The Push and Pull Factors and Coping Strategies of Child Victims of Commercial Sex Work: The Case of Dessie Town, South Wollo, Ethiopia
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Sexual behaviour and sexuality are currently topical issues of concern for child care
social workers. Social workers are spending more of their time with children who come into
care because of sexual abuse or who have an involvement in child commercial sex work. This
study explores the factors thai push/pull girl children 10 become involved in commercial sex
work and the strategies these girls employ to cope with the situation they are in. The study
area is Dessie lown, the capital city of South Wollo Zone in the Amhara Regional State.
Child victims of commercial sex work who receive services in drop-in-center and safe home
were purposejitlly selected. Seventeen girl children agedfrom 11-18 years old participated in
the research. The study employed a qualitative research method. The study showed that the
major factors that push/pull girl children to become involved in commercial sex work were:
maltreatment of parents/guardians, arranged early marriage, lack of parental guidance,
poverty, death of parents and peer pressures or influences. The study also identified the
strategies employed by the children to cope with the situation as: change work places and
get out of commercial sex work, establish social ties with other children involved in
commercial sex work, men who come to be their clients and bar owners(or their employers),
sharing single rooms, initiate ekubs to save money, register by the police to work as street
vendors during Ihe day and at evenings and purchase of food and other necessary items in
large quantity when they earn a relatively beller income. It is recommended that initiatives
or programmes devised to support children to quit commercial sex work need to be holistic(
such as protection of the girls from violent customers and brokers through establishing safe
homes, organizing skills trainings, formal education support and counseling services) and
tailored to individual vulnerabilities and should be done through the coordination of different
stakeholders.
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Child Victims of Commercial Sex Work