Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

With growing awareness and understanding of the complex problem of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), CACs and their MDT law enforcement and child- and youth-serving partners have been expanding their capacity to identify and respond to the needs of children and youth who may be at risk, or being recruited and exploited, including necessary protections and referrals to specialized services. To do so requires the development and implementation of relevant training, policies, and protocols that guide coordinated interdisciplinary screening, investigations and service delivery.

MO-NACA coordinates the multidisciplinary response to commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) along with our Child Advocacy Center (CAC) partners through our statewide CSEC initiative. MO-NACA’s CSEC Initiative was a recommendation of the Statewide Council on Sex Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children, created in 2022 under RSMo. Section 210.1505. The Statewide Council was charged with developing best practices and procedures regarding the response to sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children including the identification and assessment of victims, response and treatment coordination and collaboration across systems, victim services and training and professionals. The CAC response to child sexual abuse was identified by the Council as a national best practice and funding was appropriated to the state Chapter by lawmakers to increase the knowledge and capacity of CACs in Missouri to serve CSEC victims.

MO-NACA uses the federal definition from the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for CSEC.

MO-NACA currently partners with four regional sites for the CSEC initiative.  These sites were selected through a competitive process and strategically located throughout Missouri.   The four CACs positioned regionally throughout the state are the Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri (Wentzville, Hannibal), Children’s Center of Southwest Missouri (Joplin, Monett, Butler, Nevada), Ozark Foothills CAC-KVC (Poplar Bluff, Doniphan, Kennett) and Child Protection Center (Kansas City).

Statewide response activities include:

• Developing written protocols and screening tools for a coordinated Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team response
• Offering specialized training for CAC staff and MDT members
• Regional and statewide CSEC strategic planning and coalition building<