Risk Factors for Trading Sex Among Homeless Young Adults

Research has demonstrated that numerous homeless youth engage in deviant subsistence strategies, such as trading sex as a means of survival. Trading sex, which is typically defined as exchanging sex for specific items such as food, shelter, money, or drugs can be differentiated from prostitution, which is typically done exclusively for economic gain (Overall, 1992). Because of their lack of resources, trading sex may be viewed as a practical solution to the current financial situation of homeless youth (Hagan & McCarthy, 1997; Mallory & Stern, 2000; Van Leeuwen et al., 2004; Whitbeck & Hoyt, 1999). Rates of trading sex among homeless youth have been found to vary significantly by study from approximately 11% to 46% (Beech, Myers, & Beech, 2002; Greenblatt & Robertson, 1993; Greene, Ennett, & Ringwalt, 1999; Halcon & Lifson, 2004; Kipke, Unger, O’Connor, Palmer, & LaFrance, 1997; Kral, Molnar, Booth, & Watters, 1997; Martinez et al., 1998; Tyler & Johnson, 2006; Van Leeuwen et al., 2004). Trading sex among homeless youth is often thought to be a last resort and is a survival strategy that is generally employed less frequently compared to other delinquent subsistence strategies, such as conning and stealing (Hagan & McCarthy, 1997; Whitbeck & Hoyt, 1999). Although some research has examined trading sex as a predictor of sexual victimization (Tyler, Hoyt, & Whitbeck, 2000; Tyler, Hoyt, Whitbeck, & Cauce, 2001), very few studies have examined other risk factors associated with trading sex among homeless youth. Fewer studies have employed multivariate analyses to examine this relationship even though trading sex is associated with numerous negative health outcomes, such as being sexually victimized, attempting suicide, contracting sexually transmitted diseases, and becoming pregnant (Greene et al., 1999; Tyler et al., 2000; Tyler, Whitbeck, Hoyt, & Yoder, 2000). Given these negative health outcomes, it is important to understand the correlates of trading sex among homeless young adults so that caseworkers and service providers may effectively intervene before trading sex becomes a way of life. Click here to read this article.