Many women discount the sexual abuse they endured as children. In fact, many men do too. We tend to equate sexual abuse to forcible rape and minimize the “keys in the pocket” uncles, the “ticklers” and “playing doctor” with the cousin who is 10 years or more older than you. I think there are many more non-prostitutes who were molested as children - they’ve just discounted or forgot their experiences. Just going by what I have elicited from friends about childhood experiences, I’d say that at least 50% and maybe as much as 75% of all children are victims of some sort of molestation.
Molestation is often non-scary and often does not feel bad especially if the perpetrator can avoid getting caught up in sexual urgency (i.e., hard breathing, increased pressure, self-focus, etc.). Coupled with the fact that sexual predators tend to give money, gifts and supply other benefits to the children they molest, a child’s psyche can get pretty twisted.
What some children figure out is that they can exert a lot of control over adults if they can spark sexual interest. I believe some victims will translate this into a life of prostitution or other sexual arts (stripping, S&D, S&M, etc.). Just as many probably go on to live relatively normal lives, marrying, having children, etc.
However, I don’t think you can pigeonhole what drives people into prostitution any more than you can pigeonhole what causes people to become anything other than heterosexual or what causes criminal or sexually perverted behavior.
What must also be considered is that prior to the recent public exposure and criminalization of child molestation, most times, the molested were the ones punished, or so it seemed. When molestation is uncovered and the only result is that the victim is forbidden to be around a beloved family member or friend, that victim feels punished. It was seldom that circumstances were explained to the child and the child never realized that what the perpetrator was doing was wrong.
With today’s heightened awareness and willingness to expose perpetrators and educate children, things may slowly begin to change. What everyone needs to remember is that molestation does not have to be violent or unpleasant. In the words of an acquaintance’s 12-year old daughter who ended up pregnant by her stepfather after several years of undetected molestation - “But I liked it.”