STREET YOUTH SELL THEIR BODIES TO SURVIVE

Teen prostitution is on the rise in Ottawa. For young men and women selling
their bodies, it's called survival sex. They get cash, shelter, food or
clothing in exchange for sexual favours.

"It's not your stereotypical standing on the corner of a downtown street in
your high heels and miniskirts anymore," says Tom Sidney, director of
prevention and public education at Operation Go Home, an organization
dedicated to helping teens get off the streets.

When a teen girl first finds herself on the streets, it only takes a day or
two before she's being offered something for sex, says Sidney. "The
youngest I've ever worked with is a 13-year-old (girl)."

Teen prostitution is a terrible way to survive. Not only does it trap teens
on the streets, it puts them at greater risk of contracting diseases such
as AIDS and hepatitis C, which can spread quickly in the tight-knit street
community.

Operation Go Home is leading the recently established Youth Prostitution
Task Force, which is looking at ways to get teens out of the "profession"
and limit the damage they face.

The organization also offers a drop-in centre for street youth and provides
workshops and an outreach program.

About 30 kids a day, from all backgrounds, seek help from Operation Go
Home. "Look to your own children. That's who they are," Sidney says.

Teens end up on the streets for many reasons. Sometimes it's nothing more
than rebelling against the rules at home. But for others it's more
complicated. They're feeling neglected, or are abused -- physically,
sexually, or both -- and see the streets as a safer place than home.

It's not.

Drug use often follows a move to the streets. Kids as young as 14 are
smoking crack, shooting heroin, snorting cocaine and morphine.

NUMB THE PAIN

Drug use is so rampant on the streets that if Operation Go Home can get a
teen to switch from crack to pot, it's considered a success.

"That's the part that gets a little frustrating is that we're Canada's
capital and we have this type of lifestyle going on a half-a-mile from
where the prime minister sleeps," Sidney says.

It's a vicious cycle. The drugs run out and the pain comes back. To numb
the pain, more drugs are used. To pay for the drugs, teens sell their bodies.

"We're dealing with kids that nobody really wants. They're 'throwaways,'
not runaways. And even when they get on the streets, people still don't
want to deal with it." Sidney adds.

Operation Go Home runs the controversial Safe Needle Exchange program, in
which youths can exchange used syringes for clean needles and sterile water.

When a young person comes in to the centre, their arms are checked. Then
they're often referred to a sexual health nurse who visits once a week.

"If we treat them non-judgmentally in the exchange program, they think
that's pretty cool, they'll come back and ask us other questions," Sidney says.

Eventually, most street youth get tired of the life they're living and want
to change. Various programs offered by Operation Go Home help them do that,
providing help in areas like building resumes, searching for jobs and
finding housing. They're also linked up with the Royal Ottawa Hospital and
rehab programs in the city.

"We walk with them to the end of the Earth and when they get there, they're
prepared to take that final step on their own," Sidney says.

DEDICATED TO PLIGHT OF RUNAWAYS

Some quick facts about Operation Go Home:

- - Founded in 1971, it's the only Canadian organization that reunites and
reconnects families to runaway and street youth aged 16-19.

- - By law, Operation Go Home must contact the Children's Aid Society or
Ottawa police when children under 16 seek assistance from the organization.

- - In 2004, Operation Go Home was in contact with 8,402 at-risk youth.

- - It offers the only breakfast program to street youth in Ottawa.

- - The drop-in centre is available from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. From 1 to 4 p.m.
workshops are held and support groups meet.

- - It offers a 24-hour national crisis line for families and teens on the
street to call: 1-800-668-4663.

Source: Operation Go Home