Young adults’ attitudes toward sex trafficking, its myths, and corresponding perceptions of personal safety

Abstract

This thesis examined levels of knowledge, myth acceptance, and perceptions of personal safety around sex trafficking among Nova Scotian young adults. Violence condition and citizenship were manipulated in this vignette study to explore associations between blameworthiness, vignette believability, perceptions of safety, knowledge, and two covariates (commercial sexual involvement and victimization). Results revealed that less concern for personal safety was associated with less knowledge and less vignette believability. Participants ascribed less blame to the victim in the forceful trafficking depiction compared with a coercive condition. Participants reported any preventative action taken against the risk of sex trafficking. Responses indicated that most preventative action was not in line with most common coercive forms of trafficking, demonstrating a skewed knowledge of risk. Findings suggest that young adults are misguided in the realities of sex trafficking and education and prevention tactics should be adapted to combat myth acceptance and encourage more fulsome preventative actions.