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Technology/Sexting/Social Media

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Medical Perspectives on Human Trafficking in Adolescents

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Abstract

The exponential growth of technology has drastically changed the way society communicates. As a result, technology now plays a significant role in underage human trafficking. Traffickers use technology in their recruitment efforts to facilitate the sale of sexual services and to avoid detection. Therefore, understanding the role of technology in underage human trafficking may assist health professionals in improving their recognition of trafficking. Through analysis of a clinical scenario, this chapter highlights three major indicators of trafficking involving the use of technology and social media: the display of emotional vulnerability online, the use of social media by traffickers to identify, groom, and recruit victims, and the link between mobile devices and trafficking. The grooming of victims, in this context, can be defined as the process used by traffickers to manipulate someone into human trafficking. Through the grooming process, in which traffickers acquire the trust and loyalty of those they are trafficking, involvement in these illicit activities gains normalcy in the eyes of the victim. Additionally, this chapter discusses privacy concerns involved with communicating and sharing content online, as well as ways to protect adolescents from the dangers technology poses for being exploited for sex.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Jessica Whitney & Marisa Hultgren

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY, USA

    Sofya Maslyanskaya

Authors
  1. Jessica Whitney
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  2. Sofya Maslyanskaya
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  3. Marisa Hultgren
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA

    Kanani E. Titchen

  2. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Elizabeth Miller

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Whitney, J., Maslyanskaya, S., Hultgren, M. (2020). Technology/Sexting/Social Media. In: Titchen, K., Miller, E. (eds) Medical Perspectives on Human Trafficking in Adolescents. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43367-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43367-3_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-43366-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-43367-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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