This presentation includes the evaluation of a 12-session trauma-focused psycho-education group intervention for incarcerated female survivors of sex trafficking. This study used pre-post surveys of the group attendees and chi square and t-tests to analyze the data. Starting in May of 2019, there have been seven cohorts of incarcerated women participants in the STAR group, a total of 152 attendees. Pre-post survey analysis found that the participants’ scores on the Trauma Symptom Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and the URICA responded with decreased symptoms on all scales and increased self-esteem and motivation to change. This group is administered by clinical social workers and lived experience experts. The group is closed to those who attend the first group. The content of the group includes- understanding abuse and gender-based violence, experience and consequences of economic abuse, exploring the effects of trauma, family violence and abuse, relationship abuse, self-harm and avoidance, demystifying the “game”, grief, moving out of survival mode, relationships and trust, and change and coping. This scores on the trauma, self-esteem, and motivation to change scales show an overall positive impact of the group. This group is low cost and has high impact. Incarcerated women who self-identified as sex trafficked experienced high rates of trauma and low rates of self-esteem. Groups for incarcerated women should be designed to address issues related to trauma symptoms and opportunities to narrate their experiences of sex trafficking.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz is a Professor at the ASU of Social Work and Director of the ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research. She is the Clinical Director of Phoenix Starfish Place and the Director of the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline. Dr. Roe-Sepowitz has more than 50 peer reviewed publications.
Arianna Weide is a first-year PhD student and a Project Coordinator at ASU’s Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research. Arianna’s research focuses on sexual violence, trauma recovery, and survivor-centered interventions, while also leading the Sex Trafficking and Recovery group within transitional housing facilities and in jail programs.