Cases involving problematic sexual behavior are between a quarter and a third of all cases of child sexual abuse that come through Children’s Advocacy Centers. How do we understand this behavior in teens? What are risk factors and key opportunities to interrupt and disrupt this behavior? What do we know about evidence-supported treatment for these teens? And how may existing evidence-based treatments and approaches be shaped and applied? We speak with Dr. Melissa Grady at the School of Social Service at Catholic University and Dr. Jamie Yoder, assistant professor of social work at Colorado State University.

Topics:

01:50 – Origin story

08:37 – Trauma and childhood adversity

17:17 – Attachment

23:47 – Why TF-CBT?

32:09 – Findings

41:32 – What’s next?

48:32 – For more information

Links:

Melissa Grady, Ph.D., professor, National Catholic School of Social Service at Catholic University

Jamie Yoder, Ph.D., assistant professor of social work, Colorado State University.

“Developing a trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy application for adolescents with problematic sexual behaviors: A conceptual framework,” M. D. Grady, J. Yoder, E. Deblinger, A. P. Mannarino, Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 140, 2023, 106139, doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106139

Jill Levenson, Ph.D., LCSW

Kevin Creeden, LMHC

Elizabeth J. Letourneau, Ph.D.

Tony Ward, Ph.D.

William L. Marshall, Ph.D.

Michael Miner, Ph.D.

“Sexual Behavior in Youth: What’s Normal? What’s Not? And What Can We Do About It?” with Jane Silovsky, Ph.D. (Season 3, episode 15)

“Understanding Kids With Problematic Sexual Behaviors,” with Geoff Sidoli, MSW, LCSW (Season 5, episode 21)

“Tony and Esther and Judy”

“TF-CBT: Helping Kids Get Better,” with Anthony Mannarino, Ph.D. (Season 5, episode 16)

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.

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Child sex trafficking is not a new phenomenon. And thankfully, the general public and child abuse professionals have greater awareness than ever of it. But has the full story yet been told? To what extent has the experience of boys been a part of our understanding of sex trafficking of children and youth? What places boys at special risk for trafficking? What vulnerabilities do they have and how might that affect their recruitment? And how can we tailor programs to meet the unique needs and concerns of boys? Join us as we speak with Amanda Connella, graduate research assistant at the TIP Lab, and Dr. Sandra Stone, assistant dean for graduate studies at the University of South Florida, about how we can ensure that boys are no longer invisible victims.

Topics in this episode:

• Origin story (01:14)
• Kids at risk of trafficking (05:17)
• Not enough service providers for boys (14:25)
• Not enough research (18:50)
• Misperceptions about boys (20:46)
• Prevention disconnected from data (26:02)
• Advice for parents (31:15)
• Advice for child abuse professionals (38:07)
• Public policy (47:40)
• For more information (50:27)

Links:

Amanda L. Connella, M.A., is a graduate research assistant at the TIP (Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience) Lab at the University of South Florida

“The Invisible Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Boys and Their Barriers to Access to Services,” graduate thesis, Amanda L. Connella

Sandra Stone, Ph.D., professor and assistant dean for graduate studies, University of South Florida

Joan A. Reid, Ph.D., LMHC

Selah Freedom

Colby Valentine, Ph.D.

“Why Do People Believe Conspiracy Theories About Human Trafficking?”, with Maureen Kenny, Ph.D.

NIJ, National Institute of Justice

Bob’s House of Hope

“The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in New York City, Volume One: The CSEC Population in New York City: Size, Characteristics, and Needs,” by R. Curtis, K. Terry, M. Dank, K. Dombrowski, and B. Khan (September 2008); Center for Court Innovation and John Jay College of Criminal Justice

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast site at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.

Support the Show.

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are more than three times more likely to experience abuse and neglect than children without these disabilities. We should see a prevention landscape filled with programs tailored to these children. Yet, as Dr. Melissa Bright from the Center for Violence Prevention Research tells us, few such programs exist, and even fewer have been researched for their effectiveness. Why does so little research exist on this uniquely vulnerable population? For child abuse professionals, how might we create or adapt prevention programs for these children? And how do we approach parents and caregivers who may have questions or concerns about prevention programming for their child? Take a listen.

Topics in this episode:

• Origin story (01:35)
• Unique vulnerabilities (04:35)
• Why so few prevention programs? (07:41)
• Focus groups (11:05)
• State-required prevention education (20:56)
• Advice for child abuse professionals (25:42)
• You’re not innovating if it doesn’t work (29:10)
• Public policy implications (37:37)
• For more information (40:06)

Links:

Melissa Bright, Ph.D., founder and executive director of the Center for Violence Prevention Research

“Parents’ and professionals perspectives on school-based maltreatment prevention education for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Csenge B. Bődi, Diana P. Ortega, LouAnne B. Hawkins, Tyler G. James, Melissa A. Bright, Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol. 145, 2023, 106428, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106428

Erin’s Law

Jenna’s Law

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.

Support the Show.

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.