The Issues of Identifying the Concept of "Sexual Exploitation of a Person' and its Criminal Value

Abstract

This article is devoted to investigation of criminal issues of counteraction to human sexual exploitation. The author studies the doctrinal approaches to this definition, analyses consolidation of the concept of "sexual exploitation" in international legal acts and acts of national legislation. The attention is drawn to peculiarities of actions against sexual exploitation in international law (in general, they are typical of actions against sexual exploitation of children), as well as in the law of individual countries, including the United States and Russia. Based on this analysis, the author proposes his own definition of sexual exploitation which he suggests defining as the "abuse or attempted abuse of a vulnerable position, power or trust for sexual purposes, as well as taking advantage through coercion of another person to provide sexual services or to commit other acts of sexual nature, including involvement in prostitution."