Girls exchanging sex for P

Girls as young as 16 are being drawn into prostitution to fund their drug habits, police say.

Senior Constable Mike Tahere said police on the Kapiti Coast had come across about five school-leavers who told them they had performed sexual acts with dealers in exchange for methamphetamine, or "P".

"These are young girls who've been introduced to P by dealers. They've told us, 'You know, we do favours', to fund their habit."

The girls had not broken the law by prostituting themselves because they were 16, Mr Tahere said.

But Kapiti police were concerned at the new trend.

Mr Tahere said the problem did not stem directly from gangs, although sometimes gang members were dealing the drug.

"Gangs are involved. Not all of [the dealers] are gang members but you've got what you'd call gang associates."

Police had spoken to the girls after being approached by concerned family members, Mr Tahere said.

They could be referred to youth aid or, if they were over 17, charged with drug possession.

Police Constable Lynette Burns, of Youth Aid, said they had seen a number of girls in recent years who were having sex in exchange for P but it was less of a problem this year than last.

Mr Tahere said the P problem affected the whole Kapiti Coast, and the main aim for police was to catch the dealers rather than the users.

- NZPA