In Their Own Words: The Impact of Indirect Trauma Exposure on Judges Presiding Over Cases Involving Minors Involved in Sex Trafficking

Abstract

Though secondary traumatic stress has been researched extensively among professionals working with youth in diverse professions, there is limited information about judicial experiences working with trafficked youth. This qualitative study involves 82 interviews with juvenile and family court judges to understand the impact of indirect trauma exposure. Over 80% of respondents describe symptoms of secondary traumatic stress and countertransference responses. Notably, 20% with these symptoms also reported increased professional pride in their role performance with these cases. Implications for how judges can address the effects of indirect exposure are offered based on the literature and the recommendations of the respondents.

A Socioecological Approach to Understanding Secondary Trauma in Professionals Working with Survivors of Sex Trafficking: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis

“…Utilization of emotional support coping was significantly associated with high levels of STS in this study, and this has been recognized as a protection against the harmful effects of indirect trauma and work stress by helping professionals detach and not bring work stress and related distress home with them (Cummings et al, 2020; Price and McCallum, 2015). Consistent with other research, organizational support has been found to be a significant factor in STS outcomes across studies (Slattery & Goodman, 2009; Sprang et al, 2021). Interestingly, in this study, STS-informed practices as measured by the STSI-OA were the strongest predictor of individual STS of any of the factors in the model.…”

“…This finding is consistent with emerging small studies that indicate that working with individuals who have been trafficked for sex is a particularly challenging form of trauma work that involves exposure to individuals with high symptom acuity and few supportive resources (Kliner & Stroud, 2012; Sprang & Cole, 2018; Pascual-Leone et al, 2017). For example, the taxing nature of this work was especially evident in a qualitative study of judges who preside over cases involving minors who have been sex trafficked, some who described experiencing significant STS symptoms and countertransference responses (Sprang et al, 2021). Additionally, there is growing awareness of the increase in sex trafficking worldwide and the lack of coordinated services render this a critical public health issue that must be addressed to help those directly impacted as well as to stabilize and better support the workforce (Kenny et al, 2023; Tsutsumi et al, 2008).…”

“…Given the high rates of STS observed, organizations have an ethical obligation to prepare their workforce to respond to these issues. Important organizational strategies supported in the literature and implicated in this study include the use of increased training and STS-informed supervisory supports especially for less experienced workers, conducting safety assessments to ensure the psychological and physical safety of workers, and targeted caseload assignment strategies to manage or limit indirect exposures to severe trauma (NCTSN, 2011; Sprang et al, 2021). In particular, it is critically important that these efforts go beyond traditional “self-care” suggestions that put the onus of responsibility on the individual professional and ignore other contributing factors, especially those at the organizational level.…”

“…Within the mesosystem and exosystem levels, greater support from peers, supervisors, and administrators is associated with lower STS severity (Bonach & Heckert, 2012; Bourke & Craun, 2014; Bride et al, 2007; Dworkin et al, 2016; Strolin-Goltzman et al, 2020). There is emerging evidence that the degree to which an organization is STS-informed is inversely related to STS symptoms (Sprang et al, 2021), though whether this pattern holds true in organizations working with survivors of sex trafficking is unclear. Lastly, factors at the macrosystem level are largely understudied as contributors to STS among professionals working with trauma-exposed populations in general, and survivors of sex trafficking specifically.…”