Child sex trafficking: A model of survivor inclusion and survivor-informed practice

Survivor inclusion is a fundamental component to the success of efforts to combat child sex trafficking. Recognizing, honoring, and leveraging the wisdom that comes from lived experience with adversity, and centering the voices of survivors of sex trafficking, can help to balance power relations and inform more effective interventions. This critical discussion article responds to appeals for meaningful and ethical engagement of survivor leaders in program development, implementation, and evaluation. We propose a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, empowerment-based model of survivor inclusion and survivor-informed practice grounded in guiding principles and practice strategies derived from lived experience. This work emerged from a unique collaboration between a diverse group of survivor advisors and pediatric health care program specializing in child sex trafficking. It serves as a survivor-led resource for anti-trafficking and child maltreatment organizations across sectors as they move toward building survivor-centered approaches to care for children exposed to sex trafficking. • Survivor voices are essential yet often excluded in efforts to combat child sex trafficking. • There is a need to prioritize meaningful and ethical engagement of survivor leaders in anti-trafficking work. • Survivor inclusion and survivor-informed practice models should be trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and empowerment-based. • Guiding principles and practices derived from lived experience are proposed.