Child Prostitution

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “An estimated one million children around the world are forced into prostitution every year, and the total number of prostituted children could be as high as 10 million, according to a report published in the April 20th issue of the Lancet. "Child prostitution, like other forms of child sexual abuse, is not only a cause of death and high morbidity in millions of children, but also a gross violation of their rights and dignity," wrote co-authors Brian M. Willis, of the CDC, and Dr. Barry S. Levy of Tufts University. Boys as well as girls are being prostituted and, according to the report, some of the children are as young as ten years old. "Most of these children are exploited by local men, although some are also exploited by pedophiles and foreign tourists," the authors wrote. They estimate the number of children exploited by prostitution is highest in India (400,000 to 575,000); Brazil is second (100,000 to 500,000); the United States is third (300,000); and in fourth place are Thailand and China (200,000 each). Willis and Levy report that, worldwide, millions of children are infected with STDs, have abortions, attempt suicide and are raped each year. They note that in parts of Southeast Asia, 50 percent to 90 percent of children rescued from brothels are infected with HIV”
Prostitution of children refers to children having sexual intercourse for money. The definition of a "child prostitute" can vary depending on who is using the term. Under many laws a child is defined as anyone under the age of 18. The Optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography to the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that the prostitution of children or child prostitution is the practice whereby a child is used by others for sexual activities in return for remuneration or any other form of consideration. Most generally, the prostitution of children means that a party other than the child benefits from a commercial transaction in which the child is made available for sexual purposes - either an exploiter intermediary (pimp) who controls or oversees the child’s activities for profit, or a child abuser who negotiates an exchange directly with a child in order to receive sexual gratification. The provision of children for sexual purposes may also be a medium of exchange between adults.
Majority of children in third world countries (mostly Asian countries) are recruited into prostitution through forced abduction, pressure from parents, or through deceptive agreements between parents and traffickers. Once these children become involved in prostitution they are often forced to travel far from their homes and as a result are isolated from their friends and family. Few children in this situation are able to develop new relationships with peers or adults other than the person who is victimizing them.
Child sexual abuse often negatively affects long-term psychological and social well being, although more than half of all sexual abuse survivors do not suffer the most extreme forms of psychiatric trauma. Factors that worsen the severity include younger age at first abuse, less developmental maturity, longer duration of abuse, occurrence of penetration, use of force, abuse by a parent-figure or much older perpetrator, lack of support upon disclosure and absence of a caring non-abusing parent. Psychological and behavioral effects of child sexual abuse may include low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, fear, hostility, chronic tension, eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, self-destructive or suicidal behavior, post traumatic stress disorder, dissociation, multiple personality disorder, repeat victimization, running away, criminal behavior, academic problems, substance abuse and prostitution. Sexual abuse survivors are at higher risk for mental health and social functioning problems resulting from feelings of powerlessness, guilt, shame, stigmatization and low self-esteem. Powerlessness damages coping skills and reduces ability to protect oneself from further abuse.
Please copy and paste the link below and watch first hand about how this evil continues to thrive. The footage will shock you beyond words.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7En-A1k1Ac