This article aims at understanding the reasons for children and adolescents' commercial sexual exploitation by the perception of brazilian truck drivers, both clients and non clients of this service. Based on a questionnaire, interviews were made with 239 truck drivers in different regions in Brazil. The answers were categorized and analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and mean). The main reasons stressed were the social and economic inequality, the strong male chauvinist culture and the drivers' ideas about adulthood as well as the tendency to feel not responsible for the children and adolescents abused and the poor knowledge and consideration for the rights and development characteristics of this population. We may conclude emphasizing the importance of studies which stress the abuser perspective. They may contribute to better understand the economic, social, cultural and political realities involved both in the formation of the demand as well as of the offer of sexual commerce. Based on this information, it could be possible to elaborate more efficient projects to confront this problem.
commercial sexual exploitation; children; adolescents; truck drivers
