By now, most social workers are familiar with the issue of human trafficking. However, many are likely unfamiliar with research indicating that youths constitute the most vulnerable group in the United States for becoming victims of sex trafficking and that most women in prostitution actually entered as minors. Some experts are now referring to…

The abuse of adolescents is a problem endemic to the institutional and cultural structure of American life and is not an ephemeral phenomenon. Presents information and theories concerning such abuse as a basis for offering the best strategies to meet the needs of these youths. (Author)

Compared client families that included maltreated adolescents with control families. Members of client families were more depressed than members of comparison families. However, both client and comparison adolescents were more depressed and had lower self-esteem than their parents. Discusses the relevance of research findings for theories of…

Discusses identifying children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through sexual abuse. Reviews testing guidelines. Sees social workers contributing to test decision making when perinatal HIV transmissions is possibility, when assailant may be tested, and when parents/legal guardians insist on testing child. Discusses family…