Teen Prostitution

“Over the last year, (2003)local and federal law-enforcement officials say they have noted a marked increase in teen prostitution in cities across the country”, with girls as young as ten years old showing up in court (Smalley, 2003). Many of the girls are being targeted in malls, and a growing number are coming from middle class families (Smalley, 2003). The information in this article initially blew my mind but after thinking about it more I could see how easy young teens can become targets. Some teenage girls develop much younger than most so they can look very physically mature but still be very young. Also during the adolescent years many teens are facing confidence and self-esteem issues. This makes it easy for a pimp to swing in with a few nice words and gifts and have the girls willing to do anything he asks. The pimps make the girls feel pretty which increases their confidence and makes them feel good about themselves. It’s scary to think about how easy it is for a young impressionable teen can become a prostitute and how easy it can be for them to hide it from you. I think one of the best ways to prevent this is to keep the lines of communication open. Make sure to talk to you teens about these types of issues so they are aware of the types of things they may face in the future. A parent can also make sure that teens are properly supervised until they reach the age where they can make more mature and rational decisions.


This Could be Your Kid