Abstract
D.Ed.
Prostitution among girls shows a steady increase world-wide as well as in South Africa. The
assumption is that girls who are involved in prostitution are not able to actualize their full potential.
This necessitates the therapeutic assistance of an educational psychologist and therefore implies that
the aspects that curb personality growth must be determined and redressed. Information regarding the
effect of prostitution on girls is inadequate, due to the fact that in South Africa no research has been
undertaken to explore and describe the life-world of girls involved in prostitution. Two questions
define the research problem, namely what does the life-world of girls involved in prostitution look like
and how information in this regard can contribute to an approach for the educational psychologist in
handling this problem. The study aims at exploring and describing the life-world of girls involved in
prostitution and of using this data to generate a conceptual framework for prevention and intervention
regarding prostitution among girls.
This qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research focuses on the life-world of six girls
involved in prostitution. The research is conducted in two phases. Phase one represents the
exploration and description of the life-world of the six respondents and during phase two this data is
used to generate a conceptual framework for the prevention and intervention regarding prostitution
among girls.
During phase one the data is collected by making use of explorative mutiple case studies. The data is
analised by using the phenomenological approach of Giorgi and the content analysis approach of
Kerlinger. Available literature is used to compare and complement the data. The themes found
through analysis of data emphasise aspects of prostitution, the girls' educational, scholastic and
financial situations as well as labile emotions about themselves, their involvement in prostitution and
the future.
Phase two consists of compiling a conceptual framework, using the above mentioned data. Attention
is focused on methods for stabilizing family relationships, scholastic progress and negative emotions
as well as ensuring personal empowerment and ego strengthening to enable the girls to break their
dependancy on this negative lifestyle.
This research contributes to a better understanding of girls involved in prostitution and suggests a
more inclusive approach to the prevention and intervention regarding prostitution among girls.