Hobovillia
25-01-2006, 20:51
"Police have swooped to remove several young prostitutes – among them a 12-year-old – from Christchurch streets, confirming the existence of a sordid under-age sex trade.
Inspector Gary Knowles, of the Christchurch police, said officers removed four under-age prostitutes from the streets last week, including one who was only 12, as they began a crackdown on young sex workers.
Authorities and child-protection groups have expressed disgust, and a former prostitute has pleaded for young girls to avoid sex work. Prostitution is legal only for people aged 18 and over.
The police swoop was part of promised action on the teenage prostitute problem after a noticeable increase in their numbers on the streets.
"There's no doubt it's happening. Front-line staff are telling us there is an increase. We have had enough of it," Knowles said.
Police had returned girls to their homes or to Child, Youth and Family care.
"We are doing it for their own protection. They are subjected to not just violence, but also social diseases," he said.
The concern for prostitutes had grown since the murder of prostitutes Suzie Sutherland, 36, and Anna Wilson, 24, last year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementKnowles said police were frustrated that some girls were returning to the streets soon after they were picked up by the police.
"(In one case), as soon as we took her home she was virtually out there straight away," he said.
"The mothers and fathers or caregivers of these girls need to take ownership."
One former under-age prostitute has made a plea to young girls to think twice about getting involved with prostitution and drugs.
The woman told The Press she was concerned for the safety of teenage girls getting into sex work.
She was the victim of an alleged sexual violation when she was 15.
"You find yourself living with embarrassment. It's a feeling you have to live with for the rest of your life. It damages your soul and your spirit," she said.
Many of the girls were doing it for drugs, and they needed to think seriously about stopping, she said."Is one shot of a drug worth the rest of your life being ruined?"
Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro said the situation was unacceptable, and Christchurch was one of only two noted areas for child prostitution in New Zealand, along with South Auckland.
"It is unacceptable that people use those services and it is unacceptable that children may see that as a possible profession," she said.
The director of anti-child-prostitution group Ecpat, Jane Foster, described the police revelation as "a sad indictment".
"This is New Zealand in 2006 and men are buying sex from 12-year-olds. This is not good enough," she said.
Knowles said the primary police focus at the moment was getting young girls off the streets, and then they would start looking at tracking down the men who had knowingly bought under-age sex.
"The legislation is designed to protect children put into prostitution. If people are knowingly having sex with minors, they expose themselves to prosecution," he said.
Prostitutes' Collective spokes woman Anna Reed said she hoped police would focus on the buyers just as much as the girls.
"They (the girls) tend to run away back to the street if that's where they want to be, but if they can cut their income supply that would be more effective."
The young ones would just hide when the police came if they only targeted the workers, and if they were driven underground that could worsen the situation.
Reed said it was "very worrying" to hear that someone as young as 12 was working the streets.
"It is very unsafe for a 12-year-old to be out on the streets."
She said many of the older prostitutes were concerned about teenage prostitutes as they had children of their own, and did not think it was safe for young girls.
The Press has recorded just one case of a person convicted for buying sex from a girl under 18 years since the Prostitution Reform Act was introduced in 2003, despite reports in The Press two years ago that young teenagers were selling themselves for drugs, alcohol and food.
Labour MP for Christchurch Central and proponent of the Prostitution Reform Act Tim Barnett said he was saddened to hear under-age workers were operating, but it was something that had happened off and on for a long time. There was no evidence the new law had increased under-age prostitutes on the streets.
He felt that, if anything, the law would have improved the situation, by increasing the penalty for clients of under-age workers. "The new law made it a significant offence ... a maximum of seven years in prison." Reed felt the new legislation had helped with the overall situation.
"Prior to the law change people were afraid to go to the police. Now there is a better rapport with them. violence is being reported and they are acting on it. It shows the law is working," she said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3551542a11,00.html
Inspector Gary Knowles, of the Christchurch police, said officers removed four under-age prostitutes from the streets last week, including one who was only 12, as they began a crackdown on young sex workers.
Authorities and child-protection groups have expressed disgust, and a former prostitute has pleaded for young girls to avoid sex work. Prostitution is legal only for people aged 18 and over.
The police swoop was part of promised action on the teenage prostitute problem after a noticeable increase in their numbers on the streets.
"There's no doubt it's happening. Front-line staff are telling us there is an increase. We have had enough of it," Knowles said.
Police had returned girls to their homes or to Child, Youth and Family care.
"We are doing it for their own protection. They are subjected to not just violence, but also social diseases," he said.
The concern for prostitutes had grown since the murder of prostitutes Suzie Sutherland, 36, and Anna Wilson, 24, last year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementKnowles said police were frustrated that some girls were returning to the streets soon after they were picked up by the police.
"(In one case), as soon as we took her home she was virtually out there straight away," he said.
"The mothers and fathers or caregivers of these girls need to take ownership."
One former under-age prostitute has made a plea to young girls to think twice about getting involved with prostitution and drugs.
The woman told The Press she was concerned for the safety of teenage girls getting into sex work.
She was the victim of an alleged sexual violation when she was 15.
"You find yourself living with embarrassment. It's a feeling you have to live with for the rest of your life. It damages your soul and your spirit," she said.
Many of the girls were doing it for drugs, and they needed to think seriously about stopping, she said."Is one shot of a drug worth the rest of your life being ruined?"
Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro said the situation was unacceptable, and Christchurch was one of only two noted areas for child prostitution in New Zealand, along with South Auckland.
"It is unacceptable that people use those services and it is unacceptable that children may see that as a possible profession," she said.
The director of anti-child-prostitution group Ecpat, Jane Foster, described the police revelation as "a sad indictment".
"This is New Zealand in 2006 and men are buying sex from 12-year-olds. This is not good enough," she said.
Knowles said the primary police focus at the moment was getting young girls off the streets, and then they would start looking at tracking down the men who had knowingly bought under-age sex.
"The legislation is designed to protect children put into prostitution. If people are knowingly having sex with minors, they expose themselves to prosecution," he said.
Prostitutes' Collective spokes woman Anna Reed said she hoped police would focus on the buyers just as much as the girls.
"They (the girls) tend to run away back to the street if that's where they want to be, but if they can cut their income supply that would be more effective."
The young ones would just hide when the police came if they only targeted the workers, and if they were driven underground that could worsen the situation.
Reed said it was "very worrying" to hear that someone as young as 12 was working the streets.
"It is very unsafe for a 12-year-old to be out on the streets."
She said many of the older prostitutes were concerned about teenage prostitutes as they had children of their own, and did not think it was safe for young girls.
The Press has recorded just one case of a person convicted for buying sex from a girl under 18 years since the Prostitution Reform Act was introduced in 2003, despite reports in The Press two years ago that young teenagers were selling themselves for drugs, alcohol and food.
Labour MP for Christchurch Central and proponent of the Prostitution Reform Act Tim Barnett said he was saddened to hear under-age workers were operating, but it was something that had happened off and on for a long time. There was no evidence the new law had increased under-age prostitutes on the streets.
He felt that, if anything, the law would have improved the situation, by increasing the penalty for clients of under-age workers. "The new law made it a significant offence ... a maximum of seven years in prison." Reed felt the new legislation had helped with the overall situation.
"Prior to the law change people were afraid to go to the police. Now there is a better rapport with them. violence is being reported and they are acting on it. It shows the law is working," she said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3551542a11,00.html