Child prostitution increasing.

Willis BM, Levy BS. Child prostitution: Global health burden, research needs, and interventions. Lancet 2002;359:1417-1422.

Every year an estimated 1 million children worldwide are forced into performing sexual acts for compensation, and the total could be as high as 10 million, including 300,000 in the United States alone. Both girls and boys younger than 18 years of age are introduced into this lifestyle. These children are exploited by local men, pedophiles, and foreign tourists and may have 5 to 10 clients per day, generating $5 billion per year. They are difficult to locate because they are hidden and moved around frequently and because of the involvement of organized crime. In addition to being held in slavery, child prostitutes are victims of adverse health effects such as sexually transmitted diseases, human immunodeficiency virus infection, cervical cancer, pregnancy complications, mental illness, substance abuse, malnutrition, and violence. The development of programs designed to rescue these children and provide health services should be a priority at the community, national, and international levels. Health professiona ls can provide leadership in creating the right political climate in which to introduce, pass, and enforce laws to prevent child prostitution.