Child Sex-Trafficking Recognition, Intervention, and Referral: An Educational Framework for the Development of Health-Care-Provider Education Programs

ABSTRACTPurpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to obtain consensus among an international, multidisciplinary panel of child sex-trafficking experts and child sex-trafficking survivors on the most important elements needed in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary health-care-provider education program on the recognition, intervention, and referral of child sex-trafficking victims and survivors.Methods: A two-round Delphi method was utilized to identify the most important elements of a child sex-trafficking health-care-provider education program. A content validity index score was utilized to determine consensus and order importance of each element.Results: Eight content areas including 63 subcontent areas were identified by an international panel of 23 subject-matter experts representing clinical professions, law enforcement, academia, and community support organizations as important for inclusion in comprehensive health-care-provider education programs. Three content areas and 19 subcontent areas were...