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EmploymEnt, Work, And hEAlth InEquAlItIEs - a global perspective
Child prostitution in Thailand
child prostitution is an old, global and complex phenomenon, which deprives children of their childhood, human
rights and dignity. child prostitution can be seen as the commercial sexual exploitation of children involving an
element of forced labour, and thus can be considered as a contemporary form of slavery. globally, child prostitution is
reported to be a common problem in central and south america and asia. of all the south-east asian nations, the
problem is most prolific in thailand. in thailand, there appears to be a long history of child prostitution, and this article
explores the factors that underpin the thai child sex industry and the lessons and implications that can be drawn for
health care and nursing around the world.
prostitution is detrimental to the child both physically and emotionally (Muntarbhorn, 1996: 10). it is in breach of
the child’s rights and a gross violation of dignity, according to the 1989 un convention on the rights of the child,
consequently undermining the child’s development and esteem (barnardo’s, 1998).
as a result of poor living conditions, prostituted children are often at increased risk of other infectious diseases
(such as tuberculosis), malnutrition and related disorders (Flowers, 2001). child prostitutes are also at high risk of
mental illness, substance abuse and violence, including injuries, rape and death (ward, day, & webber, 1999). the
serious risk of contracting sexually-transmitted diseases may pose a greater danger to public health than in adult
prostitutes (willis & levy, 2002). in thailand, for example, those young prostitutes found to have contracted disease
are sent back to their places of origin without medical treatment, where they may continue the chain of transmission
(lintner & lintner, 1996, cited in lim, 1998).
For sexually-active children, there is also a high risk of complicated pregnancy and further dangers from
subsequent backstreet abortions. when the pregnancy is not terminated, there is a risk of the “chain effect”, where
mothers tend to be at great risk of perpetuating the behavioural cycle of physical, emotional or sexual abuse with their
offspring (lim, 1998).
Source
lau, c. (2008). child prostitution in thailand. Journal of Child Health Care, 12(2), 144-155.
Referenced in the article:
barnardo’s, (1998). Whose daughter next Children abused through prostitution. london: barnardos publications.
Flowers, r. (2001). the sex trade industry’s worldwide exploitation of children. Annals of the American Academy, 575(1),
147–57.
lim, l. (ed.) (1998) The sex sector: The economic and social bases of prostitution in Southeast Asia. geneva: international
labour office.
Muntarbhorn, v. (november 13, 1996). a scourge in our midst. Bangkok Post, 4.
ward, h., day, s., & webber, J. (1999). risky business: health and safety in the sex industry over a 9 year period. Sexually
Transmitted Infections, 75, 340–343.
willis, b., & levy, b. (2002). child prostitution: global health burden, researchneeds and interventions. The Lancet, 359(1),
1417–1422.
Child slavery in Hong Kong: Case report and historical review
an 11-year-old girl was admitted with multiple injuries sustained during a one-year servitude doing domestic
labour. she was acquired from her parents in Mainland china by a relative in hong Kong. the child's parents received
a sum of money that the child had to repay with work. her hardship was characterised by long hours of incessant
labour and physical torture when she failed to meet the demands of her mistress or her mistress' children. this case
resembles Mui Tsai, a form of child slavery and exploitative domestic labour that was rife in hong Kong a century ago,
and illustrates the new challenges to child rights and protection consequent to the increasing social and economic
integration between the hong Kong special administrative region and Mainland china.
Source
lee, a. c., & so, K. t. (2006). child slavery in hong Kong: case report and historical review. Hong Kong Medical Journal, 12(6),
463-466.
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