Child prostitution is prostitution involving children. It is important to note that this term is not considered appropriate or child or victim-centered unless specifically referring to a law that uses this language, as children in almost all jurisdictions do not have the ability to consent to sexual acts. The internationally recognized terms include child sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of children. They are children who get paid for sex acts.
Sometimes, the children do not get paid with money , but they are given other things in exchange for having sex such as toys. Sometimes, the child isn't paid with anything at all and is being forced to be a prostitute by an abuser. The meaning of "child prostitute" varies.
In most cases, it is not the child who makes money from the prostitution, but another person. This is either a pimp , or someone who directly abuses the child. This person will make a deal directly with the child to get sexual gratification. Different people may also exchange children to have sex with. This convention from , provides that countries that have signed it must get rid of child prostitution s soon as possible.
It has the fastest pace of ratifications in the ILO's history since The prostitution of children is seen as part of the commercial sexual exploitation of children , and is sometimes connected to the trafficking of children for sexual purposes, and to child pornography. Child sex tourism also falls within the category of the prostitution of children.
In , researcher and expert Ron O'Grady [1] estimated the number of child prostitutes to be 1 million. In , Dr. Richard Estes and Dr. Neil Alan Weiner estimated that in the U. According to Estes and Weiner, 12 to 14 is the average age of entry into prostitution for girls in the United States. The US State Department reported in that incidents of minors being trafficked was increasing.
