 There is a dispute surrounding what constitutes a prostituted child . International law defines a child as any individual below the age of 18 , but a number of countries legally recognize lower ages of consent and adulthood , usually ranging from 13 to 17 years of age . Thus , law enforcement officers are sometimes hesitant to investigate cases because of the differences in age of consent . The laws of some countries do , however , distinguish between prostituted teenagers and prostituted children . For example , the Japanese government defines the category as referring to minors between 13 and 18 . 
