Female juvenile prostitutes: Exploring the relationship to substance use

Author: Marie Brawn, Kara & Roe-Sepowitz, Dominique

Abstract: This study examines the incidence of substance use and the differences in life characteristics, such as family relationships, demographics, and abuse history in a sample of 128 adolescent females charged with prostitution. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between drug and alcohol use and juvenile prostitution as well as looking at the differences between the juvenile female prostitutes who use drugs and alcohol compared to those who did not. Differences included the users of alcohol and drugs experienced a greater lack of supervision at home, more associated with negative peers, had higher rates of childhood abuse and neglect, and more often had been suspended or expelled from school. Implications for assessment, interventions and future research are discussed.

Keywords: juvenile prostitution, substance abuse, female offenders, family disorganization