Contextualized Recovery Services for Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: a Model for Western Practitioners

Abstract

For many years, both faith based and secular Western development workers practiced various types of development work in the two-thirds world. Unfortunately, these practices often resulted in unintended harm. Those sometime harmed included survivors of prostitution and sex trafficking. Through comparing a case study of effective aftercare for adult women in Quezon City, the Philippines and a case study of recovery services for adult women in Seattle, WA, I highlighted the differences between the two cultures and the need for Western development workers to use culturally appropriate recovery methods when assisting female survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. I also focused on using Geert Hofstede’s six cultural indices as a measure for explaining cultural differences. I then provided contextualized practices to use with female survivors of commercial sexual exploitation in the two-thirds world. In my recommendations, I included a discussion on understanding: unintended consequences, culture, staff, and clients. I also included a discussion on the importance of using: indigenous terminology, methodologies, cultural brokers, and evaluation.