Rethink Resources

So I found two reports referring to recent research on youth in the sex trade in New York. I assumed it was about the same report until I looked closer and realized they referred to separate studies. I haven’t been able to locate the whole reports yet but I found the differences remarkable in what’s been reported so far.

In one report commissioned by the State of NY, researchers only spoke with law enforcement and adults working with youth to try to determine the number of youth involved in the sex trade and more information. They found significant differences in NYC compared to upstate NY but still said the majority were female.

The other research is still in progress. But this study is talking directly with youth (over 300 youth so far) and 2 out of 3 of the youth are male or transgendered. The researchers attributed this to the focus on street work instead of bars or inside locations where girls are more common. I’ll be watching for the complete reports to make note of here.

I’m always happy to see reports of activism and this week we have a small group protesting a mayor’s comments on homeless people in Canada. And a report from Illinois details how the state has a national reputation for making it more possible for homeless youth to stay in school.

Lastly here in Milwaukee the United Way has an ongoing campaign to address teen pregnancy. Milwaukee has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. I’m skeptical by my initial assessment of the website because of it’s focus on attempting to raise concern through talking about tax dollars spent and how the whole community pays more because of teen pregnancy. Raising children is a community responsibility and it shouldn’t be a question of where the baby is from to determine if it’s worthwhile to spend that money.

Teen moms do experience a lot of hardship but that could be solved in many other ways - like making schools more accessible, having more access to affordable, quality daycare and ensuring health care for all. Take a look at the website they’ve created and see what you think.

‘Pigeons’ squawk over mayor’s comments on homeless (Ottawa) Wednesday April 25, 2007 Three protesters wearing feather boas and large paper beaks demonstrated outside Ottawa City Hall Wednesday morning in a flap over Mayor Larry O’Brien’s comments about homeless people.

Study Reveals Surprising Findings About Child Prostitution In City (New York) Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Teen prostitution. The words usually conjure up images of young girls walking the streets. But a new study, the first in the city to extensively interview sexually exploited children, suggests that many of the conventional stereotypes are wrong. “The most surprising is the amount of boys that are doing this,” says Meredith Dank.

Report Finds 2,000 of State’s Children Are Sexually Exploited, Many in New York City (New York) Tuesday, April 24, 2007 At first it seemed like an innocent flirtation. Shaneiqua was 12 years old and walking around Brownsville, Brooklyn, when a man pulled up alongside her in a car and called to her from his window.

United Way continues campaign to reduce Milwaukee’s teen births (Wisconsin) Tuesday, April 24, 2007 The United Way of Greater Milwaukee unveiled the rest of its current media campaign to prevent teen births in Milwaukee Tuesday and launched a Web site to increase community involvement.

Schooling the homeless (Illinois) Monday, April 23, 2007 Educators must offer more help to students whose greatest chance at stability comes in the classroom