Teenage Prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Teenage Prostitution - Essay Example (India Today) The reasons why children work as prostitutes and why adults seek sexual favors from them, are multiple and interdependent. From information gathered during interviews with children, the following reasons seem most prevalent (Jain P & Kasturi 25) Almost all the girls interviewed mentioned poverty, lack of financial support from their parents and the need to eat and clothe themselves as reasons for getting involved in prostitution. Thus, in many ways, in addition to mere sexual exploitation, the children's poverty is exploited. Another way in which child prostitutes are victimised is their social exclusion and stigmatisation. Most girls become prostitutes to seek better living conditions and due to their desperate situation and/or lack of information -do not care about the consequences, which can include contracting STDs and HIV through unprotected sex. Child prostitution is also caused by changes from traditional values to those of a contemporary society. The consequences of rural to urban migration, and the subsequent reorientation of lifestyle can have far-reaching effects, most notably on the structure of the family. Fewer girls than boys enroll at school, and girls are more likely to drop out. For those who have the opportunity to go to school, conditions are basic and learning materials are in short supply. Many pupils have to travel long distances to get to the schools, which are overcrowded and under-equipped. Also, poverty and the need to contribute to the family's income often cause children to leave school to go to work instead. (Jain P & Kasturi 25) Because of their limited educational opportunities, many girls realise that their chances of obtaining good jobs are poor. Informal education and recreational opportunities are basically non-existent. All of these contribute to a lack of optimism with regard to the future (5) Social attitudes towards child prostitution Many girls testify to facing problems from their parents, their peers or members of the community because of the work they are doing. The social alienation can occur before the girls take up sex work. It is evident that the stigmatisation of the child who is vulnerable and at risk of getting involved in prostitution can be a factor in driving her towards prostitution. (6) Sexual abuse/violence and rape (7) Use of children as 'attractions' by owners and managers of bars, discotheques and restaurants Teenage prostitution is a growing phenomenon in the world. The reasons for this are multiple, but they include chronic family poverty owing to a lack of employment for adults and young persons; a breakdown in family support mechanisms; migration; gender inequality; and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Another contributory cause is the inadequacy of the education systems, which provide quality schooling for only a limited number of children. (India Today) Child prostitution is often dealt with exclusively as a form of child abuse. Although teen prostitututes