How Normalizing Prostitution Protects Child Abusers

Finding yourself irritated or angered by Teen Vogue advertising prostitution to teenage girls? The issue is much bigger than that: Advocates in favor of legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution frequently claim that a change of law on adult prostitution won’t affect any legislation or approaches to the sexual exploitation of children and that child safe guarding concerns are misplaced in the debate on adult prostitution laws – but here’s what’s actually happening…

If you prefer listening to reading – this blogging series is also available in shorter audio form.

Part 1: (Pseudo) Child Prostitution under Legalization

German brothels openly advertise “lolita fantasies”, while trafficked children continue to be found in legal licensed brothels. Johns are the cause of, not the solution to child sexual exploitation. And then there’s one country which simply legalized the pimping of teenagers for 21 years. Continue reading…

Part 2: Child trafficking under New Zealand’s decriminalization

Trafficking or paying to rape a child is illegal in New Zealand, however the Prostitution Reform Act of 2003 has drastically reduced police presence in the industry and measures to protect adults from outing and stigmatization make investigating and prosecuting child sexual exploitation harder. Continue reading…

Part 3: Survivors on the impact of prostitution normalization on youth

Prostitution survivors from around the world agree that glamourizing prostitution through media and law has inevitable ripple effects on children and young adults. They tell how the pimps who groomed them (often as minors) had an easier time doing so, because of the surrounding culture. Continue reading…

Part 4: More pedocriminal apologetics from the pro prostitution lobby

A global pro prostitution lobby network with dubious member organizations recommends tackeling child sexual exploitation with a “harm reduction” approach, arguing that some children choose to enter the trade for luxury goods, love and even pleasure. Continue reading…

Part 5: What does a “harm reduction” approach mean for exploited minors?

The “harm reduction” approach is already considered best practice in some places – more so where adult prostitution is not considered inherently harmful. Examples from Germany and New Zealand showcase youth support organizations hesitating, harm denying and not delivering on exit strategies for exploited minors. Continue reading…

Part 6: Final thoughts

Law and the media create the environment in which children grow up and pimps and paying pedocriminals seek out targets. Permissive attitudes towards men buying access to and profiting off the prostitution of adults impacts on children despite attempts at differentiating the two in law. Continue reading…