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Presenting the study on the detection of child abuse for prostitution in Slovenia
Today, at a round table in Ljubljana City Hall, we presented the findings of the study we carried out at the end of 2022 among professionals working with children across Slovenia. We were joined on the panel by Irena Velič of the Social Work Centre and by Anja Mrkalj Kastelic and Robert Tekavec of […]
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Today, at a round table in Ljubljana City Hall, we presented the findings of the study we carried out at the end of 2022 among professionals working with children across Slovenia. We were joined on the panel by Irena Velič of the Social Work Centre and by Anja Mrkalj Kastelic and Robert Tekavec of the General Police Directorate. 
The study set out to establish how far the abuse of children for prostitution is being detected in Slovenia. Even though we encounter many such stories, and the people we support often tell us they ended up in prostitution before turning eighteen, the results we received were shocking.
After three introductory questions we asked professionals whether, over the past five years, they had encountered a case where it was POSSIBLE that a minor was involved in prostitution. Around 10% (36 people) had encountered the possibility that a child was being abused for prostitution. Most explained that the children were aged between 15 and 18, but a considerable number selected the answer that the children were under 15 (19%, or 7 professionals). Most reported 1–5 cases, though the other responses are statistically significant too: around 26% (9 responses) had encountered more than 5 such cases. Counting the lowest figure in each numerical band, the total number of children whom professionals suspected of being victims of prostitution comes to 120 (up to 248).
Of those who suspected a child was a victim of prostitution, 94% selected an answer to the question “In how many cases do you consider it VERY CERTAIN that prostitution was taking place?”, giving a total of at least 49 children (up to 186), of whom at least 7 were under 15.
Almost half learned of it indirectly, through the child's friends and classmates (47%). The next most common source was the children with lived experience themselves (39%), followed by family (36%) and other institutions (36%). Suspicions also arose from observing the child and their relationships, from websites visited, or from finding them with large amounts of money or psychoactive substances. Most respondents turned to the responsible institutions and to professional support — chiefly the police and various non-governmental organisations (Ključ, DNK and others).
A more detailed analysis is available here: https://drustvo-kljuc.si/o-prostituciji/o-prostituciji-otrok-v-sloveniji/
Like our other publications, drawn from our own experience and from experience abroad, this study confirmed at least two things. People who end up in prostitution, one way or another, mostly start from a poor position, and often experienced their first abuse in childhood. And we urgently need to change how we understand what prostitution is and how damaging it is for the people in it, and stop throwing sand in our own eyes with euphemisms: it is not work, it is not the sexual liberation of society, and it is certainly not buying “affection”. In the great majority of cases it is purely the abuse of those without power by those who have it.
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