Teen prostitution in Ukraine

Ukraine June 1 marks Children’s Day. However, an alarming number of teenage girls, many escaping problems at home, have turned to prostitution. Around 11-15 thousand according to UNICEF. The country is also suffering from one of the worst AIDS epidemics in Europe. Teen prostitutes are extremely vulnerable to HIV due to lack of knowledge or access to methods of prevention. In the Mykolaiv region of Southern Ukraine, the death rate from HIV infection in the 15-24 age group is one of the highest in the coun