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June 28, 2026Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender DiversityOpen Access

Mapping help needs among sexual and gender minority youth at risk for commercial sexual exploitation: A network analysis.

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Authors

KMKimberly J. MitchellJOJennifer E. O’BrienAGAteret Gewirtz‐Meydan

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Overview

Network analysis reveals interconnected help needs and systemic support gaps among at-risk sexual and gender minority youth, suggesting intervention opportunities.

Key Points

  • This research aims to identify and analyze the help needs of sexual and gender minority youth at risk for commercial sexual exploitation.
  • Network analysis was conducted with 612 SGM adolescents and young adults (aged 13-22) in the United States.
  • Participants were recruited via targeted social media advertising and completed validated measures of support-seeking and self-reported needs.
  • Analysis focused on needs across mental, physical, sexual, housing, food, and substance-related domains.
  • Youth at high risk reported significantly higher unmet tangible needs, particularly in sexual health, housing, and food.
  • Help-needs nodes among high-risk youth were densely interconnected but weakly linked to support-seeking behaviors.
  • Online support preference and sexual health needs were identified as central nodes, suggesting strategic intervention points.

Cite This Study

Mitchell et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a40b96161bb0a67205c59eahttps://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000944
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Desire for Help Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth at Risk for Commercial Sexual Exploitation2026
  2. 2Perspectives of Stakeholders Working to End the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Atlanta, Georgia2022 · 3 citations
  3. 3Sexual exploitation of male youth: background characteristics and needs from a life-course perspective2024
  4. 4Sexual exploitation of young men: Background characteristics and needs from a life-course perspective2024 · 1 citations
  5. 5Pathways to safety: adolescents’ experiences of care and support services for sexual violence in Pernambuco, Brazil2026 · 1 citations