Prostitution of Juveniles (Sex Trafficking)


Prostitution of Juveniles (Sex Trafficking)

Prostitution of juveniles, or sex trafficking, is not a new phenomenon but is an increasingly central component of the criminal justice system's fight against child sexual exploitation.

A number of impediments have hampered research into the prostitution of juveniles. Crime reporting data often do not include the ages of juveniles who are prostituted. This prostitution is potentially concentrated in certain parts of the country. Certain types of prostitution, such as adults offering young children in exchange for money, are treated as child sexual abuse cases rather than prostitution. The Internet's importance in facilitating the prostitution of juveniles is still emerging.

A second issue complicating this subject is the dual status of victim and offender that juveniles who are prostituted often have in the criminal justice system. Inconsistencies in emphasis among law enforcement agencies lead to a lack of reliable data.

CCRC is conducting research to assess the nature and extent of prostitution of juveniles (sex trafficking) in the US and provide policy recommendations for governmental and law enforcement agencies. For more information, see the National Juvenile Prostitution Study (N-JPS).

 

NEWS: Dr. Kimberly Mitchell received a grant from Micrsoft Digital Crimes Unit and Microsoft Research for research on technology’s role in facilitating child sex trafficking and understanding the benefits and obstacles for law enforcement.

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