Adolescents selling sex: Exposure to abuse, mental health, self-harm behaviour and the need for help and support—a study of a Swedish national sample

Abstract

Adolescents that sell sex are a group especially exposed to sexual, mental and physical abuse. They have poorer mental health and engage in more self-harm behaviour than other adolescents. They are in need of more help and support than other adolescents and it is reasonable to assert that more resources, research and attention should be directed to this group to provide better help and support in the future.