Prevalence and Characteristics of Children and Adolescents Engaged in Commercial Sex in the Recife Metropolitan Area, Pernambuco, Brazil

Author: de Brito, A. M.; Leal, M.; Barrett Fernandes de Almeida, R.; Vasconcelos de Almeida Neves, C.; Anderson, E. J.; Chora, M.; Shipman, H.; Kerr, L. & Kendall, C.

Abstract: This study estimates the population size of female minors (i.e. less than 18 years of age) involved in commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in the Recife Metropolitan Area (RMA), Pernambuco, Brazil. Secondarily, it explores sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of CSEC. We used 1) the Successive Sampling Population Size Estimation (SS-PSE) method via Respondent-Driven Sampling among young women engaged in commercial sex, ages 18–21, who began exchanging sex for money, favors, or goods or were otherwise commercially sexually exploited at least once before their 18th birthday, and 2) the Network Scale-Up Method (NSUM) with a direct-dial random sample of RMA residents. Median population size estimates were 19,472 (NSUM) and 36,165 (SS-PSE) individuals. In addition to providing results for global trafficking indicators and documenting forms of violence perpetrated against CSEC survivors, this paper contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 by increasing knowledge about a form of gender-based violence that largely stems from poverty, and identifies possible CSEC prevention pathways. The large population size estimated and disparity between the two estimates contributes to the global debate – both methodological and practical – about the pursuit of exact population estimates and prevalence rates for human trafficking and the best methods to achieve them.

Keywords: Brazil, child sexual exploitation, hidden populations, network scale-up method, respondent-driven sampling