Term ‘Child Prostitution’ Encourages Victim-Blaming, Removed From Government Publications

The term "child prostitution" will be officially removed from the future publications of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in Britain.  The terminology is said to be an outdated phrase that promotes "victim-blaming."

According to the Daily Mail, the term "child prostitution" has already been removed from legislation at the height of high-profile child sex exploitation scandals in Britain. However, despite the term being removed from legislation, ONS continued to use the terminology particularly on its recent report on crime figures.

Sarah Champion, Labor Member of Parliament (MP) for Rotherham and the shadow minister for preventing abuse and domestic violence, has sent a letter to the government urging to stop the use of the terminology or change it. She said that the use of the term is incorrect because it connotes criminality on the child's part. She also added that the term does not recognize that children are being exploited and are not capable of consenting sex themselves.

In response to the MP's letter, Karen Bradley, Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime, said that she completely agrees with Champion and that appropriate language should be used to reflect the true nature of the crime. She cited "communication breakdown" as the main reason why the term was not removed from ONS releases.

As an immediate action, the ONS has already amended its past two releases that use the said terminology. The office also said that the old term will not be used anymore in all of its future publications.

"I am very pleased that the Government and the Office for National Statistics agree with me that the use of the term 'child prostitution' is wrong and greatly misrepresents such a sensitive issue," Champion told Huffington Post. "It is essential in moving forward and tackling all forms of child abuse that we address the misuse of language and treat all victims and survivors with the dignity that they deserve. Victim-blaming has been a barrier to justice for many; this change is another step in the right direction."