ABSTRACT
Child prostitution has attracted the attention of researchers, activists, service providers, and policymakers. Research, activism, and socio-legal practice related to the sex industry are fraught with contestations, debates, and polemics resulting in divergent ways of conceptualizing and engaging with prostitution. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/AIDS pandemic and widespread social media have increasingly altered the way sexuality-related information is accessed in Ghana. The ethical issues and challenges associated with research on sexuality, minors, and prostitution have been discussed extensively in the literature. Ethical considerations on informed consent and voluntary participation require participants to freely consent to participation in a study and in the case of minors, consent of parents, guardians, caregivers, or gatekeepers are needed. Remuneration or payment for participants’ time and involvement in research projects is another thorny ethical issue in the research enterprise, especially in the case of children. Research has documented sex workers as highly at risk for violence.
