Cochrane Collaboration College for Policy (CCCP) at George Mason University Director Catherine Gallagher was recently named a provisional appointment to the Committee on Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States. The committee members, who were appointed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the National Research Council, are considered provisional until the committee members’ biosketches are posted for public comment for 20 days, and the committee determines that there are no potential conflicts of interest.
Gallagher, also an associate professor in the Criminology, Law and Society Department, focuses her research on the health status of youth involved in the juvenile justice systems, and the long term affects of victimization and incarceration on health-related outcomes. Earlier this year, she was selected as a member of the Health and Human Services Secretarial Advisory Committee on Nurse Home Visiting Programs.
“There is a growing consensus that the deleterious effects of trafficking, particularly for minors, have been vastly underappreciated and understudied. The unspeakable suffering of these young people requires thoughtful and committed intervention. The formation of this Institute of Medicine Committee is a much needed step towards understanding the problem and formulating effective responses.” notes Professor Gallagher.
The U.S. Department of Justice requested that IOM and the National Research Council convene the committee to conduct a study on the commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of children who are U.S. citizens. The two-year study will investigate the causes and consequences of sex trafficking, and inform future policy and practices within law enforcement, human services, and health care agencies. A new legislative approach and academic research agenda to guide further studies would also be considered.
Interest in the issue has been gaining momentum; recent efforts by the Urban Institute, the U.S. State Department and the media have all recently explored the links among trafficking, gang activity, and exploitation of highly vulnerable populations.
Other committee members include experts in a wide range of the fields including child welfare and human services, victim support services, public health, nursing, emergency health services, pediatrics/adolescent health, sociology, psychology, economics, statistics, and web-based information systems.
To learn more about the committee visit the website at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49413.