CHILD EXPLOITATION FACT SHEET A Future. Not A Past. has commissioned ongoing research to discover the number of girls who are sexually exploited in Georgia. Based on findings from August 2007 to May 2008, it is likely: − −
200 to 300 young girls are sexually exploited in Georgia every month 40 to 90 girls engaged in street prostitution every month on several known corridors 100 to 115 girls represented in Craigslist ads every month
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50 to 100 girls exploited through escort services every month
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25 girls are exploited monthly with johns at major hotels Internet ads on Craigslist selling sex with “young girls,” “just turned 18,” and “barely legal” females receive inquiries from johns at 132%-175% the rate of ads that do not mention young age As many as 129 girls are prostituted on a typical weekend night (Thursday night to Sunday night; 65 in street prostitution, 39 in ads on Craigslist, 19 with escort services, and 6 in major hotels)
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A problem like men paying for sex with adolescent girls is abhorrent regardless of its prevalence. Nevertheless, it can be helpful to evaluate how 200 to 300 girls a month compares to other social problems. For instance: − − −
More girls (129) are harmed by prostitution on a weekend night (Thursday night to Sunday night) than are killed in car accidents (58) in Georgia in a year1 123 males and females ages 15 to 24 committed suicide in an average year in Georgia between 1999 and 20022 153 males and females ages 13 to 19 were known to have AIDS in Georgia as of 20063
Secondary statistics: − −
1
According to the FBI, Atlanta is among 14 cities with the highest incidents of child prostitution. Other cities named include New York, San Francisco, Miami and Washington, D.C.4 One out of every three teens will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home5
OASIS web query tool, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, Office of Health Information and Policy 2 OASIS web query tool, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, Office of Health Information and Policy 3 Georgia AIDS Coalition report based on data from the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, AIDS Surveillance 4 Federal Bureau of Investigation http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress05/swecker060705.htm 5 National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children
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12 to 14 is the average age of entry into pornography and prostitution in the U.S.6
U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/prostitution.html