A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AMONG WOMEN IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

There have been an increased number of researches that address the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). This concept describes crimes of a sexual nature committed mostly against women, children and adolescents that involve exploitation for financial or other gains. This paper seeks to evaluate the implication of commercial sexual exploitation by women in Kogi State. The data adopted for this paper was empirically done using both primary and secondary sources and it aims at finding out the possible ways in which these problems can be eradicated in Kogi State. Existing literature demonstrates that commercially sexually exploited youth typically experience significant and ongoing trauma. The literature teaches that these youths have a unique set of health risks, including violence-related injuries, sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, and a variety of mental health problems. The paper also examined how development in information and communication technology allows commercial sex workers to make connections with clients through internet and sell sex on this platform. Globalization processes have also changed the pattern of this business but organized criminal syndicates are using this development to traffic some women and children with the false promises of getting a lucrative business for them from overseas but ultimately subject them to sex exploitation. To this end, the paper recommends that more research into the prevention, identification, intervention, and multidisciplinary management of commercial sexual exploitation of mostly women, children and adolescents is needed.