More children and young people in the county are being exploited in prostitution according to a new report

Mental illness means, among other things, that the children feel mentally ill and that there is a risk that they expose themselves to self-harming behavior. According to the report, children and young people seek companionship online and can easily fall victim to the sexual exploitation of men at an early age.

– We see that girls as young as 13 years make their entry into prostitution, says Jenny Einebrant, coordinator for men’s violence against women, at the County Administrative Board of Jämtland County.

The report shows that the contact between children and men turns into sexual exploitation that the children cannot control or stop. Therefore, the county administrative board wants relevant authorities such as, for example, the social services and the police to gain more knowledge about the situation in order to be able to provide the right support.

– We want them to start using tools to identify children who are at risk of being exposed or who are exposed to prostitution. Those concerned need to take this perspective on young people’s health as well as examining young people’s lifestyles in terms of exercise and diet, says Jenny Einebrant.

The purpose of the report is to draw attention to the vulnerable situation that many children and young people find themselves in. Therefore, it is also important to review several development areas. Among other things, the County Administrative Board wants guardians and adults to know more about the situation in order to be able to get involved in the children’s lives.

– In the same way that we ask about how the children had it at school, we need to ask “how have you had it on the internet today?”, Says Jenny Einebrant.