Diary of a 16-Year-Old Prostitute is the work of contemporary young adult fiction. It is the first book in a series of 3 books. The book explores the theme of child sexual abuse and teenage prostitution by following the journey of Cindy Masha, a 16-year-old prostitute from Hillbrow, from childhood to a life of prostitution, using her personal diary. In the book, Cindy takes us through her diary page by page, the contents of which reveal horrific incidents of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, Mike, a teacher by profession and a member of an incest cult. The diary also exposes the darkness of the mind and heart of a pedophile, and share some light on the dynamics that transformed Cindy from an obedient little girl into a teenage prostitute, thereby connecting the dots between child sexual abuse and teenage prostitution. 

Society’s handling of cases of child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation inspired me to write this book. Because I believe that the way some people handle cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation do injustice to the victims.  For example, when a child speaks out about being sexually abused by a family member the family’s first instinct tends to be protecting the rapist’s reputation and whatever dignity that is left of him. They would call a family meeting instead of calling the police, and protect the rapist even at the expense of the child. Or when an old man sleeps with a little girl, people tend to point fingers at the little girl and blame her for the sexual exploitation she suffered. These are some of the attitudes which I believe perpetuate rape culture and hamper efforts aimed at fighting sexual abuse, and gender based violence in general. And looking at these attitudes I saw the need to write a book that will put the reader in the victim’s shoes and make the reader walk a mile in the victim’s shoes, with the aim of creating a sense of understanding to the reader. 

Cindy is a typical obedient child. Her true character isn’t revealed until she encounters a string of sexual abuses she suffered at the hands of her father, Mike, a teacher by profession and a member of an incest cult. Cindy’s response to these abuses demonstrates two important factors; one, human beings are not born with behavior, we learn behavior, whether good or bad. Two, we are not born with knowledge, we acquire knowledge. These factors play an important role in the evolution of Cindy’s character in that; it is lack of knowledge, mostly on her mother’s(Monica) part, which allowed for Mike’s perversions to go unnoticed for years. In addition, Cindy’s response to her father’s abuses reveals her inner strength and courageous personality. And it is this inner strength that allows her to go on even when there seem to be no way forward. The strength that takes her from a victim to a survivor; a transition which takes her from an obedient little girl into a teenage prostitute. And it is this transition that allows us to connect the dots between child sexual abuse and teenage prostitute. 

That children often delay or never disclose sexual abuse to those who are close to them. So, when a child finally gathers enough courage to speak out about it or when you find out about it deal with it decisively, because chances are it has been going on for a while, as clearly demonstrated in the book. Reach out for help to relevant authorities, preferably a professional body whose responsibility it is to deal with cases of child sexual abuse. Do not try to resolve it on your own, like Monica did in the book, or through family meetings with elders who have no clue what they’re doing. Child sexual abuse has devastating consequences on children and survivors, none of which can be resolved through family meetings.