Adolescent Perspectives on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Prevention Programming: What do Prevention Developers Need to Know?

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is confirmed across all racial and ethnic identities, socioeconomic statuses, geographic regions, and backgrounds, underscoring a need for greater general awareness of the crime and the many trajectories of abuse it may encompass. CSEC prevention programs are one suggested method of averting initial or re-victimization of particularly vulnerable children and youth, as well as providing youth who have been exposed to CSEC with needed supports and resources. The current study asked 28 youth (ages 15-18) who had recently participated in the <i>Not a Number</i> (NAN) CSEC prevention education program their perspectives on the most memorable and/or valuable pieces of CSEC prevention programing. Focus groups were held with 28 youths across four focus groups at four sites - two in Texas, and two in Minnesota. Qualitative coding revealed 3 main components of CSEC prevention programming that youth found most valuable: (1) relatability and relevance of curriculum, (b) the importance of digital safety, and (c) engaging and interactive pedagogies. The attributes of program delivery identified as valuable in the study provide insight into the experiences of youth who have participated in CSEC prevention programming, and future programming needs and considerations for program developers aiming to deliver CSEC primary prevention programming to children and youth. Implications for research and practice are discussed.