Department of Psychology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstr. 75, 24118 Kiel, Germany.
The New Futures Centre, Sussex Street, Leicester LE5 3BF, UK.
Child Abuse Negl. 2014 Feb;38(2):252-60. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.08.019. Epub 2013 Sep 23.
Although there is evidence for specific risk factors leading to child sexual exploitation and prostitution, these influences overlap and have rarely been examined concurrently. The present study examined case files for 175 young persons who attended a voluntary organization in Leicester, United Kingdom, which supports people who are sexually exploited or at risk of sexual exploitation. Based on the case files, the presence or absence of known risk factors for becoming a sex worker was coded. Data were analyzed using t-test, logistic regression, and smallest space analysis. Users of the voluntary organization's services who had been sexually exploited exhibited a significantly greater number of risk factors than service users who had not been victims of sexual exploitation. The logistic regression produced a significant model fit. However, of the 14 potential predictors--many of which were associated with each other--only four variables significantly predicted actual sexual exploitation: running away, poverty, drug and/or alcohol use, and having friends or family members in prostitution. Surprisingly, running away was found to significantly decrease the odds of becoming involved in sexual exploitation. Smallest space analysis of the data revealed 5 clusters of risk factors. Two of the clusters, which reflected a desperation and need construct and immature or out-of-control lifestyles, were significantly associated with sexual exploitation. Our research suggests that some risk factors (e.g. physical and emotional abuse, early delinquency, and homelessness) for becoming involved in sexual exploitation are common but are part of the problematic milieu of the individuals affected and not directly associated with sex trading itself. Our results also indicate that it is important to engage with the families and associates of young persons at risk of becoming (or remaining) a sex worker if one wants to reduce the numbers of persons who engage in this activity.
尽管有证据表明特定的风险因素会导致儿童性剥削和卖淫，但这些影响是重叠的，很少同时进行检查。本研究检查了在英国莱斯特的一个志愿组织接受治疗的 175 名年轻人的病例档案，该组织为性剥削或面临性剥削风险的人提供支持。根据病例档案，对成为性工作者的已知风险因素的存在与否进行了编码。使用 t 检验、逻辑回归和最小空间分析对数据进行了分析。曾经遭受过性剥削的志愿组织服务使用者表现出明显更多的风险因素，而没有遭受过性剥削的服务使用者。逻辑回归产生了显著的模型拟合。然而，在 14 个潜在的预测因素中——其中许多因素相互关联——只有四个变量显著预测了实际的性剥削：离家出走、贫困、吸毒和/或酗酒，以及有从事卖淫的朋友或家人。令人惊讶的是，离家出走被发现显著降低了参与性剥削的可能性。对数据的最小空间分析揭示了 5 个风险因素集群。其中两个集群反映了绝望和需求结构以及不成熟或失控的生活方式，与性剥削显著相关。我们的研究表明，一些风险因素（例如身体和情感虐待、早期犯罪和无家可归）与参与性剥削有关，但这些因素是受影响个体问题环境的一部分，而不是与性交易本身直接相关。我们的研究结果还表明，如果要减少从事这种活动的人数，那么与处于（或仍然处于）性工作风险中的年轻人的家人和熟人接触非常重要。
