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AIBU?

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Original poster

'Underage Prostitutes' - response from BBC

82 replies

DannyLaRuesBestFrock · 11/03/2018 01:31

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?

OP posts:

Teateaandmoretea · 11/03/2018 11:21

A 16/17 year old sex worker meets my definition of cold abuse regardless of the age of consent.

Teateaandmoretea · 11/03/2018 11:21

Child

kaytee87 · 11/03/2018 11:26

At least they apologised. I complained to a newspaper once for using the term 'child porn' and I didn't even get a response.

worridmum · 11/03/2018 11:28

you do know the age of consent varies from country to country in Hati if you have sex with someone under the age of 18 its child abuse but in the uk age of consent is 16 in other parts of the world age of consent is 21 so its a difficult thing for terminology.

if you had sex with a 20 year old and you were over 21 you would be a child abuser in that country but would you consider 17,18,19,20 a child?

Teateaandmoretea · 11/03/2018 11:34

Of course I know the age of consent varies. However, I believe regardless of that a man paying a 16/7 year old for sex is child abuse. The UK age of consent is fine for two teenagers having sex but prostitution is a slightly different situation in my eyes. I therefore don't think the age of consent is relevant, but in the UK you are not an adult until you are 18.

FlouncyDoves · 11/03/2018 11:36

But a 30 year old man having sex with a 17 year old isn’t child abuse in this country.

OhGoveUckYourself · 11/03/2018 11:39

I also complained to the BBC about this issue. Here is the main part of their response:

We link to Oxfam’s report in the second paragraph and our wording was based on a section which refers to several of the initial allegations that weren’t substantiated during their investigation; including the use of “under-age prostitutes” but also how “it cannot be ruled out that any of the prostitutes were under-aged”.

In hindsight we agree that this aspect could have been worded more sensitively, your concerns have been discussed with senior editors at the BBC News website and it’s a point we will be mindful of in the future.

Thank you once again for taking the time and trouble to make us aware of your concerns.

I am happy that they have discussed the matter and appear to want not to make the same mistake again.

Fairyflaps · 11/03/2018 11:41

I have asked the BBC to change the wording of this headline Former sex worker 'vindicated' after High Court win about the amazing and brave Fiona Broadfoot who was groomed into prostitution as a child.

Many others have also contacted the BBC including members of her family. When being interviewed on the Today programme, Fiona herself told the interviewer why the term sex worker was inappropriate for a child who was the victim of abuse.

No response yet, and you will have noticed, the headline has not been changed.

Teateaandmoretea · 11/03/2018 11:42

Flouncy it isn't no. My opinion is that the law is wrong and that the age of consent rather than being blanket should be graduated.

Lizzie48 · 11/03/2018 11:43

I think the whole issue of prostitution is very complex. The 'happy hooker' doesn't really exist in real life, only in films like 'Pretty Woman'. There are obviously exceptions, of course, but you wouldn't hear a girl saying she wants to be a sex worker when she's grown up.

You do get women choosing to go into prostitution of course. But it's not really a choice in many cases. They do it because they have no other way of feeding their family, it's very common in Central Asia, I've found out since working with a women's project that helps women from that region.

Others do it to feed an addiction, and may well have run from home to escape abusive situations.

So yes, some are 'willing', but only because they have no other option.

I don't think age should be the only issue at all, it's about vulnerability. And I definitely agree that women involved in the sex industry are dehumanised. Why did it matter that some of the victims of Peter Sutcliffe weren't prostitutes, did their murders somehow become more heinous?

LoveEricLove · 11/03/2018 11:50

It's not just about the age of consent. A 16/17 year old can marry and many have their own children. Many live independently. You can join the army.

So it's not as clear cut as to say 'you're not an adult in the UK under 18'.

LassWiADelicateAir · 11/03/2018 11:55

I am completely with Flouncy that the posts shouldn't be deleted

I think Flouncy's posts should stay simply to let us know there are really people who think such utter unthinking rubbish like

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

After Rotherham I would have hoped it would have penetrated even the thickest of skulls that children do not consent to be prostitutes, but apparently not.

GruffaloPants · 11/03/2018 12:01

Don't be daft flouncy.

There are no cared for, non abused 15yos deciding, with no outside influence, to prostitute themselves for a bit of pocket money.

For exchanging sex for money to occur to a child their boundaries must have been seriously messed with, usually by past/ongoing abuse.

Being so poor that you'd agree to a stranger abusing you means that consent isn't freely given.

If I was starving, hadn't eaten for a week, and someone said they'd give me and my kids food in exchange for anally penetrating me, that wouldn't be any type of real consent.

Lizzie48 · 11/03/2018 12:06

I agree, @GruffaloPants that's why the whole issue of 'consent' isn't relevant when talking about prostitution.

dimots · 11/03/2018 12:25

Yes, in the UK a 16/17 yr old can marry or join the Army. But not without parental consent. And once in the Army they can't be sent on active service until they're 18.

LassWiADelicateAir · 11/03/2018 12:27

Yes, in the UK a 16/17 yr old can marry or join the Army. But not without parental consent

You do not need parental consent in Scotland to get married at 16.

LoveEricLove · 11/03/2018 12:27

But they can still do it. And they're not considered to be children are they?

foodiefil · 11/03/2018 12:34

@SilverDragonfly1 they have bureaus in Africa, that's what they'll have meant by 'Africa desk'

They should never have used that terminology OP

dimots · 11/03/2018 12:34

Scotland is different regarding marriage true, but not the forces I don't think. And 16/17 year olds in the army are cadets. They don't see active service.
Marriage doesn't usually risk your life. Both prostitution and active service do.

dimots · 11/03/2018 12:39

And a married 17 yr old still can't buy a drink in a pub, so yes in most regards we do still treat them as children.
Whatever your feelings on marriage at 16 it is in no way the same as selling your body to a series of different men for cash. Either in terms of risk or mental health

SnibbleAgain · 11/03/2018 12:48

Agree Flouncy's posts should stay.

The idea that as prostitution for adults is often indirectly coerced (financially) that there's no need to separate out when it is children who are in this position and look at it differntly are bonkers.

Both are bad, one is also child abuse.

It's really not complicated.

Additionally the idea that we should not judge other countries by our own values, and throwing in some blurring around age of consent... Prostition is illegal in Haiti. I suspect that the people who get in trouble are the prostitutes rather than the punters (as per most of the world). So your argument there is crap, quite frankly. Or, given that you're such a fan of cultural relativism, you'd presumably agree with these women and girls being found and arrested.

SnibbleAgain · 11/03/2018 12:50

In the UK it is illegal to work as a prostitute under the age of 18.

I suspect it is also therefore illegal to pay for sex with someone under 18.

LassWiADelicateAir · 11/03/2018 12:50

Whatever your feelings on marriage at 16 it is in no way the same as selling your body to a series of different men for cash. Either in terms of risk or mental health

Agreed. The age for marriage is a pointless derail (to which I contributed)

SnibbleAgain · 11/03/2018 12:52

My friend had sex with 2 men for some drugs when we were 15 or 16.

She did it willingly and was very happy with her "pay" which was very little looking back on it.

She had a shockingly awful home life.

Lizzie48 · 11/03/2018 13:04

@SnibbleAgain that's not quite what I meant. I meant that a never ending debate about the cut off point, whether it's 16, 17 or 18, is actually pointless IMO, as girls this age were often child victims before, they don't suddenly magically become able to cope with it because they turn 18. And the men don't know or care whether they're over 18 or not.

I would say that 18 is a good cut off point, though, if we're sticking to the legalities.

But actually some adults are directly forced as well, that's what sex trafficking is unfortunately. But the clients are obviously not child abusers, though they're not fussed whether the woman is willing or not, so it's a way of committing rape without the risk of being charged for that offence.

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