2007年VOA标准英语-Los Angeles Charity Rescues Teen Prostitutes in

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
06 February 2007

Teenage prostitutes in the United States can escape life on the streets with help from a Los Angeles charity, called Children of the Night. VOA's Mike O'Sullivan reports, the group has helped thousands of youngsters since it was founded.

For 27 years, Children of the Night has helped young prostitutes find shelter and get away from life on the streets.

 
Lois Lee 
It started with a research project by Lois Lee, who was pursuing her doctorate¹ in sociology. She studied police reports on prostitution arrests, and monitored court cases.

"And when I went out on the streets to verify what I found on police reports, and found myself in the middle... of a serial² murder investigation³, and caught the guys, and coordinated⁴ many of the young prostitutes to testify against these pimps who had actually killed many girls, and [I] found myself just in their world," she said.

Many teenagers who find themselves on the streets were victims of sexual abuse at home before they became prostitutes. Lee says their customers come from all walks of life.

 
Lois Lee and girls 
"Laborers⁵, truck drivers, salesmen, attorneys, accountants, cops, ministers, rabbis, priests, movie stars, lawyers - I don't want to leave anybody out," she said. "One of the things that traps children involved in prostitution is the fact that it looks like everybody's involved in it."

At a residential⁶ center in suburban⁷ Los Angeles, run by Children of the Night, the former prostitutes find safe haven⁸. They also get a chance to finish their education.

 
Sonia Ventura 
"When our students come here, they don't really believe in themselves," explained Sonia Ventura, school principal at the shelter. "They don't feel like they can accomplish things. And I think it's a big thing when they can accomplish something. They can complete a science project, an essay for the first time. A lot of our students have never written an essay, and here, they do write one, and they feel a great sense of accomplishment⁹."

 
Sonia Ventura and student 
After a time at the shelter, some students return home. Others move in with foster families, or get their own apartment. Yet others go on to college.

Lois Lee says among those who have passed through the program, there are hundreds of success stories, in every walk of life - as well as some tragedies.

"Many of them are schoolteachers. Some of them are public relations consultants¹⁰. Many are married and have children, and some are dying of AIDS," she said. "And to us, it's unconditional¹¹ support [that we give], regardless of whether we have to hold their hand while they're dying of AIDS, or we're helping¹² them with books and schools supplies, or to deal with contemporary problems in their new lives."

Lois Lee says child prostitution is America's dirty little secret, and too little attention is being paid to the problem. She says, here, at least, young people find refuge from life on the streets.

1 doctorate   

n.(大学授予的)博士学位

参考例句：

• He hasn't enough credits to get his doctorate.他的学分不够取得博士学位。
• Where did she do her doctorate?她在哪里攻读博士？

2 serial   

n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的

参考例句：

• A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。
• Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗？

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

6 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

7 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

8 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

9 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

10 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。

11 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。