NCJ Number
246695
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2014 Pages: 252-260
Date Published
February 2014
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study determined the presence or absence of known risk factors for becoming a sex worker, based on an examination of the case files of 175 youth who attended sessions of an organization in Leicaster (United Kingdom) that supports people who are being sexually exploited or are at risk of sexual exploitation.
Abstract
The analysis found that the main determinants of these youth being sexually exploited through prostitution were associating with persons actively involved in prostitution, being a run away from their family's home, drug and/ or alcohol use, and poverty/debts. The authors note that many of the risk factors included for the analysis, such as childhood sexual abuse, are generally underreported by youth for case files (Lalor and McElvaney, 2010). Thus, the authors believe it is probable that in some cases, more risk factors were significant than were reported to the organization from which the case files were drawn. The data showed, however, that those who disclosed child sexual exploitation/trading sex exhibited a greater mean number of risk factors than those who did not disclose being involved in the sex trade. The research suggests that some risk factors for becoming involved in sexual exploitation for money are common (e.g., physical and emotional abuse, early delinquency, and homelessness), but are part of the milieu of the individuals affected and not directly associated with sex trading itself. The results also indicate the importance of engaging with the families and associates of youth at risk of becoming (or remaining) a sex worker, given the significance of their influence on the at-risk youth. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 35 references