The issue of sex trafficking has long been a narrative that has involved women and girls. We now know that males are victimized by sexual exploitation in large numbers and it’s important to eliminate the gender bias and homophobia that males face as a result of their victimization. This presentation will address the various risk factors that males experience that result in their exploitation. The presentation will address how males identify their experience, the adverse childhood experiences that define their level of trauma/complex trauma, services needed to support recovery, policy recommendations for service providers from a multidisciplinary perspective, and how to develop programs organizationally specific to male victims/survivors.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Steven Procopio is a trainer and consultant on the issue of sex trafficking of boys, adolescent males, and young men. He is the founder of the first free standing project for trafficked males in the United States. Steven has trained and consulted organizations internationally on the topic and was awarded the Liberator of the Year Award 2023 for his years of service on the issue of male sex trafficking.