The Tragedy
Child prostitution is international in scope. Pimps have become more sophisticated in
recruiting and harboring the children they force to prostitute, moving their victims from
state to state, often forcing them to work as prostitutes outside the larger cities and in
small towns where police are unfamiliar with the operations of child prostitution rings.
Children are recruited by pimps in arcades, malls, entertainment centers, at tourist attractions and concerts. The pimp seduces a new recruit with the lure of wealth and the luxury of designer clothes, fancy cars, and exclusive nightclubs. Pimps move from city to city looking for children who are easy prey: alone, desperate, and alienated. Once he moves a child from her hometown into a strange city, the pimp can easily force her to work as a prostitute. Thousands of children are victimized by this horrible con game every year. Child prostitution is an immense and devastating problem that nobody wants to recognize, nobody wants to talk about, and everyone wants to cover up. Child prostitutes are not only abandoned by their parents, but by the social services system as well.
Child prostitutes are typically victims of incest at an early age. Without intervention, these children run to the street during adolescence to escape the terrifying sexual exploitation by a trusted caretaker.
Sexually abused children respond differently than children abused in other ways. They are defenseless and lack the aggression required for survival on the streets. They are more vulnerable to the manipulations and skillful con games of pimps.
The Program
Each child who enters the Children of the Night home is given the individual attention he or she needs. Upon arrival, youngsters are assigned to private bedrooms if possible (each with its own bath) until they get a chance to settle in, and receive fresh clothing and hygiene kits. Each child is designated a Primary Caseworker who coordinates medical care, psychological care, academic assessments and other social services as needed.
Residents follow a highly structured program that includes attending an on-site school where they study a curriculum individually tailored to their specific needs so they can reach age- appropriate grade levels in all subjects before leaving. With the help of caseworkers, each youngster formulates a “life plan” and attends independent living classes, as well as participating in sports and recreational activities plus evening workshops in crafts, yoga, 12-step meetings, poetry, AIDS education, and more.
By offering children appropriate adult role models who won’t let them down and helping them set and achieve goals, Children of the Night provides the tools that prepare youngsters to function in mainstream jobs and normal lives. “We’re in the business of raising children,” says the organization’s founder and president, Dr. Lois Lee, who with her staff helps residents move on to appropriate placement - with a family member, in a foster or group home, in independent living, or in college.
