Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Health Care Use and Case Characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe pediatric health care utilization, familial psychosocial factors, child sexual abuse case characteristics, and patient demographic characteristics of adolescents prior to or at the time of their most recent identification as a victim of commercialized sexual exploitation of children (CSEC).

METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for the above detailed information of all adolescents presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) or Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of a pediatric hospital with concerns of suspected CSEC.

RESULTS: Sixty-three adolescents were referred to the ED or CAC for CSEC concerns in the eighteen-month period. Nearly all (52, 82.5%) adolescents identified as potential CSEC victims received care at the pediatric hospital within one year of the CSEC concern being identified.

CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric health care providers, including pediatric nurse practitioners, need to be more skilled in the prevention and identification of CSEC.