atlanta_women_05_girls_0109

LanguageLanguage plays a very important role in framing the discussion around the commercial sexual exploitation ofgirls. Girls are often described as “child prostitutes.” Nikki Marr, former DeKalb County Juvenile Court Judge,argues that calling this crime ”prostitution” is a misnomer. While some may argue that prostitution is a choicefor adult women; that is not the case here. Nowhere in the United States can under-age girls consent to prostitution.For the purpose of this study, the following definitions have been applied:• Child sexual exploitation (CSE) will be defined as practices by which a person, usually an adult,achieves sexual gratification, financial gain or advancement through the abuse or exploitation of achild’s sexuality by abrogating that child’s human right to dignity, equality, autonomy, and physicaland mental well-being, (i.e. trafficking, prostitution, pornography, stripping, battering, incest,rape) (Estes & Weiner, 2001).• Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is defined as sexual exploitation primarily orentirely for financial or other economic reason. The economic exchanges involved may be eithermonetary or non-monetary but, in every case, involving maximum benefit to the exploiter and anabrogation of the basic human rights, dignity, autonomy, physical and mental well-being of thechildren involved.(Estes & Weiner, 2001)Finally, men who buy sex from prostitutes have been traditionally called johns, tricks, and dates. These aresanitized terms. Men who buy sex with minors, knowingly or otherwise, are child abusers and are alsocommitting the crime of rape. For the purpose of this study, men who solicit sex from minors will be calledpanderers, according to the legal definition, unless informants have identified them by another term. 2Case StudiesFifteen case studies of girls who were identified as victims of commercial sexual exploitation were developedbased on interviews and case file reviews. The following five case studies demonstrate the risk factors thatmake girls vulnerable to CSEC, as well as the effects of CSEC in these girls’ lives. Finally, these case studiesshow the successes and failures of law enforcement and human services agencies in responding to these girls,their families, and their exploiters. See Appendix A for more case studies.Anna –17-year-old African AmericanAnna was 12 years old when her friend “hooked her up” with “Derrick,” who said he was 16. Anna begansneaking out of her house to meet him. Anna’s mother found out and called the police. A police report onhim revealed that he had given a false name and lied about his age. Derrick was arrested on a charge unrelatedto his meetings with Anna, but when he got out of jail, he came to Anna’s house. He took Anna to a friend’shouse and started beating her. He said he was going to kill her. Then he took out a gun, but his friend said,“No, don’t kill her. We can make a lot of money.” They took her into a room and tied her up. Anna relatedhow they would come into the room everyday and tell her how they were going to turn her out and tell herwho to sleep with and that if she went home, they would kill her and her family. She was held captive bythem for two weeks.8