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Children and adolescents who sell sex: a community study

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  • Pedersen, Willy
  • Hegna, Kristinn

Abstract

Adolescents who reported to have given sexual favors for payment were investigated. The sample consisted of all adolescents in the public and private school systems in Oslo, the capital in Norway (age group 14-17, response rate 94.3%, N=10,828). Adolescents who had sold sex form 1.4%, three times as many boys as girls. Half the group had done it more than 10 times. Most were under the legal age of sex in Norway (16 years) when this first happened. We found no associations with sociodemographic variables or residential area in Oslo. However, sex sale was associated with low intercourse debut age, conduct problems, alcohol problems, use of drugs (including heroin) and violent victimization. The conclusion is that a small group in the general adolescent population sells sex, and many of the clients are assumed to be homosexual or bisexual men. Adolescents who take part in these activities are often heavily involved in delinquent behaviors and use of drugs, and many probably are in a risk zone for sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV), drug abuse and a delinquent and criminal development.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedersen, Willy & Hegna, Kristinn, 2003. "Children and adolescents who sell sex: a community study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 135-147, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:56:y:2003:i:1:p:135-147
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pereda, Noemí & Codina, Marta & Díaz-Faes, Diego A. & Kanter, Bárbara, 2022. "Giving a voice to adolescents in residential care: Knowledge and perceptions of commercial sexual exploitation and runaway behavior," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    2. Riswanda & Janet McIntyre-Mills & Yvonne Corcoran-Nantes, 2017. "Prostitution and Human Rights in Indonesia: A Critical Systemic Review of Policy Discourses and Scenarios," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 213-237, June.
    3. Statland-Vaintraub, Olga & Khoury-Kassabri, Mona & Ajzenstadt, Mimi & Amedi, Shabi, 2012. "Risk factors for involvement in delinquency among immigrants and native-born Israeli girls," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 2052-2060.
    4. Brawn, Kara Marie & Roe-Sepowitz, Dominique, 2008. "Female juvenile prostitutes: Exploring the relationship to substance use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(12), pages 1395-1402, December.
    5. Elizabeth M. Saewyc & Sneha Shankar & Lindsay A. Pearce & Annie Smith, 2021. "Challenging the Stereotypes: Unexpected Features of Sexual Exploitation among Homeless and Street-Involved Boys in Western Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, May.

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