Hungary Increasing number of underage prostitutes

June 24, 2008

Comment: An alarmingly descriptive article appeared in the major Hungarian daily, Nepszabadsag about underage prostitutes in Budapest.

According to the article, NGOs claim there are more and more underage prostitutes on the streets, since foster homes have become more open . Unfortunately statistics are not available but the groups of 20 girls and boys are visibly present in the busiest intersection of the city.

Since 2007, buying sexual services from a juvenile between 14 and 18 is a crime punishable to up to three years prison sentence . According to Geza Juhasz, head of the Habeas Corpus working group and one of the initiators, the law remains a piece of paper, without being implemented. The police admits no charges were ever made against clients but holds up it hands saying clients are invisible and stopping children from selling themselves is impossible.

According to NGOs and police, the majority of underage prostitutes come from foster homes . Older ones convince the younger ones that they can earn money easily this way and often it’s them who also take away their money. Since foster homes are more open, there are more kids on the streets. They do not need to escape, they are entitled to leave and they just don’t go back. Since they have absolutely no money they are willing to sell themselves for small amounts.

Such situation should not exist in EU member states, and logically MUST NOT be tolerated, even if child sexual exploitation happens everywhere in Europe (see our earlier study on this issue here ). Also, such descriptive articles may draw attention on a freely available supply of underage prostitutes , which may in fact increase demand for them in Hungary.