Study shows that sexually abused boys in Minnesota have great need

A recent study revealed a disturbing discrepancy in the North Star State: Although the sexual exploitation of boys is widely known, only 15 percent of boys appear to receive help.

“A key theme that emerged from the data was the under-identification and reporting of male victims of human trafficking and exploitation compared to female victims,” ​​said the study, “And Minnesota Boys, Too,” released in May. “This disparity was evident across multiple data sources and suggests that male victims often remain invisible and underserved.”

The research was conducted by the nonprofit Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT) and brought to light what co-author Jarrett Davis called a “blaring silence.” Through surveys and interviews with service providers, experts and stakeholders across the state, the study focused on whether boys who have survived sexual abuse and exploitation are getting the support they need and what needs to be done to fill gaps in support, if there are any.

The study also examined the impact of the state’s 2011 Safe Harbor law, which requires that certain youth ages 24 and under who are victims of sex trafficking be treated as victims rather than perpetrators and are eligible for specialized services and support.

Although the study’s authors acknowledged the limitations of the gender binary, their findings showed that boys are far less likely to be treated. And too often, the report says, victims are not clearly treated as such.

“When a boy acts sexually or inappropriately — which is a known sign and symptom of trauma — he is usually, if not always, punished,” Davis said in an interview. “But when that happens to a girl, we tend to ask, ‘Where did that come from and where did they learn these things?’ Or we ask, ‘Who taught you that?'”

Davis and co-author Montana Filoteo, director of virtual engagement at the Minnesota Youth Sex Trafficking Project, concluded that the Safe Harbor law is a step in the right direction but falls short of adequately protecting cisgender and LGBTQ+ boys.

“Boys hear other children insulting their gay peers with the same insults they use to their abusers – and so they suppress the trauma to avoid further shame.”

— And participants in the study “Minnesota Boys, Too”

Their study focused on boys of all ages up to the age of 24. It was conducted over a six-month period in 2023 and involved 40 service providers and administrators. Survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse did not participate directly in the study.

The report noted the lack of identification and lower reporting rates of male victims of trafficking and exploitation compared to female victims. One service provider reported that 90% of its clients treated for sexual abuse were female.

The PACT researchers’ conclusions state that gender stereotypes and “toxic masculinity” are among the obstacles to full disclosure and appropriate response.

“Homophobia and taboos surrounding male sexual assault fuel the rejection and blaming of male victims in the media, communities and institutions,” the report says. “This leads to silencing and deters men who are exploited by male perpetrators from seeking help.”

In one case, a youth advocate described “how same-sex abuse by men triggers great shame in certain cultures due to rigid homophobic attitudes and norms of masculinity.” He reported the case of a Latino boy who “felt unable to report an abusive uncle due to cultural taboos. He was afraid of being perceived as gay and fearing backlash.” More than 84% of respondents to an online survey cited “stigma and shame” or a “culture of silence” as one of the main reasons why youth do not report abuse.

The study noted that boys of color are more likely to be victims of abuse and that there are “intergenerational cycles of violence, family breakdown, and community separation through policies such as residential schools.” Gay and bisexual boys experience “the intersecting stigma associated with both sexual trauma and sexual orientation,” making openness even more difficult.

One administrator told investigators, “Boys hear other children calling their gay peers the same insults they hurl at their abusers—so they block out the trauma to avoid further shame.” While they suffered in silence, they remained even farther from help or healing. And when they did receive welfare, “rushed intake forms and risk instruments that assume female norms” led to missed signs and data gaps regarding the frequency of male assault, the study found.

Sometimes boys who reported abuse were subjected to insensitive, homophobic slurs and, in one case, felt involuntarily “outed” or blamed for their abuse. As one service provider explained it: “If helping in the past meant punishment, why take the risk of reaching out now?”

Unfair treatment of victims was a recurring theme in the Minnesota survey. Young victims may act out in the classroom, be arrested for minor offenses, or become addicted to drugs – antisocial behavior that may be a response to the trauma they have experienced. Sometimes the traffickers are also the victims, but the true picture then becomes blurred when it comes to prosecution – and in the end, punishment does not often enough lead to help and support.

“You can label a boy who traffics sex for another person as a trafficker, even if it’s a boy of the same age,” says Lauren Martin, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Martin works on the school’s Youth Sex Trafficking Project, applying research to youth prevention, policy change and healing.

Gender can also complicate the picture, Martin added. “Situations like this can become opaque,” she said. “I see stereotypes that men and boys are perpetrators and girls and women are victims as driving forces behind criminalization.”

The Safe Harbor Act of 2011 was expanded in 2014 and now includes not only minors, but also young adults up to the age of 24. Sexually exploited adolescents are excluded from the definition of “delinquent child”.

That same year, the state also implemented a “No Wrong Door” policy, requiring first responders and service providers to provide trauma-informed care and connect survivors with specialized programs and supports for recovery.

But one service provider told researchers that the policy goal was far from reality.

“For boys, every door is the wrong one,” said one respondent, due to systemic barriers. Another administrator lamented, “The system simply labels them as juvenile delinquents or drug addicts. No one takes the time to expose the exploitation behind it.”

Lori Cohen, executive director of PACT, said that homelessness also exacerbates sexual exploitation, and a recent study by her group has shown this connection.

“One statistic that really surprised me is that there are only six beds specifically for sexually abused male victims. When I first read it, I thought it was a typo,” she said. “What’s scary is that Minnesota probably has one of the most comprehensive youth safety nets in the country. And that the state only has six beds – I don’t want to think about how many states currently have zero.”

Waiting lists for these places, all located in Hennepin County, can stretch for weeks or even months, leaving the boys trapped with little chance of safe escape, the report said.

To address the problem, lead researcher Davis is planning a second phase of the study, which will involve young people who have been victims of sexual exploitation. His organization’s goal is to better understand and help survivors.

“There’s a whole world of nuance in how boys connect, especially when it comes to exploring cultural influences – something we haven’t been able to explore as closely as I’d hoped,” Davis said. “I want this to be a culturally and ethically informed study, otherwise we may miss an opportunity to disseminate valuable stories for those in power.”