Motherhood, Number of Children, & Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Findings from “Sex Trafficking Vulnerabilities in Context: An analysis of 1,264 case files of adult survivors of commercial sexual exploitation”

According to the Pew Research Center, 86% of women in the United States have had one or more children by the end of their childbearing years.1 The World Bank reports that the average number of births per female in the U.S. is 1.6.2 There is a complex relationship between motherhood and commercial sexual exploitation. For survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, having children can either serve as a protective factor or increase vulnerability to further exploitation.

Many survivors of commercial sexual exploitation express that their desire to be good mothers and role models for their children motivates them to exit exploitation, seek alternative employment, and complete drug and alcohol treatment.3 However, some victims feel that sexual exploitation is the only way to support their children, with some identifying their children as the primary reason for entering commercial sexual exploitation.3-4 Sloss and Harper found that having children increased stress and anxiety among victims.4 The involvement of mothers in commercial sexual exploitation can expose their children to violence, abuse, addiction, and exploitation.3-4

A Canadian study revealed that 38% of commercial sexual exploitation victims lost custody of their children.5 A follow-up study found that 13% of victims cited fear of losing custody as a barrier to accessing services.6 Losing custody of their children can push victims further into exploitation by reducing responsibilities, increasing freedom, and causing emotional pain that may lead to substance abuse as a form of self-medication.4, 7

In my recent study, I utilized data collected on 1,264 survivors by Out of Darkness safe home case managers. A significant portion of the sample (72.3%) reported being mothers, with a median of two children. I used educational achievement, childhood sexual abuse, mental health diagnoses, age of entry into commercial sexual exploitation, and length of commercial sexual exploitation as predictors of the number of children in a linear regression model. The results indicated that older age at entry into commercial sexual exploitation (B = .062, p < .001), lower educational achievement (B = -.128, p < .001), and longer experiences of commercial sexual exploitation (B = .070, p < .001) predicted a higher number of children.

The findings suggest a bidirectional relationship between number of children and the length of exploitation, where more children are linked to longer exploitation periods. The literature supports the idea that children can be a primary push factor for commercial sexual exploitation and that fear of losing custody is a barrier to accessing services.3-4,6 The study's findings reinforce this, showing that the number of children is positively related to longer exploitation experiences.

To reduce the severity of exploitation for individuals with children, unique considerations are necessary. These include affordable childcare, transportation, and programs that allow children to reside with their mothers while in care. Additionally, universal healthcare and improved access to contraceptives may help decrease the severity of exploitation.

While children can motivate some survivors to exit exploitation, they can also increase vulnerability and prolong exploitation for others. Addressing the unique needs of mothers in commercial sexual exploitation is crucial for reducing exploitation and supporting recovery.

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References

Furlong, C., & Hinnant, B. (2024). Sex trafficking vulnerabilities in context: An analysis of 1,264 case files of adult survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. PLOS ONE, 19(11), e0311131. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311131

1. Livingston, G. (2018). They’re waiting longer, but US women today more likely to have children than a decade ago. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/01/18/theyre-waiting-longer-but-u-s-women-today-more-likely-to-have-children-than-a-decade-ago/

2. World Bank. (2020). Fertility rate, total (per woman) - United States. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN?locations=US

3. Ma, P. H., Chan, Z. C., & Loke, A. Y. (2019). Conflicting identities between sex workers and motherhood: A systematic review. Women & Health, 59(5), 534-557. http://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2018.1500417

4. Sloss, C. M., & Harper, G. W. (2004). When street sex workers are mothers. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 33(4), 329-341. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ASEB.0000028886.95568.2b 

5. Duff, P., B. Bingham, A. Simo, D. Jury, C. Reading, and K. Shannon. (2014). The ‘Stolen Generations’ of mothers and daughters: Child apprehension and enhanced HIV vulnerabilities for sex workers of aboriginal ancestry. PloS One 9 (6):e99664. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0099664.

   Duff, P., Shoveller, J., Chettiar, J., Feng, C., Nicoletti, R., & Shannon, K. (2015). Sex work and motherhood: Social and structural barriers to health and social services for pregnant and parenting street and off-street sex workers. Health Care for Women International, 36(9), 1039-1055. http://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2014.989437.

6. Kohm, L. M. (2005). Women as perpetrators: Does motherhood have a reformative effect on prostitution. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 33, 407.