Selling their childhoods

[Kadie]

Selling their childhoods

Seeking money and acceptance, a growing number of girls under 18 are peddling sex on Sacramento's streets

By Mareva Brown -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, June 1, 2004

Rejected by her mother and desperately lonely, "Lisa" has found freedom and acceptance on the prostitute stroll, where for the past year men have paid handsomely for sex with the 14-year-old.

"Celebrity," a foster care runaway, loves the easy cash, the sexy clothing and the attention from men. At first, the tall, slender 17-year-old said she'd perform only one type of sex act, "but it didn't really matter after a while." Like the other girls in this article, Celebrity's name has been changed to protect her identity.

"Mimi" said she tried selling drugs for a living, but two years ago, when she was 16, someone told her she was pretty enough to make good money as a prostitute. She has been working the streets ever since.

On any given night this year, officials say, as many as a third of the prostitutes working the south end of Stockton Boulevard may be younger than 18. They represent a dramatic rise in the number of child prostitutes over just a few years ago, according to officials, who say they are concerned about young girls entering the sex trade who may not be able to leave it.

more... http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/9499344p-10423297c.html