UBC Study Challenges Stereotypes of Sexually Exploited Youth: Boys as Likely as Girls to be Exploited

A University of British Columbia study of B.C. youth who were street-involved or in custody has found that more than one in three such teens have been sexually exploited, and that males are just as likely to be sexually exploited as females.

“This is a hidden population,” says principal investigator Elizabeth Saewyc, associate professor in the School of Nursing. “Our findings shatter some of the common stereotypes about what sexual exploitation is, and who is exploited. Many of the teens — both boys and girls — were exploited after running away from home or being kicked out at very young ages, some as young as 12 or 13. They are quite vulnerable to this form of abuse, especially since they may not even recognize that what is happening to them is exploitation.”

Sexual exploitation occurs when youth under age 19 trade sexual activities with adults in exchange for resources such as money, drugs, food, shelter, gifts, transportation or other material considerations. It is illegal to sexually exploit minors, regardless of their presumed or explicit consent.

Saewyc believes this may be the largest study of sexually exploited youth in Canada. In a report called It’s not what you think: Sexually exploited youth in British Columbia, the research team describes the experiences of more than 500 sexually exploited youth from communities across B.C. The data were drawn from five youth health surveys conducted by the Vancouver-based McCreary Centre Society between 2000 and 2006 with street-involved youth and youth in custody. Youth ranged in age from 12 to 25, but the majority of those surveyed were under 19.

Aboriginal youth were disproportionately among those who were sexually exploited. One-third to one-half of exploited youth in any dataset identified as Aboriginal,

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens were also more likely to be among the sexually exploited teens, with 1 in 3 sexually exploited teens identifying as LGB. Just under half of exploited teens identified as heterosexual. . “The study clearly shows that teenagers belonging to sexual minority groups were the most at risk of sexual abuse,” says Scientific Director Dr. Joy Johnson from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Gender and Health (CIHR-IGH). “The most vulnerable teenagers in Canada seem to be the target, no matter their gender.”

One unexpected finding was that women also sexually exploit adolescents. “The common stereotype is it’s nearly always men who are exploiting youth, whether as pimps or as ‘Johns,’ the so-called clients who actually pay for sexual activity with money or goods,” Saewyc said. “But among youth who told us the genders of the people who exploit them, nearly half of the teens had exchanged sex with at least one female. Indeed, nearly 1 in 3 youth had been exploited only by women, while half of youth had been exploited solely by men.”  

While many youth were exploited for money or drugs, a significant number also exchanged sex for basic necessities such as shelter, food, transportation or clothing. According to Jayson Anderson, one of the study’s research associates who has worked with exploited youth in Vancouver for several years, this survival sex isn’t always recognized as exploitation by young people. To him, though, it’s a clear sign services are not reaching some of the youth who most need them. “The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says children and youth are entitled to safe shelter, food, and education in supportive communities. Teens shouldn’t have to be exploited just so they can have a place to stay, or food to eat.”   

The young people in the surveys agreed. Sexually exploited youth felt their communities needed more safe shelters, affordable housing, and job training and work experience programs. Among older youth, more than 75% wanted to get a job, but fewer than 15% felt they could do so on their own. Despite their challenging lives, sexually exploited youth reported typical hopes for the future, such as getting a job, and having a home and family.

Other key findings include:

  • Among younger street-involved youth (ages 12-18), a greater percentage of males were exploited (33% vs. 24% females in 2000, 34% males vs. 27% of females in 2006). Among older street-involved youth (ages 19-25), a higher percentage females reported sexual exploitation (53% females vs. 32% males in 2001).
  • Among younger street-involved youth, 1 in 5 were living at home when they were first sexually exploited; females were more likely to be sexually exploited while living with family than males were.
  • However, for the majority of street-involved youth, sexual exploitation came after running away, being kicked out, or becoming street-involved; 3 out of 4 youth first left home at a younger age than first being sexually exploited.
  • While youth were most commonly exploited in exchange for money or drugs, they also exchanged sex to meet their basic needs: More than 1 in 3 youth were exploited in exchange for shelter, up to 1 in 4 for transportation, and up to 1 in 5 for food or clothing.
  • Exploited youth were 2 to 3 times more likely to have seriously considered or attempted suicide in the past year than non-exploited youth.
  • The age of first being exploited appears to have gotten slightly older between 2000 and 2006. In 2000, the average age was 13.8 years, while in 2006 it was 14.8 years.

Funding for this study was provided by CIHR’s Institute of Population and Public Health and CIHR’s Institute of Gender and Health.

Some of the results from this study will be presented at the Canadian Public Health Association meeting in Halifax on June 3. The report will also be presented on June 5 in Ottawa to the Committee Against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth, chaired by Senator Romeo Dallaire.

A pdf copy of the report may be downloaded at www.nursing.ubc.ca/PDFs/ItsNotWhatYouThink.pdf.

Research team members are available for interviews:

  • Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, Principal Investigator
  • Jayson Anderson, Community Research Associate
  • Dr. Laura MacKay, Research Associate
  • Christopher Drozda, Research Associate

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s agency for health research. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 11,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

– 30 –