The Prostitute: England
Paula's Story

Paula (that's not her real name) lives in the north-east of England, where there is a lot of unemployment.

She is 15 years old. She is a heroin addict and a prostitute.

This is Paula's story:

School was too boring

I stopped going to school when I was 13 because it was so boring. At first my parents didn't know, but when my mother found out, she just said, "Stay at home so that I know where you are." The school authorities used to come to my home sometimes and take me back to school. I would stay for about an hour, then I would leave again, and so did my friends. Finally the authorities stopped trying to make me go to school.

HEROIN: a powerful illegal drug
ADDICT (n): a person who cannot stop using a drug.
PROSTITUTE: a person who has sex for money.

SCHOOL AUTHORITIES: the people in charge of a school.

I started taking heroin

I left home and I live with a friend now. I became a prostitute about six months ago. I started taking heroin and I became a prostitute to pay for it. All my friends were taking heroin, I was the only one who didn't. Instead of changing my friends, I started taking heroin too. It was the most stupid thing I ever did.

I need money to buy drugs

I knew someone who was a prostitute and she was making easy money. She was 17. I asked her if she was scared of going in cars on her own - "How do you know if a man is going to beat you or rape you?" She said that you just know, your feelings tell you.

She's right. Most of the time you know if a man is ok, but one time I was raped and beaten when a client went crazy. Of course I was terrified, but I can't buy drugs without money.

RAPE: to force someone to have sex when they are unwilling.

The first time I was with a client, I wasn't afraid because I was with a friend. The man wanted two girls. The first time I was alone, I was scared, but it was all right. It wasn't as bad as I expected.

I only used my hand at first, but after about two months I decided I would do the whole thing because you make twice as much money. I'd had sex before I became a prostitute. Now I have between five and nine clients a day. We make them use condoms because of AIDS.

A CONDOM is a rubber covering worn over the penis during sex.

AIDS is a deadly disease that can be spread by unprotected sex.

I want to change my life

I want to stop taking drugs. Next month I'm hoping to start a detoxification programme. After that, I want to go back to college and learn all the things I should have learned in school. I don't enjoy being a prostitute.

My parents don't know. They would be shocked if they found out. I hope I'll never have to tell them. Ten years from now, I hope that I'll be settled down with a family of my own, and I'll be happy.

DETOXIFICATION PROGRAMME: a special treatment to help someone stop using drugs.

Why do kids take drugs?

Why do so many kids start taking heroin? Because there's nothing to do. Even if you go to school and get qualifications, there aren't any jobs for you. Give us kids more to do, so that we don't get bored!

QUALIFICATIONS: official papers to show that you have passed exams or completed special training.