Liberated Child Prostitutes Have Nowhere to Go
Susan Logoreci | Dec 09, 2009 | Comments 0
As child prostitution crackdowns become more frequent, there are more children in need of services that simply don’t exist. Child prostitution is something we think happens in other countries. But the sad fact is that in the United States there may be as many as 100,000 (maybe even 300,000 to 800,000 depending on who you ask) kids involved in the sex trade in the United States. In the last couple of years, the FBI has headed several child prostitution sweeps across the U.S. Unfortunately, because of social networking websites, prostitution has gone undercover on the internet and the problem continues to grow.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, although most kids who are pulled out of prostitution are either sent home or to foster care, most need intensive, inpatient therapy in order to lead semi-normal lives. The article quotes Richard Estes, a social policy professor and an expert on child sexual exploitation at the University of Pennsylvania. He says, “This is not a quick-fix situation. It really is a rebuilding and remolding of personality and character.” One can only imagine the trauma these children have gone through. However, there is a gross lack of services in this country and that’s really an understatement. Apparently, for these (at minimum) 100,000 kids there is grand total of 45 beds at inpatient, therapeutic environments in the entire United States. I mean, that is just mind boggling to me. Aren’t we one of the richest countries in the world?
Until fairly recently, child prostitution (like adult prostitution) was considered a criminal issue, and only recently have the children been rescued instead of being arrested. Still oftentimes, the child is returned to the unstable environment that created the dire situation in the first place. I have some recent experience in the juvenile justice system and I can say that although there are many awesome people who work long thankless hours, I can also see how they (sadly) just aren’t prepared to handle (and pay for) long term treatment on a massive scale.
One of my favorite blogs, Jezebel.com covered this story as well. One aspect that they focused on is that many facilities don’t want to be held responsible for girls that are known to be sexually active. Anna North, the author of this post says, “America doesn’t know how to help kids who violate a certain ideal of innocence. We try child criminals as adults, because we think “real” kids don’t commit crimes — and when kids get involved in sex or drugs, they become “undesirable,” even though they are the ones who most need care.” I think this is an excellent point and it speaks to a larger issue of how we are often a product of environment, for better or worse. The sins of the parents or environment should not become the sins of the children.
The saddest element to this story is that once the child is 18, prostitution will be seen as a crime and the child will be ushered into a whole other system, one of punishment, not rehabilitation. Once that happens, the child (now adult) is often lost forever. Instead of therapy there will be fines, probation, and incarceration. It’s great that the FBI is taking this issue seriously and rescuing kids. But there needs to be a system in place for them to heal. That just doesn’t exist today.
Here’s how to help. These are the four residential treatment centers that exist in our ENTIRE country. If you are thinking of making an end of the year donation, I’m sure any of these places would appreciate it. One of them, Children of the Night, has a wish list of items that they always need.
Also, visit Gems-Girls.org, Angelashouse.org and SAGESF for more information.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-whitehead/children-of-the-night-chi_b_115348.html
http://jezebel.com/5421805/frying-pan-into-the-fire-former-child-prostitutes-have-nowhere-to-turn
Filed Under: Awareness
About the Author: I am a writer and artist living in Los Angeles.
