Confusing Terms: A Concept Analysis of Naming Youth Trafficking.

Human trafficking is a growing population health problem. More than half of all persons experiencing trafficking are youth, with many in the United States unrecognized despite experiencing exploitation. Available peer-reviewed articles report a myriad of descriptions of trafficking, yet the concept and operational definition of youth trafficking, specifically, is lacking and unclear. Youth trafficking is described differently across multidisciplinary researchers and clinicians working with trafficked youth. Furthermore, labor trafficking of youth is largely excluded from the conversation surrounding trafficking. This article presents a concept analysis of naming trafficking of persons under the age of 18 years to clarify the concept specific to youth experiencing all forms of trafficking and approaches professionals can take with this specific subpopulation of trafficked persons and survivors.