Citation

O'grady R. Child. Worldw. 1993; 20(2-3): 43.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, International Catholic Child Bureau)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12179311

Abstract

Fear of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has resulted in a demand for young, healthy prostitutes in Thailand. Girls, as young as 10 or 11, are often kept in a separate room; their health is guaranteed and their price is higher. Since the children are considered less likely to have AIDS, the customers are less likely to wear condoms. However, the tissues of young boys and girls are thinner than in adults and rupture easily, allowing direct passage of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into the bloodstream. Medical examinations have shown that sex between an adult and a child usually results in tearing. A female child subjected to sex with several men a day has internal injuries, including bleeding and abrasions, which are never allowed to heal. Because of the high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), there are many open sores. These internal injuries and open sores provide portals for the virus. This information needs to reach those adults who use children as sex partners. Sex with children is not safe; it is risk behavior that increases a person's chance of contracting HIV.

Language: en