[South Africa] Poverty, drugs driving kids to sell sex on street

from The Herald

By Derrick Spies Safety and Security Reporter

KIDS as young as 12 are selling sex in Central in exchange for accommodation, drugs and money.

Children running away from poverty and abuse in the poorer areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, as well as those from middle class suburbs who have developed drug dependencies, are turning up in prostitution rings operating out of Central.

Police spokesman Captain Verna Brink said a number of children, some as young as 12, had been found during police raids conducted in Central over the last two weeks.

“Some of the children had been reported missing by their families in the northern areas, while others come from more affluent suburbs, and appear to have become involved in prostitution to support a drug habit.”

Brink said she could not give any personal details about the children who had been found in the raids, as they were under-aged.

John Preller, who runs drug rehabilitation counselling in Central, said the prostitution of children was very disturbing. He said Central was known for the high level of illegal activities, specifically drug dealing and prostitution, and he was not surprised these children were being lured into a life of crime.

“There are a large number of street children in the area who are turning to this as a way to fend for themselves,” he said. “What is needed, is early intervention that will take the children off the streets before they get drawn into that lifestyle.”

Ebenezer Church pastor Neville Goldman said the church was aware of the problem and was very concerned about children who had run away from home and turned to crime and prostitution to survive.

“There is definitely a problem in the northern areas of children who go missing, and of parents who cannot account for the whereabouts of their children.

“We cannot leave this generation unprotected. We know the needs are great, but that doesn‘t justify allowing our children going into prostitution,” he said.

Brink said the police were also concerned about a trend that was developing among prostitutes in the area.

“It appears that the men the prostitutes are working for are setting targets that they have to make in a night, and if they do not meet these targets they rob their clients to make up the difference.”

Brink said the men who were robbed very seldom opened cases against the prostitutes, as they were often too embarrassed to have their names taken, but many had reported being robbed.

Regional director of Child Welfare South Africa, Delene Ritter, said they were well aware of the growing problem relating to child prostitution.

The main reasons for young girls and boys getting involved in child prostitution are an absence of family harmony and poverty.

“These children then move out of their family environment into environments were they are introduced to alcohol and drugs. They are normally lured into prostitution by being made dependent on drugs, which leads to a constant need of money. Prostitution is the easiest solution to find money,” she said.

Ritter said Child Welfare had started several “action plan” programmes to train teenagers to work in communities to warn youngsters about the dangers of drugs and prostitution.

“We find that teenagers should talk to teenagers. That is why we train young people to talk to young people.”

She said as soon as youngsters got involved with drugs and prostitution, they had no future or opportunities left.

This message needed to be conveyed to youngsters to steer them away from the “dangerous three” – drugs, prostitution and the need for money.