An exploration into the prevalence, related risk factors, and aftercare programming available for youth, transgender youth, and young adults who are unhoused and commercially sexually exploited

This integrative literature review allowed for a deeper understanding of the unique challenges that transgender, unhoused, youth and young adults face in Calgary and Edmonton. The association between their distinct experiences and commercial sexual exploitation were explored and identified through a review of academic and gray literature. This resulted in identifying risk factors that were juxtaposed with Maslow’s humanistic theory and McDonald’s survival sex hierarchy to make inferences on the causes and consequences of sexual exploitation of these populations, and how best to support them. The prevalence of commercial sexual exploitation within the transgender, unhoused, youth and young adult population in Canada was discovered to cause harm and the environmental scan of the aftercare programming was evaluated and presented. This evaluation included the extent to which the aftercare programming adheres to inclusivity and trauma-informed care so that in combination with the literature, the goal was to compile knowledge about transgender youth and young adults who are unhoused and sexually exploited, and offer suggestions on how to uplift, support, and foster healing.