Because a link between childhood sexual victimization and prostitution has been reported in the literature but some previous findings are contradictory, 45 adolescent prostitutes and 37 adolescents who were not prostitutes were interviewed regarding their experiences related to childhood physical and sexual abuse, leaving home, family functioning, parental alcohol use, marital violence, adolescent alcohol and drug use, and level of self-esteem. Interviews were conducted over a 16-month period using a face-to-face interview format. Although results replicated previous findings about background experiences of prostitutes, when an appropriate comparison group was considered, these same factors failed to discriminate between prostitute and nonprostitute youth. Nonetheless, family experiences contributed to adolescents leaving home; adolescent prostitutes ran away from home significantly more often than adolescent nonprostitutes. It was determined prostitution may be a particular survival strategy for girls in very difficult circumstances. 40 references and 1 table