Is there a link between prostitution and past child abuse?

Question

Whilst watching a documentary about prostitution I sugested to my flatmates that past sexual abuse could (statisticaly) be a factor in allot of people who freely choose to become prostitutes. My flat mates were highly offended and basicaly said I was full of **** and a sexist (not something anyone has described me as before, infact I am a little taken aback)

This is something I have been told about before and I am not sure what evidence (if any) there is to suport it. I don't want to think I made a statement that has no grounds and if there is no evidence to suport it I would like to know I am wrong. All I know is that for most people I know who have been in this situation it has been a factor when they have looked back.

Any facts grately apreciated.

Answer 1

Within the category of sex crimes, the patterns were even more varying and complex. Sexually abused children and neglected children had significantly elevated risks for prostitution in both bivariate and multivariate analyses (Odds Ratios = 27.7 and 10.2, respectively). Physically abused children experienced significantly increased risk in bivariate analysis, but when demographic characteristics and approximate socioeconomic status were controlled for, the relationship became insignificant. (Widom 1995;Widom & Kuhns 1996) When the analysis was done separately for each gender, the pattern of increased risk for prostitution remained for females, but not for males. (Widom & Kuhns 1996) For rape and sodomy a different pattern appears. For these crimes, only those children(4) who suffered physical abuse were at significantly increased risk of arrest. These children were 7.6 times more likely than controls to be arrested for such offenses. (Widom 1995) These findings suggest that while all maltreated children are at increased risk of arrest for sex crimes, sexually abused and neglected children are more at risk for prostitution and physically abused children are more at risk for rape and sodomy arrests. (Widom & Ames 1994)

Answer 2

While I can't quote you any statistics right off the top of my head, I have personally known many girls that were strippers(which is closely related to prostitution and sometimes the lines can be very blurred indeed, let's be honest) and these girls were all abused or raped or had some traumatic, dysfunctional childhood, so I think you're observation hit pretty close to the mark. So you friends were wrong to blame you and accuse you of being sexist.

Answer 3

Not all, but most suffered some form of sexual assault or abuse. Studies are pretty in agreement that the percentage is high.

Excert from link:
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Most prostitutes have been sexually abused as children. Finkelhor and Browne state that child sexual abuse leads to feelings by the victim of betrayal, powerlessness, stigmatization, and the sense that sex is a commodity. These feelings often make children vulnerable to revictimization, including child prostitution.
18

2/3 of prostitutes were sexually abused from the ages of 3-16. (The average age of victimization was 10).19

2/3 of prostitutes abused in childhood were molested by natural, step-, or foster fathers.
10% were sexually abused by strangers.20

More than 90% of prostitutes lost their virginity through sexual assault.21

70% of prostitutes believed that being sexually abused as children influenced their decisions to become prostitutes.22

91% of prostitutes sexually abused as children told no one. Only 1% received counseling for the effects of the abuse.

Answer 4

Child abuse or neglect whatever you want to call it. This is a general problem for everyone if you really think about it.Prostitution is considered to be a degrading form of work yet if you think about it most of us are stuck in forms of work that are degrading and make us feel like prostitutes.Some prostitutes may be offended by this comparison because there are different levels of society in this line of work also. Our society in general is responsible for this not just child abuse. Do you really need to form statistics to your friends to prove you might be right?

Answer 5

Well truth of the matter is is that there are so many people in the world today all with different mind sets that yes for some im positive there is a link and while others theres not.Its all about how ones mind responds to certain situations.

Answer 6

I've been abused. Now I go have sex with several prostitutes every night. :-p

There actually is a link between the two. You're not wrong. So tell your flatmates that "this one guy on Yahoo! Answers with the name: 'masterdeath01' is telling you all to go f*ck yourselves." I'll take the abuse later on. :-)

You're right. I've seen this in many places (TV, internet, some reading, and even pamphlets...).

Answer 7

in basic terms as a reminder, pedophiles would be modern-day in any company, yet no longer all companies have a centuries-long custom of keeping their pedophiles. i'm particularly useful the fees are relating to the comparable. inspite of the undeniable fact that, the fees of pedophile priests being secure by applying Church management is extremely intense. till those days, it substitute into one hundred% of pedophile priests who have been being secure. As data, we've each and all of the courtroom cases right here interior america. We even have the pope finally making pedophilia grounds for excommunication. additionally, there are surely 0 cases of pedophile priests mentioned in Latin American countries. the two there are 0 pedophile priests, or they're being secure one hundred%. Which do you truthfully have self belief is genuine?

Answer 8

I think there is a link. If you think about it - and I did - there is a link and if you want to do some research - go for it - an there is a link, because abused people feel less worth.

Answer 9

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Child prostitution plea from charity
A children's charity calls for urgent recognition that young boys and girls involved in prostitution are victims of child abuse.
You asked for it you got it TOYOTA.

Answer 10

http://www.child-abuse-stories.com/