Youth Policy

Original John Jay Study: Conflict and Agency among Sex Workers and Pimps: A Closer Look at Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking

This is an engaging, pivotal study that applies scientific principles to the study of youth involvement in sex trades. This is extremely ‘readable’ for a research report. Linked here is one of the many media reports about that study Lost Boys: New research demolishes the stereotype Kristen Hinman, Riverfront Times (November 2011)

Tackling Child Commercial Sexual Exploitation Cheryl Overs, Paulo Longo Research Initiative (2012)

Prop 35, Youth, Sex Trade and Sex Trafficking-Interview with Alexandra Lutnick, Researcher Carol Leigh (November 2012)

Part of the Solution: Youth Engages in Sex Work & The Sex Trade
by Melissa Gira Grant, Third Wave Foundation (September 17, 2024)
“We at Third Wave are deeply concerned about the ways in which young women and transgender youth may be subject to abuse and violence in any aspect of their lives. Over the last decade of supporting this work, we have learned that young people come to sex work and the sex trade through a wide range of experiences that include choice, circumstance, and coercion…It is a step forward for policymakers and advocates to recognize that young people who do sex work or who are impacted by the sex trade are not criminals. We must also recognize that not all young people who do sex work and who are impacted by the sex trade are victims.”

DENIED HELP! How Youth in the Sex Trade & Street Economy are Turned Away from Systems Meant to Help Us & What We are Doing to Fight Back (May 2012)
Young Women’s Empowerment Project releases their New Research. “The BEL findings demonstrate how institutions such as police, hospitals, social services and schools are harming young people they are supposed to serve and protect. The data from the BEL findings shows many themes of police sexually assaulting youth because of their gender, sexual identity, or lack of ability to fight back for being in the sex trade. One story is “ …in a sting set up by the cops. [the officer] got violence with me, handcuffed me and the raped me. He cleaned me up for the police station and i got sentenced to 4 months in jail for prostitution.” – anonymous Bad Encounter Line entry”

Child Prostitution Advisory Task Force, Oakland, Mayor Ron Dellums

This report begins with several pages (6) which outline the current local efforts and attitudes addressing issues of youth and sex trade, but continues later to address the issues from and evidence and rights based perspective. Please forward to the appendix which is particularly relevant. This is an important educational and forward thinking document edited by Robyn Few of SWOP, Sex Workers Outreach Project.