Child prostitution: global health burden, research needs, and interventions

Abstract

Child prostitution is a significant global problem that has yet to receive appropriate medical and public health attention. Worldwide, an estimated 1 million children are forced into prostitution every year and the total number of prostituted children could be as high as 10 million. Inadequate data exist on the health problems faced by prostituted children, who are at high risk of infectious disease, pregnancy, mental illness, substance abuse, and violence. Child prostitution, like other forms of child sexual abuse, is not only a cause of death and high morbidity in millions of children, but also a gross violation of their rights and dignity. In this article we estimate morbidity and mortality among prostituted children, and propose research strategies and interventions to mitigate such health consequences. Our estimates underscore the need for health professionals to collaborate with individuals and organisations that provide direct services to prostituted children. Health professionals can help efforts to prevent child prostitution through identifying contributing factors, recording the magnitude and health effects of the problem, and assisting children who have escaped prostitution. They can also help governments, UN agencies, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to implement policies, laws, and programmes to prevent child prostitution and mitigate its effects on children's health.

Putting the Pieces Back Together: A Group Intervention for Sexually Exploited Adolescent Girls

“…While reliable estimates regarding the number of adolescents involved in the sex industry are unavailable (Stransky & Finkelhor, 2008), the United States remains one of the top three destination countries for human trafficking (Green, 2008). The plight of DMST victims has not received adequate research attention (Clawson, Dutch, Solomon, & Goldblatt Grace, 2009;Willis & Levy, 2002). Historically, victims of DMST were not differentiated from individuals working as prostitutes; they were subject to legal retribution and social stigmatization (Esselstyn, 1968;Flowers, 1998) and considered willing and blame-worthy participants in a victimless crime.…”

Prostitución de menores en locales registrados en México

“…De acuerdo con esta categoría, proxenetas y traficantes sacan ventaja de menores, que sufrieron abuso en el hogar y padecen problemas de inseguridad económica o de drogadicción, a través de una ardua labor de reclutamiento y utilizando la seducción, la fuerza, la coerción o el engaño para introducir a jóve-nes inocentes y vulnerables en el negocio de la prostitución (Grace et al 2012: 413;Willis y Levy 2002: 1417. El enamoramiento, las amenazas, la adicción a las drogas, la manipulación y la violencia constituyen los medios y técnicas a través de los cuales los proxenetas someten a los menores (Kennedy et al 2007).…”

Human Trafficking, Mental Illness, and Addiction: Avoiding Diagnostic Overshadowing

“…Similarly, 54.7 percent of 64 respondents reported at least one miscarriage and 29.7 percent had more than one miscarriage. In addition to enduring abortions and miscarriages with little, if any, clinical attention, trafficking survivors might not have adequate access to prenatal health care and can suffer from pregnancy-complicating sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV [8,10]. Not surprisingly, a study from the United Kingdom showed that the health professional group most likely to encounter trafficked persons is maternity services professionals [11].…”