An Exploratory Study of Adolescent Pimping Relationships

Lowell, MA: University of …, 2009

The project could not have been completed without their dedication, perseverance and skills. Two key consultants Kerry Seitz and the late Neil Weiner (his untimely death leaves us with the loss of a colleague, friend and dedicated partner in the work to understand and prevent commercial sexual exploitation of children) contributed enormously to the conceptualization of this project, its methodology and success in the field. We would also like to thank the following individuals for their insight, hard work and dedication to this project: Our research staff and research assistants including Keesha Egebrecht, Makiko Hotada, Samantha Markham, and Meaghan Shaw. Consultants and other professionals who helped with conceptualization of the project, developing training materials for the interviewers, conducting training, or recruiting participants:

Social Science & Medicine, 2003

Adolescents who reported to have given sexual favors for payment were investigated. The sample consisted of all adolescents in the public and private school systems in Oslo, the capital in Norway (age group 14–17, response rate 94.3%, N=10,828).Adolescents who had sold sex form 1.4%, three times as many boys as girls. Half the group had done it more than 10 times. Most were under the legal age of sex in Norway (16 years) when this first happened. We found no associations with sociodemographic variables or residential area in Oslo. However, sex sale was associated with low intercourse debut age, conduct problems, alcohol problems, use of drugs (including heroin) and violent victimization.The conclusion is that a small group in the general adolescent population sells sex, and many of the clients are assumed to be homosexual or bisexual men. Adolescents who take part in these activities are often heavily involved in delinquent behaviors and use of drugs, and many probably are in a risk zone for sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV), drug abuse and a delinquent and criminal development.

Youth from low-income, urban backgrounds face significant challenges to maintaining a positive developmental trajectory. Dangerous neighborhoods and stressed relationships are common in these settings and threaten adaptation by weakening the natural assets that undergird resilience. African American girls in these contexts face specific, multiple risks, including gender stereotyping, violence, and sexual exploitation. The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a multibillion-dollar industry victimizing over 1 million children around the globe. The typical victim in 1 city in the southeastern United States is an African American girl 12-14 years old. There has been little research investigating the characteristics of girls placed at risk for CSEC and even less research on the personal perspectives of these girls. Methods: Over 3 school terms we provided preventive intervention groups for 36 African American middle school girls who were placed at risk because they lived in neighborhoods with high rates of interpersonal violence and CSEC. Two group leaders and a process recorder took detailed notes on each group session. Our focus on group conversations over a period of weeks increased the probability of recording spontaneous, open comments by the children and is a promising method with this population. The data were analyzed qualitatively and resulted in an account of the girls' own views of the environmental challenges and personal experiences that may influence their development. Results: The girls' language during the group sessions contained 4 themes: difficulty forming trusting relationships, frequent peer aggression, familiarity with adult prostitution, and sexuality as a commodity. Conclusion: Our research shows how girls placed at risk for CSEC view their own lives. These children described violence and sexual exploitation and cited limited supports to protect them from these risks. Understanding the perspectives of these girls should generate future research and intervention strategies to support their coping and resilience. [West J Emerg Med. 2013;14(4):370-376.] INTRODUCTION Youth from low-income, urban backgrounds face significant challenges to maintaining a positive developmental trajectory.

Research shows that minor sex trafficking narratives do not reflect the experience of many domestic sex workers blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2014/05/02/research-shows-that-minor-sex-trafficking-narratives-do-not-reflect-theexperience-of-many-domestic-sex-workers Sex trafficking laws assume that all underage sex workers are exploited young girls who have been forced into such work by a vicious pimp. But does this actually reflect the experience of most young, domestic sex workers? Using ethnographic research from Atlantic City and New York City, Anthony Marcus and Amber Horning find that underage sex workers have much more agency in their relationships with pimps than many assume, and that sex trafficking discourses may serve to further alienate them from organizations to assist them. The authors call for academics and policy makers alike to set aside their ideological positions about sex work and to seek a deeper understanding of young people in commercial sex markets. Many recent public policy discussions about prostitution, especially underage prostitution, invoke disturbing narratives of hyper-violent, predatory pimps luring and coercing young girls into sex slavery. However, three recent studies of underage sex workers and pimps/market facilitators in New York and New Jersey call into question these assumptions. First, these public narratives overestimate the role of pimps in street sex markets; second, they overemphasize the impact of the initial recruitment stage on subsequent practices; and third, they mask or simplify the difficult and complex choices and contingencies faced by minors who sell sex. The studies find that there is in fact no prototypical pimp and relationships are more flexible, dynamic, and particular to the individuals involved than has been previously imagined. Credit: kPluto (Creative Commons: BY-NC-SA 2.0)

2008

The involvement of youth in prostitution has proven to be a difficult and complex issue for law enforcement, child welfare, and social service agencies to confront. This stems from the complicated social and legal aspects of the problem, which have created considerable ambiguity in how to recognize, define and, ultimately, handle juveniles engaging in prostitution. This research project examined how juvenile prostitutes were conceptualized by law enforcement, as victims or offenders, by examining the law enforcement response to this social problem. One hundred and twenty-six juvenile prostitute\u27s case files from six law enforcement agencies in major U.S. cities were reviewed for this study. This study found that 60% of youth in this sample were considered victims and 40% were viewed as offenders by law enforcement. Logistic regression was utilized to examine to predict the juveniles\u27 culpability status as a victim. The full model predicted 91% of the cases correctly and explai...

A review of the literature regarding the sexual exploitation of youth and an offered perspective that prioritizes supporting youth and the centering of Indigenous youth, due to an over representation in social services aimed at preventing exploitation.

Engaging in trading sex is associated with many co-occurring problems, including elevated risk for sexually transmitted infections. Various dimensions of social support from parents, schools, and mentors may be protective against sex trading and may ameliorate the impact of risk factors. This study analyzes data from respondents to Waves I and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) who had not participated in sex trading for money or drugs in Wave I so that risk and protective factors for first initiations of selling or buying sex could be examined longitudinally. About 2% of the study sample began selling sex and about 2% began buying sex between Wave I and Wave III. The respondent's sex, race/ethnicity, history of sexual abuse, shoplifting, marijuana use, and experiences of homelessness or running away were significant predictors of trading sex (p<0.05). Being happy at school was associated with lower selling of sex, and feeling part of school was associated with lower buying of sex even after controlling for demographics and risk factors (p<0.05). Results indicate a need for early intervention for youth who experience sexual abuse or running away. Elements of school connectedness have a protective effect on selling and buying sex. Promoting school connectedness may advance public health goals.

Sociological Inquiry, 2011

Numerous studies examine the causal factors of entrance into prostitution and find economic marginalization, substance addiction, and interpersonal networks are common reasons women enter the trade. However, we know less about the role that age of onset plays in shaping female pathways into prostitution. Here, we build from insights into previous research by analyzing not only entry pathways but also how age categories are linked to time spent in the trade and whether the length of time in prostitution exacts a greater ''toll'' on women. Drawing from the feminist and age of onset literatures, we analyze 40 in-depth interviews with female street prostitutes from five U.S. cities. Our results underscore the importance of age as an organizing feature of women's pathways into prostitution and the potential associated consequences of working in this trade.

Child Abuse &amp; Neglect, 2018

The current study sought to understand commercially sexually exploited (CSE) youths' health care experiences, barriers to care, and recommendations for improving health care services. We conducted focus groups (N = 5) with 18 CSE youth from February 2015 through May 2016 at two group homes serving CSE youth in Southern California. We performed thematic content analysis to identify emergent themes about CSE youths' perspectives on health care. Youth described facilitators to care, including availability of services such as screening for sexually transmitted infections, knowledge about sexual health, and a strong motivation to stay healthy. Barriers included feeling judged, concerns about confidentiality, fear, perceived low quality of services, and self-reliance. Overall, youth emphasized self-reliance and "street smarts" for survival and de-emphasized "victimhood," which shaped their interactions with health care, and recommended that health providers develop increased understanding of CSE youth. Our findings suggest that providers and community agencies can play an essential role in raising awareness of the needs of CSE youth and meet their health needs through creating a non-judgmental environment in health care settings that validates the experiences of these youth.