Sexual Exploitation
Sexual Exploitation is the sexual abuse of children and youth through the exchange of sex or sexual acts for drugs, food, shelter, protection, other basics of life, and/or money. Sexual exploitation includes involving children and youth in prostitution, creating pornography and sexually explicit websites. Many sexually exploited youth face realities of drug use, homelessness, past trauma, and other factors which have lead them in to the survival sex trade. Other youth may have no such history and may have been lured, tricked or forced in to being sexually exploited.
Following are the 3 stages used by abusers (“pimps”) to manipulate children and youth into sexual exploitation:
1) Lure: Pimp/Recruiter approaches a youth offering romance, support, friendship, parties, drugs, and promises an increase in popularity.
2) Trust: Pimp/Recruiter sells the idea to the youth of a “living large” glamorous lifestyle that includes partying, drinking, drugs, and money. Then the pimp/recruiter will set limitations on the youth, much like a parent would do, telling the youth they love them when in reality they are trying to isolate them from their family and friends.
3) Payback: Pimp/Recruiter will tell the youth that if they really loved them they would commit acts of sexual exploitation to prove it. Emotional and physical abuse is often used to threaten and intimidate with the goal of having complete control over the youth.
Who is a Pimp?
Pimps do not look like the stereotypical image of a guy wearing a fur coat, a hat with a feather and a cane. Most pimps are males between the age of 16-45. They often claim to be involved in the "entertainment industry". On the surface they may appear to have a lot of wealth, but do not have a job or education to back it up. Pimps are often involved with drugs and drug dealing and may carry weapons.
Warning Signs for Parents
Age Difference: Be aware if your child or peer is hanging out with someone much older.
Isolation: A recruiter will try to take the child away from the community. They will try to convince the child that they're the only person that cares about them.
Exspensive Gifts: Recruiters will give money, drugs and anything of value and expect the youth to pay them back.
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