child Prostitution is the exchange of sex for money. It has been going on for a long time. Many attempts to curb the menace have been futile. It has only resulted in those involved in the act using other devious means to go on with the act. Prostitution is strongly linked to poverty, drug abuse,and human trafficking. Those are the major factors that force people to venture into prostitution unaware of the dangers and risks they are getting themselves. In this paper, we are going to analyze this social issue of prostitution, critic the programs that have been set up to curb the menace and provide an alternative solution.

Child prostitution has been on the rise in recent years. According to The Guardian, many young girls from poor families are trafficked to America and the UK and indulge in prostitution(Mohdin, 2018). A lot of Chinese women have been trafficked to the UK.Many prostitutes are rapeddaily,but they cannot report about it because prostitution is illegal in their area. Most sex workers suffer from violence, abuse,and exploitation. Authorities targeted sex workers in Sierra Leone. They claim that it is an issue of gender inequality and women’s rights(Summers, 2018). Sex workers in Sierra Leone as young as 12 years claim that police officers harass them for sex and money. Mariatu who is a sex worker in Sierra Leone was jailed for six months because she could not bribe a police officer.

Child prostitution is particularly high in areas where tourism is high. The FBI has identified Georgia as one of fourteen citiesin America with the greatest rates of child prostitution(The New York Times, 2008).In early 2008, the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory University reported that approximately hundreds of children in Georgia were being used as child prostitutes (The New York Times, 2008). These children came from troubled families and had mostly hadpasts of truancy. They run from home because they have been sexually abused. Child prostitution offenders should attend classes where they learn how their implications in the vice affect society at large.

The rise in child prostitution in America has provoked the state lawmakers to set up exorbitantpenalties for the crime. Georgia already has tough laws against child prostitution. Juvenile justice advocates, religious groups and lawmakers have taken the issue with utmost seriousness. However, setting up strict laws and penalties on child prostitution has not dealt with the vice.The influencers and drivers of the sex trade are rarely lookedinto. Shirley Franklin, the former mayor of Atlanta, advertised the damage sex trade drivers do to the society.

Formulating stringent laws to curb prostitution will not work because authorities are often bribed by the people who drive the sex trade. Authorities take bribes from prostitutes and move along. Child prostitution will happen still happen discretely using more sophisticated methods such as the internet.Programs that have a lasting effecton the lives of the most susceptible children should be set up. States need to increase treatment programs for sexually exploited youth considerably. Leaders in the community have been chargedin courts for soliciting prostitution(Graham, 2019).Leaders in authority have also had cases where they were involved in prostitution. The people who propagate the spread of child prostitution are indeed leaders, rich and powerful people. The former mayor of Atlanta addressed a perspective that most people do not look at. By allowing the parties who drive sex tradeto see its gruesome effects, they can have a change in heart and attitude.

In December 2002, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), held a national summit in Washington DCto discuss how to protect children from child prostitution(Flores, 2002).Most of those who attended the summit were people who work with affected youth and children. The participants shared their observations, knowledge,andexperiences. Around 130 participants were representing different disciplines and perspectives of child prostitution.

First and foremost, the summit only lasted for two days which is not ample time to discuss the problems and solutions in depth. In such summits, the parties often emphasize the problem and do very little to provide solutions. Even when solutions are provided, the government is usually slack in implementing them. The solutions usually demand a lot of resources in terms of money and time which the government always wastes time debating. The government should hand-in-handwith victims who have recovered and help others who are stuck. Such people are empathetic and can create a quick connection with the victims. Such summits are powerful in creating awareness about social issues. The summit was successful in creating awareness about child prostitution and youth exploitation. It was able to bring together different experts on the issue. However, if such summits do not formulate plans and take action steps, then the crime will continue to increase.

I believe that to get to the root of the problem;the government needs to expand community-based prevention programs that identify and assist troubled children before they wind up in the streets selling their bodies. Lawmakers need to support and promote programs that train social workers, law enforcement officials, teachers,and others to concentrate on youth at risk and to identify the signs of prostitution and sexual abuse. By devising plans and spreading knowledge to assist at-risk children, police officers are better positioned to get involved before harm has been done.

List of References

Flores, J. (2002). Protecting Our Children: Working Together To End Child Prostitution. [online] Ncjrs.gov. Available at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/204990.pdf [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].

Graham, B. (2019). Robert Kraft: New England Patriots owner charged with soliciting prostitution. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/feb/22/robert-kraft-arrest-prostitution-new-england-patriots-owner-latest-news [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].

Mohdin, A. (2018). Chinese women trafficked to UK ‘being failed by Home Office’. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/12/chinese-women-trafficked-uk-failed-home-office-medical [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].

Summers, H. (2018). ‘I beg them to let me go’: Sierra Leone’s sex workers targeted by police. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/dec/17/i-beg-them-to-let-me-go-sierra-leones-sex-workers-targeted-by-police [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].

The New York Times (2008). Opinion | Prostitution and Prevention. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/opinion/29tue2.html [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].