Children sexually exploited in Israel

About 1700 female minors are sexually exploited each year in Israel according to a report by the Association for the Defense of the Child, Haaretz newspaper reported on July 15.

In addition, some 100 young boys are used in the prostitution industry, it said.

"They come to the big city without anything and quickly understand that prostitution is the only way of survival," the report said.

Most of the youngsters were sexually abused by their parents and turned to prostitution as a means of survival.

Most of those working in Tel Aviv—the center of the sex trade—come from developments or Arab towns, from broken, abusive and disadvantaged families.

Girls are often brought into the sex trade at ages as young as 11, while boys get into prostitution at about the age of 13, often persuaded by groups of youths to "try it out" once for money. By the age of 16 they are often working full-time.

The report will be presented as part of a paper on the sexual exploitation of minors in Israel to the justice department.

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