Week 3, Blog #4 Youth Sex Workers in the U.S.

Triangle:It is more reasonable to expect sexual exploitation in developing countries due to the economic struggles that are prominent, but what about the United States? Shockingly enough as of 2001 in a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, over 300,000 children and adolescents are sexually exploiting themselves every year; 2,200 in New York City alone. Additionally, here in the U.S. poverty levels are not the predominant cause (as in developing countries), family dysfunction, domestic violence and abuse is pushing adolescents into a life of exploitation.  Pimps offer the promise of a "family" to young children. This sends a message of desperation for  belonging.  The last point I'd like to make is that young children, predominantly girls, are being "caught up" in the judicial system.  Once caught for prostitution they run a high risk of facing charges, even as a minor.  A very strong point was brought up in the video: how can we justify sentencing a child for committing a crime when they aren't even of the age of legal consent?  Instead rehabilitation and assistance from organizations such as GEM should become a means to end exploitation.


Square:  We have been learning how important family relationships are and the important roles mothers and fathers have in influencing their children's future.  In our readings it stated over 70% of victims of sexual exploitation have been in the child welfare system, once again pointing to the impotence of a healthy functional home life.


Circle:  Even in America we see foreign immigrants from Asia: Vietnam , Taiwan and Korea entering the U.S on a Visa and overstaying. They seem to migrate into regions and support each other "work" in the U.S.  Our Government does not seem to be doing much about this.


Works Cited:


Elizabeth Kiem. Child Exploitation in the USA. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/usa_46464.html


Sex Trafficing of Women in the United States. https://myasucourses.asu.edu/@@/EDFE74BA05A9001715DA40E7CDEC90D1/courses/1/2011Summer5W1-X-JUS477-41555-47001/content/_5276989_1/sex_traff_us.pdf


Very young Girls.http://www.gems-girls.org/get-involved/very-young-girls