Cultural Anthropology
The focus of my doctoral research is marginalized groups, in particular, the population of street children and child prostitutes in Sao Paulo , Brazil . I hope to understand why these youngsters leave home, if they were not born on the streets, and why they are often reluctant to access social services. I am interested in understanding the emotional and developmental effects that street life and prostitution have on children and adolescents. I will also explore why there is so little documentation on young street boys who are sexually exploited. Other research interests include the spread of STD's and HIV/AIDS among children and adolescents living in Residential Treatment Facilities and Group Homes due to highly sexualized behaviors.