'Underage Prostitutes' - response from BBC

[DannyLaRuesBestFrock]

Meant to post earlier, but a PP posted about BBC online and the oxfam scandal, where sick bastards had procured services from victims to get their sexual kicks.

The BBC stated that the people exploited, could have included 'underage prostitutes'

Agreed by lots of mners, that there isn't such a thing and it is child abuse, the poster prompted people to complain to the BBC.

I was one of them and after a couple of weeks, I did get a response to say that in hindsight, they could have used better wording and will try to do so in the future.

Just wanted to update. I don't think it is enough, but at least they listened?

You don't think it's enough?

What are you after?

Sounds proportionate to me.

They could apologise for their choice of words and say they will make sure their staff are aware not to use them again.

"Underage prostitutes" is just not acceptable from the BBC and they need to do more than "try" not to use it in the future.

I suppose OP doesn't think it's enough because something like that shouldn't EVER have been written by a BBC employee.

They're meant to be well-trained.

I complained last year about the use by the BBC on their news website of the term "child pornography". I wrote and said that it should have been phrased as "images of child abuse" . Didn't get a response. This was the THIRD time I'd written about them using this phrase. They clearly don't train their staff effectively.

They accepted they were wrong. The people behind the BBC are human too. What more do you want?

It's a tricky one in this case I think because the age of consent in Haiti is 18 which means underage can include 16/17 year olds which doesn't fit UK definition of child abuse.

I've said this before but, for me, 'child abuse' doesn't put its finger on what the men were actually doing, e.g. paying for sex with children. I don't need telling that this is abusive, but I do need the article I am reading to be informative about the allegations being made. I think the term 'prostituted children' is more than adequate to the job of informing readers AND underlining that this is rape.

It's actually a bit of a step forward! A couple of years ago I complained to them about using the phrase 'suicide bomber' about a young child who was strapped with explosives that were detonated in a market in Nigeria. She wasn't a suicide bomber, she was a murder victim. They passed the complaint to their 'Africa Desk' (which a poster here who works for the BBC said didn't actually exist) who totally dismissed it and actually said 'we will not be entering into any further correspondence on this matter', which was a whole new level of arrogance.

I always thought underage prostituite was between 16-18 and child prostitute was under that?

I think it’s an example of ever changing terminology and language. I do think it’s important to make it clear that the children were being prostituted because it’s key to the story. Maybe more could be done to destigmatise the phrase so that child prostitution becomes synonymous with child abuse- iyswim?

Think is though, you do get underage prostitutes. If they’re doing it willingingly and not being coerced by a pimp or trafficker.

FlouncyDoves

But that's the same argument as talking about under-16s 'consenting'. The consent is negated by their age. So an underage person 'working as a prostitute' might not be being pimped, but they are still being raped.

Language is a window to the mind. This 'newspeak' that some people are trying to introduce is like closing the curtains on the window.

Think is though, you do get underage prostitutes. If they’re doing it willingingly and not being coerced by a pimp or trafficker.

There are no words.

OP yanbu at all.

@Flouncy that is an appalling thing to say. The whole point about child safeguarding laws, including things like the age of consent, is that young people under a certain age (or older youths who are vulnerable due to eg SENs) cannot give informed consent and therefore cannot be deemed “willing”. The law recognises that there are certain decisions that younger people cannot make appropriately.

Add into the mix the social demographics and family backgrounds often found with children who have been forced into abuse and prostitution, and I really struggle to understand how you think a 15 year old just wakes up one day and decides to become a prostitute. Do you think they go and have a chat with the schools career adviser or something?

An ignorant and inexcusable comment. Educate yourself, ffhs.

Flouncy I didn't think that people like you still existed.
Fuck sake. This is why we need feminism.

I've had to go back and check flouncy wrote about 'willing under age prostitutes' ffs. That's a horrific mind set. As corblimeyguv wrote, its hardly a career option that pops into their head.

Also, the BBC’s response was entirely proportional

Glad you complained OP, I didn’t see the MN thread but I was absolutely disgusted when I heard the term used on the News.

Flouncy, maybe you need to educate yourself a bit, otherwise you’ll continue to come across as grossly ignorant and offensive.

Unfortunately I am sure they will say it again and again

I also think it depends on where you draw the line about coercion.

For example, someone who has been trafficked is coerced (through perceived debt etc) into a life of prostitution.

Someone who is from a deprived area or loves in poverty may choose to prostitute themselves as it’s a means to earning money to live. Is that coercion?

Of course, the argument that a 15 year old is under the age of consent (in this country; I’m not sure about others like Haiti etc and not sure we should apply our moral standard in this country to others) is valid, but that doesn’t negate personal responsibility and choice. And some under-age girls might choose to prostitute themselves.

Flouncy you are wrong it really is as simple as that. They are victims of sexual abuse by older men no more or less.

I’ve just checked (because it’s interesting) and in Haiti he age of consent is 18. So does that mean that a 17 year old is being raped in this country?

And some under-age girls might choose to prostitute themselves.

Children might choose to do all sorts of things. Adults have a responsibility to prevent children making bad choices rather than going ahead and sticking their penis into them anyway.

Any man who has sex with a prostitute under 18 years old however old he thought she was should be locked up and the key thrown away.