The common starting point for those sold in the sex trade is as a child or young adult with a history of neglect and sexual abuse, forced by others or coerced by desperate circumstances. In contrast to how it is presented in mainstream media, prostitution typically involves payment for unwanted and degrading sex acts, and is not like other work in which one is paid for their time and effort. Coercion, force, fraud, and deeply rooted social injustices are necessary to make prostitution possib le.
Those profiting from prostitution present it as harmless, much like any other commercial transaction, but the reality for people in prostitution is far dark er. Prostitution is commonly defined as the exchange of sex ual conduct for money or other things of value (such as food or shelter).
