Power and Control Dynamics in Domestic Sex Trafficking: A Systematic Review

Author: Deitz, Allison

Abstract: U.S. citizens sex trafficked domestically (survivors of domestic sex trafficking, or SDSTs), a population comprising many cisgender women and girls, encounter complex power and control dynamics. The field of anti-sex trafficking research appears neither well-grounded in theory nor consistent in addressing the macro-level systems supporting sexual exploitation. The review objectives are to explore the application of the theory in studies with SDSTs that focus on the power and control dynamics and examine any patterns that may emerge across studies regarding theories and mechanisms used to explain these dynamics. Four electronic databases were systematically searched for research articles on power and control dynamics experienced by SDSTs identifying as cisgender women and girls. Eight studies, published between October 2000 and December 2023, in English-language peer-reviewed journals, met inclusion criteria. Criminological frameworks and the theory of coercive control were identified most frequently in included studies. Two quantitative studies used individualistic explanatory mechanisms, with the remaining six (two mixed methods and four qualitative studies) split evenly between a “middle ground” and using structural explanatory mechanisms. There was no discernible pattern of guiding theories and explanatory mechanisms; however, the synthesized findings offer research and social justice implications for promoting a more just and inclusive society.

Keywords: domestic sex trafficking, power and control, systematic review, theory