*Do you think it's fair to treat prostitutes as victims when they're minors, but criminals after they turn 18*

I think that is a tough question..a minor may not have the ability to process what is going on or to leave the situation..but then again what makes someone more emotionally/physically stable at 18 than at 17?..Just because they are legally adults does not mean that they are now suddenly able to process and deal with things differently...I guess I dont have a straight answer lol ..this story is horrible by the way

wow Marni you seriously just took the words out my mouth! or the thoughts out of my brain..LOL!

I'm glad they found and saved all those children from this rings. But again like Marni said the question is a very tough one!

Obviously the younger ones have no idea what they are doing but at the same time how old were the 18 year old's when they first got there? I think if the older ones STARTED at a young age maybe she should be treated as this horrible person. ugg...i don't know. Its really tough. I think the whole situation is tough to deal with. I feel bad for all these girls that get sucked into that..and of course the ones that are forced in.

yeah that is a tough question... but you have to cut off the "minor status" at some point, right? i guess you just have to hope that the legal system gives them a fair trial and an opportunity for a judge and jury to decide if they were pressured into it at a young age or if they made that decision of their own volition.

i actually had a really close friend from childhood who decided to become a prostitute when we were about 24 years old. she thought it was "cool" and "easy money". we both grew up in a middle class suburb, went to catholic school together, never went hungry, had good families - no drugs or crime in the home... basically she had no excuse to go this route. she just did it because she was crazy and stupid. if she'd started at 18 or 19 and had been caught i would have testified against her and tried to get her locked up for it. reading this story actually makes me mad at her all over again for doing something like that.

wow yesteryear..that was really stupid on her part if you dont mind me saying.

I think that if they start at an age where they know exactly what they are doing then its definetly not okay.

But lets say that girl was forced in at a young age like 10? Then what?

I can see I'm in the minority here, but I actually don't think prostitution should be illegal. As long as the person is an adult and isn't pressured into prostituting themselves, I don't see why it should be considered a criminal offence. Forced prostitution (especially when children are involved) obviously is a completely different matter though.

The people who would buy the services of a child prostitute are heinous enough. But the people who traffic them really do deserve an eternity of horrible pain and torture in hell.

As for the question at the end of this post, I also don't think prostitution should be illegal for adults, but the trafficking of children should be punished in the worst possible way imaginable.

God bless these children.

If we make it legal and then tax the heck out of it, do you think those "jobs" would be shipped overseas?

I think prostitution should be made legal as well. For willing adults. Forced prostitution (especially children) should be punished severely.

And YY...I have a similar story...but she was more of an acquaintance than an actual friend.

Hey Undave, probably one job that won't be outsourced!

Go after the johns. I mean, if you really want to stop it, go after the johns. Get real.

If you go after the johns, you'll drive most politicians back to their homes.... Oh wait, that's a good thing.