What Is Sexual Exploitation
Sexual exploitation involves someone under the age of 18 exchanging a sexual act for something in return. A sexual act can be exchanged for money, food, shelter, protection, love, acceptance, popularity, and anything else.
Some forms of sexual exploitation:
> pressure to send naked images
> pressure to engage in sexual acts at parties
> forced prostitution by pimps boyfriending or befriending youth
> sugar daddy/sugar baby relationships
> pressure to engage in sexual acts through online predators
> selling of sex by girlfriends of gang members
Quick Facts About Sexual Exploitation
- Sexual exploitation is the most common form of human trafficking globally
- 100,000 to 300,000 children and youth in North America are sexually exploited each year
- The average age someone is sexually exploited in Canada is 12-14 years of age
- Pimps, who buy and sell people for sex, groom children under the age of 18 by friending or boyfriending them, creating a debt, and forcing them into prostitution
- Pimps range from 13-34 years of age in Canada
- 1/3 of sexual offences against children and youth are committed by another youth
- Over 90% of grooming into sexual exploitation happens online
- Child sexual abuse images have increased by 233% in the last 10 years
- Internet Watch Foundation found that Canada is 3rd globally for hosting child pornography on the internet
