[Child prostitution: a public health issue]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Criminology

Context:

• Child prostitution is analyzed through a literature review, shifting from traditional medical perspectives to a public health approach.
• The study examines the harsh realities in Brazil, where child prostitution is often a means of survival.
• Poverty is identified as a significant factor, though not the exclusive cause of child prostitution.

Purpose:

• To support a public health approach to understanding and addressing child prostitution.
• To analyze the complex relationship between poverty, survival, and child prostitution.
• To integrate family and macro-social factors into the analysis of child prostitution.

Summary:

• This literature review explores child prostitution, health, and violence, reframing the issue from a public health perspective.
• The analysis reveals child prostitution in Brazil as a survival mechanism, closely tied to poverty but not solely determined by it.
• The study emphasizes the need to consider familial and broader societal issues when confronting child prostitution.

Impact:

• Provides a framework for public health interventions targeting child prostitution.
• Highlights the socio-economic determinants influencing child exploitation.
• Encourages a holistic approach to combating child prostitution by integrating family and societal contexts.