Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States

With support from the Department of Justices (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council formed a committee to conduct a study of crimes of sexual exploitation as they affect citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States under age 18. The committee was asked to recommend strategies for responding to commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors in the United States, new legislative approaches, and a research agenda. In its report, the committee concludes that efforts to prevent, identify, and respond to commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors in the United States require better collaborative approaches that build upon the capabilities of people and entities from a range of sectors. In addition, such efforts will need to confront demand and the individuals who commit and benefit from these crimes.