Youth Prostitution

Deborah L. Bobek

Prostitution is engaging in sexual relations in return for money or other material goods. Prostitution is not a problem just in the United States; it is a profitable industry all over the world. In fact, in some parts of the world, prostitution is legal at certain ages and can be glorified as a profession. In America, many adolescent prostitutes are youth who have run away from homes where they have experienced sexual or physical abuse and/or neglect (Savin-Williams, 1994; Widom & Kuhns, 1996). However, the problem of teenage prostitution cannot be blamed entirely on the family, as these youth often experience difficulty in school and with peers as well. Adolescents may not be aware that there are services to help escape the difficult home, school, or peer environments, or these services are inadequate, inaccessible, or nonexistent. Young people may seek to find legitimate employment upon leaving home, but a lack ...

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