The Use of the Phrase “Child Prostitute” in the Media: A critical examination and course for action
Abstract
According to research by the Human Rights Project for Girls and The Raben Group, there have been more than 5,000 instances in the past five years when reporters for print, wire, and online outlets have used the phrase “child prostitute,” “child prostitution,” “underage prostitution” or other variations on the phrase. Simply put, there is widespread use and acceptance of the term “child prostitute” in reference to underage children being bought and sold for sex. But “child prostitute” and its variations paint an incomplete description of these girls and does not convey the actual circumstances of the child. As Congress made clear in The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, these girls are not “prostitutes.” They are, by law, victims of sex trafficking. Indeed, under any other set of circumstances, we would call them what they are: victims of rape, statutory rape or the sexual abuse of a minor. Human Rights Project for Girls and The Raben Group used Lexis/Nexis to survey thousands of national and local outlets that used “child prostitute” and five related phrases in news stories during the last five years. (Author Abstract)
Description
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Keywords
child abuse, trafficking, prostitution, media, research
Citation
Seremetis, L. (2013). The Use of the Phrase “Child Prostitute” in the Media: A critical examination and course for action. Washington, DC: The Raben Group. 4 pp