Solicitation of prostitution from a minor is a situation where a minor is induced into prostitution, it is a form of sexual exploitation of children this can happen in a number of ways. Child trafficking is one of the ways in which child prostitution manifest itself. Children are kidnapped and sold for this purpose the child engages in these activities and in return is given basic shelter and food. Child prostitutes are mostly between ages 11-18, they come from broken homes and lured into this kind of atmosphere by older men or people who look for vulnerable children.
United nation has declared child prostitution as illegal under various international laws, many organizations and campaigns have been created to stop this act and to create awareness against its existence.
If a is a person convicted of this act the prosecutor must prove without reasonable doubt that the defendant has induced a child in sexual activity, or has played a part in assisting someone else in this activity. If a person is convicted of soliciting a minor into prostitution he/she will face a minimum three year state prison sentence without probation and parole the reduction in the sentence will also not be possible, person guilty of this crime may also face five years in prison and a fine of $5,000 should have to be paid as well. If a person is found to be deriving financial support from child prostitution it should be noted that for this crime to be proven the prosecutor must prove that the defendant has derived financial support from prostitution committed by a minor and that the defendant knew that these earnings came from prostitution but the prosecutor doesn’t have to prove that the defendant knew that the prostitute was a minor. If convicted the culprit will face a mandatory minimum five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine. The sentence could be reduced but parole and probation won’t be considered. A person may face life imprisonment. Engaging in sexual conduct with children under 18 years of age is a criminal offense under many laws.
Even though the guilty are sent for their punishment but child prostitution can leave everlasting psychological and physical effects on the child, these malpractices can cause vaginal tearing, physical effects of torture, depression, infection and unwanted pregnancies. Children gone through this trauma deal with psychological effects which can severely damage their mental and physical health. These activities are prohibited and according to United Nations, the state shall protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation, including prostitution and involvement in pornography.
Consequences for offenders vary from country to country in China all forms of prostitution is illegal, and people can face serious imprisonment whereas in the United States of America the penalty for engaging in prostitution is five to twenty years in prison. Prostitution of children happen in all the countries and serious measures should be taken for its prevention as vices like these can only be eliminated through joint effort.