The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction

CHILD VICTIMS OF PROSTITUTIONNature and Extent of Child ProstitutionAmong NDIC interviewees:• 35 percent of respondents reported that child prostitution is a minor problem in theirjurisdiction and that they only occasionally investigate child prostitution cases.• 22 percent of respondents reported that they have not investigated any children who werevictims of prostitution cases and could only provide limited information on the topic.• 67 percent of respondents reported that the number of children under age 18 within theUnited States who are involved in child prostitution is unknown.• 21 percent of respondents reported that approximately 293,000 are at risk for childprostitution. (They quoted pages11-12 of the executive summary of The CommercialSexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico produced in 2001 by theUniversity of Pennsylvania).Profile of Child Victims of Prostitution and TraffickersAmong NDIC interviewees:• 44 percent of respondents reported that children become involved in child prostitution bybeing recruited, groomed, emotionally and psychologically manipulated, and controlledby various forms of abuse by a trafficker who will target areas frequented by vulnerableor troubled youth (bus station, halfway house, schools, etc.).• 24 percent of respondents reported that children become involved in prostitution afterbeing trafficked by a parent or family member.• 20 percent of respondents reported that traffickers manipulate children by using charm atfirst and gaining the children’s trust and love and then resorting to violence to control thechildren and force them into prostitution.• 84 percent of respondents reported that child victims of prostitution are runaways.• 64 percent of respondents reported that child victims of prostitution are victims of neglector abuse (or both) at home.• 28 percent of respondents reported that child victims of prostitution are typically AfricanAmerican.• 20 percent of respondents reported that child victims of prostitution are typically between14 and 17 years old.• 24 percent of respondents reported that traffickers are typically African American males.• 16 percent of respondents reported that traffickers typically range in age from their mid­20s to mid-30s.Studies from the Dallas, Texas, Police Department indicate that 80 percent of all chronic femalerunaways eventually become involved in prostitution. Most prostitutes have low self-esteem.Several sources also mentioned that traffickers typically are former or current street-level drugdealers who traffic children for greater security and protection from law enforcement.Geographic Locations of Child ProstitutionAmong NDIC interviewees:• 52 percent of respondents reported that most child prostitution occurs in large metropolitan areas. D-15