Of the estimated 80,000 people involved in prostitution in the UK, up to 5,000 children may be involved at any one time, with a female to male ratio of four to one. [Home Office (2004), Paying the price]
More than half of women in prostitution have been raped and or seriously assaulted and at least 75% have been physically assaulted at the hands of the pimps and punters. 74% of women in prostitution identify poverty, the need to pay household expenses and support their children, as primary motivators for being drawn into prostitution. [Home office (2004)
Up to 75% of women involved in prostitution began when they were under 18 years of age and most teenage prostitutes are involved in street prostitution, which is estimated to be ten times more dangerous than working from houses or flats. [Benson, C. and Matthews, R. (1995)
Victims of child sexual abuse are 27.7 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution as adults than non-victims. [Widom, C.S. 1995.
Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse-Later Criminal Consequences.]
Women in prostitution are 18 times more likely to be murdered than the general population. [Hard Knock Life, New Philanthropy Capital 2007]
It is estimated that as many as 95% of women involved in prostitution have a drug or alcohol addiction. [Melrose, M. (2002),]
80,000 women work in 'on-street' prostitution in the UK. The average age women become involved being just 12yrs old. [Home Office, Paying the Price. A consultation paper on prostitution, 2004]
Prostitution : AVA - Against Violence & Abuse