Young Men in the Street: Help-Seeking Behavior of Young Male Prostitutes

This book analyzes the help-seeking behaviors of young urban street males who engage in prostitution. Use of formal resources consist of social agencies, professionals, and informal resources such as friends, family, and peers is described. The work also addresses one of the most pressing issues of our time: the AIDS crisis and its impact on young male prostitutes. Snell makes an important contribution to understanding this stigmatized and under-served population. This is the first book to study young male prostitutes’ help-seeking behavior. Findings indicate that the majority receive high levels of emotional support from family and friends, while traditional social and mental health services are not effectively reaching street males.