys, and the barriers to disclosure and recovery experienced by male victims and survivors. Ten adult male survivors of intrafamilial child trafficking for sexual exploitation were interviewed multiple times to gain a deeper understanding of intrafamilial CSEA and how it compares and contrasts with non-familial CSEA. Participants in this study primarily came from North America. Multiple semi-structured online interviews were conducted with these 10 adult male survivors because they experienced 1) intrafamilial CSEA and 2) being trafficked by their families to be sexually exploited by non-familial perpetrators. The participants were then asked to compare and contrast intrafamilial and non-familial CSEA. The research team employed a descriptive phenomenological approach and interview transcripts were coded, analyzed, and compared to identify patterns of non-verbal CSEA indicators and thematic narratives. The study also explored the internal and external barriers to disclosure reported by participants. Trauma-informed, person-centered practices were used throughout the entirety of the study to minimize harm to participants. The research team employed a co-productive approach using participants' initial interviews and feedback to formulate new questions for later rounds of interviews and by having the participants confirm the accuracy of their respective quotes and case summaries. This study highlights several CSEA modalities, such as “boy-swap” events and local/national/transnational trafficking rings engaged in CSEA of boys. It also discusses how survivors' experiences differed between intrafamilial and non-familial CSEA and trafficking, and how familial settings may facilitate concealment of CSEA. Participants described various modus operandi used by abusers, traffickers, and buyers of all genders. While all 10 intrafamilial CSEA cases included male perpetrators, female perpetrators were also present in