Very Young Girls is a documentary film about the sex exploitation industry in New York, revealing misconceptions about the type of woman who sells her body and the serious yet highly ignored problem on urban streets today.
This may sound naive, but I had no idea so many prostitutes were girls as young as 12 years old. I suppose I never factored age into the equation, simply just assumed many were drug addicts “hoing” to support their addictions. I was wrong. In fact, the Department of Justice estimates the most frequent age of entry into the commercial sex industry in the United States is 12-14 years old.
Using footage from actual pimps who filmed their rides with the idea that they may someday score a TV deal, filmmaker David Schisgall exposes the pimps for what they really are – dangerous and sleazy kidnappers who take girls from the streets and sweet-talk them into “making them money.” At the time, these girls feel special as if they’ve snagged an older boyfriend turned father figure who loves them. He may go by “daddy,” but he’s no father.
What this film does really well is give a voice to the survivors, young girls who left “the life” yet remain so lost, confused and conflicted about leaving their pimp despite the constant beatings, gang rapes, and abuse they endure. There are moments that are incredibly sad to watch, particularly the brutally honest and courageous interviews, but there are moments of hope and redemption as well, which make this film that more powerful.
Many of these women feel hopeless and alone. They want to get out, but fear their lives won’t be much different if they go back home. In New York, these girls can find refuge in Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS), a non-profit “committed to ending commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking of children by changing individual lives, transforming public perception, and revolutionizing the systems and policies that impact sexually exploited youth.”
It was really inspiring to see GEMS in action. It’s a small organization, but it’s making a difference in so many lives. Support is necessary when confronting such a problem, but changing, we learn, is a two-way street. With any sort of rehabilitation, these women have to meet GEMS halfway and make the commitment to change their lives. Throughout the film we see some succeed and some fail.
Very Young Girls is running on Showtime this month, but if you have access to Netflix you can watch this film instantly. I’d highly recommend it.
If you’d like to support GEMS, you can make a financial donation through Network for Good.
