5 teenage girls between the ages of 16 and 17in Canada were found to have been selling sex on the free classified website Craigslist, thus raising concerns about the spread of child prostitution on the Internet.

From canada.com:

Child prostitution in Vancouver has largely shifted from the streets to the Internet, Houghton said.

“It’s moved successfully inside for these kids, because it’s a lot harder to police. They seem to be befriended and groomed by . . . the classic pimp . . . or older kids who seem to be able to convince them and manipulate them.”

Houghton believes there are more underage prostitutes advertised on Craigslist than police know about.

When police and social workers become aware of child prostitutes, they try to get them out of the business, said Houghton, who works closely with the ministry.

“The last resort that we want is to charge them criminally.”

In Alberta, authorities can seize and treat children involved in the sex trade, but political will is lacking for such a measure in B.C., Houghton said.

“It seems like there’s an acceptance that some of these kids are going to die,” Houghton said.

Investigating child prostitution on Craigslist is difficult, because the communication takes place privately over the Internet.

“We don’t know what that e-mail conversation is,” Houghton said.

“It’s impossible for us unless the guy keeps some sort of record or the girl decides she wants to testify against him in court, which is very rare.”