It's a sad but ugly truth: roughly one in four homeless youth engages in survival sex. A new research brief out this week from the National Alliance to End Homelessness paints a scary picture of the harsh realities faced by homeless runaway youth. Whatever you do, do not just read these numbers and shake your head. Let this be a call to action, the start of a grassroots movement to help these victimized homeless youth get the help they desperately need.
It's a sad but ugly truth: roughly one in four homeless youth engages in survival sex. A new research brief out this week from the National Alliance to End Homelessness paints a scary picture of the harsh realities faced by homeless runaway youth. Whatever you do, do not just read these numbers and shake your head. Let this be a call to action, the start of a grassroots movement to help these victimized homeless youth get the help they desperately need.
Here are a few of the most compelling (terrible) points that caught my eye from the research brief:
40-60 percent of homeless youth have experienced physical abuse and 17-35 percent have experienced sexual abuse. These young people are much more vulnerable to survival sex, prostitution, and sexual exploitation.
Homeless girls face a significantly greater risk of being raped or assaulted than homeless boys.
Sexually exploited youth rarely report their situation or ask for help.
LGBTQ homeless youth experience are at a greater risk of sexual exploitation than non-LGBTQ homeless youth.
Long-term psychological effects from sexual exploitation are more likely the longer a youth remains on the street following an assault.
Sexual exploitation of homeless youth is not a city or coastal issue - research shows it is just as common in rural and Midwestern communities.
One study noted that of the youth engaging in survival sex, 48 percent reported exchanging sex for housing or food, 22 percent traded sex for drugs, and 82 percent traded sex for money.
If these numbers don't trouble you, then maybe this will: the research brief concludes by pointing to the complete lack of community-based resources for victimized homeless runaway youth. In other words, their plight is largely unknown by most of America and there are few specialized services to help them.
But here's the good news: you can take action to stop this type of activity in your community. Here are a few things you can do (straight from the report):
Learn about youth homelessness in your community. Find out how many homeless youth are enrolled in the public schools and what kinds of resources are available to help them. Be informed about the realities of your community.
Be a vocal advocate for increased housing resources. Youth are less likely to be exploited when they are off the streets and in stable housing. There are model youth housing programs that can be developed in rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods. Is there enough affordable housing in your neighborhood for older teenagers and young adults who are fleeing abuse and neglect?
Make sure that local law enforcement is targeting the businesses (pimps, strip clubs, escort services) and customers (johns) of the commercial sexual industry and not the victims (youth and young adults) for prosecution.
Youth homelessness should not be a reality. But the sexual exploitation of runaway homeless youth is flat out unacceptable.
Our main goal is shine the light of the love of Jesus in the dark streets of Skid Row. We accomplish this goal in many unique ways. Please click on "Read me" below for a description of what we do and why we do it, what love means to us and a little bit about Skid Row. Thank you so much for taking the time to find out a little more about The Jonah Project and Skid Row!
The Jonah Project is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization dedicated to helping the homeless community on the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles. Reaching out to the poor and brokenhearted was an important part of Jesus’ ministry, and certainly is still a vital part of the ministry of the Body of Christ today.
“If I had my way, I would declare a moratorium on public preaching of ‘the plan of salvation’ in America for one to two years. Then I would call on everyone who has use of the airways and the pulpits to preach the holiness of God, the righteousness of God and the law of God, until sinners would cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ Then I would take them off in a corner and whisper the gospel to them. Such drastic action is needed because we have gospel-hardened a generation of sinners by telling them how to be saved before they have any understanding why they need to be saved.” -Paris Reidhead, Getting Evangelicals Saved
Jonah Project Scripture Of The Day
Romans 15:13 - Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Invite A Speaker!
Would you like to have a speaker from The Jonah Project come and speak about what God is doing in Skid Row at your church, youth group, event or conference? Both Pastor Patrick and Pastor Jedi are available for speaking engagements. Pastors Patrick and Jedi are both dynamic speakers and will share the love and heart of God for the edification and encouragement of your congregation! For more information please email us at
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About Skid Row
About Skid Row
Skid Row is located in the heart of Los Angeles and is home to more then 10,000 homeless. Skid Row has the highest concentration of violent crime on the West Coast. On any given night there are hundreds of makeshift cardboard shelters and tents lining the streets. Drugs are so prevalent in this area one can often see people smoking crack or shooting heroin as casually and openly as someone smoking a cigarette in other areas...
We offer a wide variety of audios available for your edification. We have many bible studies, Sunday services and open air preaching sermons from The Jonah Project and the streets of Skid Row. Please take the time to listen to these powerful messages. We also have many compilations available for your listening pleasure. Compilations are a combination of music and preaching that produce a short and powerful message.
We have compiled many videos from the streets of Skid Row as a well as a good collection of other videos from the web that we like at The Jonah Project. Please watch some of these wonderful videos.
There are many different ways you can join hands with us in our effort to help the homeless and spread the love of Jesus. No matter where you are in the world, please read more about how you can assist us in helping others in need...
