CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS - HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH: PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
Guest Editor:
Nadine M. Finigan-Carr, PhD, University of Maryland at Baltimore
[email protected]
Deadline for submission: May 15, 2019
This special issue explores the issues of human trafficking as it relates specifically to children and youth victims. Child trafficking victims, whether labor, sex or organ trafficking, come from all countries and all backgrounds, including girls and boys. They span a range of ages and represent a variety of different races, ethnic groups, and religions. Trafficked children brought into the United States may have been lured with false promises of school and/or work with the opportunity to send money back to their families. Some may have been sold by their families who were tricked into thinking life would be better for their child. U.S. born children trafficked within the U.S. have numerous risk factors which include a history of neglect or abuse, low self-esteem, poverty, and foster care placement. This special issue presents the opportunity to examine this issue both internationally and domestically.
The fundamental framework proposed to discuss human trafficking of children and youth in this issue are centered on three Ps – Protection, Prevention and Partnerships. Protection is key to providing a victim-centered approach in combatting this issue. Effective protection of victims includes identifying them, developing comprehensive victim-centered services, and supporting victims with these services, as they become survivors. Prevention efforts should include multiple approaches to education of the wider community, such as public awareness campaigns about the signs of trafficking of children, amending and enforcing labor laws to protect child workers from exploitation, and working to reduce the demand for commercial sex of minors. Partnerships serve as a complementary means to achieve progress and ensure all segments of society are utilized in the fight to end trafficking. This issue aims to include articles that describe any or all three of these Ps in either research or practice.
The special issue would enhance the field’s understanding of the unique issues relevant to trafficking of children and youth; and, apply this understanding to best practices when working with child and youth trafficking victims. The findings would be particularly important given complex vulnerabilities and needs, and the significant rise in the number of untrained organizations providing services to this population.
Manuscripts proposed may include but are not limited to:
- Development of laws to address child trafficking
- Discussion of child protection systems and how they can be strengthened in order to prevent and respond to violence and abuse which lead to youth vulnerability
- The role of governments and NGOs in addressing exploitative child labor issues
- Timely coordination between anti-human trafficking units working with children and youth
- Working with communities to change societal norms which make children more vulnerable
- Supporting evidence-informed training of professionals who work with children, including social workers, health care workers and law enforcement
- Issues relevant to marginalized populations of youth – African American, Latino, LGBTQ+, Homeless, Runaways, Refugees, etc.
The submission deadline is May 15, 2019. No submission fee is required. No publication fee is required for accepted papers. Please follow the submission guidelines to prepare the manuscripts and submit the manuscript online using Editorial Manager. Be sure to select “Special Issue” article type from the drop-down menu when submitting. The submission guidelines and other journal information can be found at: https://www.springerpub.com/journals/violence-and-victims.html
For more information about the special issue, please contact the guest editor, Nadine Finigan-Carr, at [email protected].