What problems or harsh realities do street children face living on the streets?
Street Children face many hardships living on the streets some of these include violence, sexual abuse, poverty, malnutrition, and other increased health problems. • Violence: Children are often beaten by police and government officers as they attempt to ‘clean the street’ free of street children.8 They are often jailed for alleged crimes that they did not actually commit to ‘clean the street’.9 Not only are street children beaten by police officers, the weaker children and girls are beaten by the older children and gang members. • Sexual Abuse: Street children have also been required to give sexual favors to police officers.9 Police are not the only ones who sexually abuse street children. Female street children are sexually abused by many other males as well, including other street children. • Drug Abuse: Children on the streets often turn to drug abuse to make them feel better. However, the drug abuse makes the children more vulnerable to violence and abuse.8 • Poverty: The children
