Early involvement in survival sex among homeless girls; a comparative study

Homeless and runaway adolescents have limited means of support and are commonly confronted with surviving though means that are damaging to themselves and others. Girls may exchange sex for survival needs: food, drugs, money or a place to stay. These activities put the young person at high risk for sexually transmitted infections including HIV, sexual and physical assault, escalation of substance abuse and involvement in the criminal justice system. There have been few studies evaluating adolescent involvement in survival sex. This study was conducted through ACASI interviews of thirty homeless girls who had been involved in “survival sex” and thirty homeless girls that had not been involved. Interviews were conducted in homeless youth-serving agencies in the Hollywood area of California. The study evaluates the contributions to involvement in survival sex made by factors such as onset and extent of substance abuse, early involvement in placement such as child protective services, juvenile authority or psychiatric hospitalization, experience with abuse and maltreatment, and the influence of family members and peers. Better understanding of the initiation of survuval sex among homeless girls will help shape the development of programs to mitigate risk factors, prevent involvement in sexually dangerous and harmful behaviors, support improvement of placement services, and promote healthier outcomes.