Surviving the Streets of New York: Experiences of LGBTQ Youth, YMSM, and YWSW Engaged in Survival Sex

R E S E A R C H R E P O R T Surviving the Streets of New York Experiences of LGBTQ Youth, YMSM, and YWSW Engaged in Survival Sex Meredith Dank Jennifer Yahner Kuniko Madden Isela Bañuelos U R B A N IN S TI TU TE U R B A N IN S TI TU TE U R B A N IN S TI TU TE U R B A N IN S TI TU TE Lilly Yu Andrea Ritchie Mitchyll Mora Brendan Conner U R B A N IN S TI TU TE S TR E E TW I S E A N D SA FE S TR E E TW I S E A N D SA FE S TR E E TW I S E A N D SA FE February 2015 A D O L E S C E N T S A N D Y O U TH A B O U T T H E U R B A N I N S T I T U T E The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Copyright © February 2015. Urban Institute. Permission is granted for reproduction of this file, with attribution to the Urban Institute. Cover image from Will Anderson. Contents Acknowledgments v Highlights 1 Terminology and Definitional Considerations 3 Youths’ Engagement in the Commercial Sex Trade for Survival 5 Current Study Goals and Methodology 9 Findings 12 What Are the Characteristics of LGBTQ Youth, YMSM, and YWSW Engaged in Survival Sex in New York City? 12 Gender 12 Sexual Orientation 13 Race 15 Age and Children 15 Education 15 Birthplace 15 Living Situation 16 Money Debt 17 What Are LGBTQ Youths', YMSM’s, and YWSW’s Pathways into the Survival-Sex Trade? 17 Age of Entry 18 Reasons for Involvement 19 Experiences of Young Men Who Have Sex with Men (YMSM) and Young Women Who Have Sex with Women (YWSW) 22 What Are the Characteristics of the Commercial Sex Market? 23 Frequency of Trading 23 Getting Customers 23 Number of Clients and Regulars 27 Customer Demographics 29 Locations 31 Profiling by Police 32 What Do Youth Earn, and How Do They Spend Earnings? 33 Payments and Exchanges 33 How Youth Spend Their Earnings 35 Sharing Earnings with Others 36 What Are the Physical Risks, and How Do Youth Protect Themselves? 39 Arguments and Fights 39 Physical Protection 41 How Do Others Help Youth Find Customers? 44 How Many Youth Are Involved in Exploitative Situations? 46 How Youth Met Exploiters 48 Nature of Exploitative Situations and Relationships with Exploiters 49 Others Working for Exploiters 51 Leaving Their Exploiters 53 What Do Youths’ Networks Look Like? 54 What Are Youths’ Perceptions of Engaging in Survival Sex? 56 Positive Perceptions of Engaging in Survival Sex 56 Negative Perceptions of Engaging in Survival Sex 57 Does Engaging in Survival Sex Define Who Youth Are? 60 Desire to Stop Engaging in Survival Sex 61 Concluding Personal Statements 65 Discussion and Summary 67 Policy and Practice Recommendations 70 Main Findings 79 Notes 81 References 83 About the Authors 86 Statement of Independence 88 A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S V Acknowledgments This project was funded by award 2011-JF-FX-0001, awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice. We are grateful to our funders, who make it possible for Urban to advance its mission. It is important to note that funders do not determine our research findings or the insights and recommendations of our experts. The authors would like to thank (1) the brave and resilient youth who participated in this study; (2) the staff of Streetwise and Safe who assisted us in identifying appropriate youth and conducting interviews for this study, especially Kimi Lundie, Jonathan Gonzalez, and Bhavana Nancherla; and (3) the Urban Institute full-time and temporary staff who assisted throughout various stages of data collection, transcription, and coding: Pam Lachman, Dwight Pope, Doug Gilchrist-Scott, Andrea Matthews, Emily Tiry, and Rachel Goldberg. We would also like to thank those who provided a careful review of project findings: representatives of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, especially Barbara Tatem Kelley and Karen Bachar, Dr. Janine Zweig of the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, Rhodes Perry, and Deanna Croce. In addition, we are grateful for the editorial support of Ashleigh Andrews Rich and Fiona Blackshaw at the Urban Institute, as well as the ongoing support of Nancy La Vigne and Kate Villarreal of Urban’s Justice Policy Center. H I G H L I G H T S 1 Highlights In 2011, researchers from the Urban Institute launched a three-year study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) youth; young men who have sex with men (YMSM); and young women who have sex with women (YWSW) engaged in survival sex in New York City. Working in partnership with the New York City–based organization Streetwise and Safe (SAS),