Gemini Girl, thank you so much for sharing your compassion and your experience here. I am so glad there are people with your sensibilities reaching out to teens who need support and not judgment.

I've been thinking a lot about what you wrote regarding the distinction between adults choosing sex trade work and teens doing the same, and I'm not convinced that our society sexualizes kids but I would agree that we fetishize youth in a way that may make younger and younger people seem attractive to adults. As you say, kids are sexual beings. I do see how the combination of a society that fetishizes youth and a population of young people on their own and seeking affirmation and basic surivival resources makes for a situation where teens lacking enough information, maturity and bargaining power will end up in dangerous situations.

I'm particularly struck by your last sentence:

When basic survival is the motivation behind sex work I believe it illustrates the deficits which exist in our society to support those who are at risk.

I'd expand on that to include all socially devalued or stigmatized or unreasonably dangerous work and not just sex work.

...because public space really matters!

Elizabeth