Cheated of Childhood
Russian Street Kids
Russia's metro stations have become home to a generation of street children, who survive by begging or prostitution.
11 year old Yuriy and his 13 year old friend Max are just two of the millions of children thought to be living on Russian streets. Once homeless, many children turn to glue sniffing and become infected with HIV. Street children is a relatively new problem in Russia, and many blame the collapse of communism for the rise in family breakdowns and homelessness. "For me, the most dangerous thing about living on the street is paedophiles," states Max. "I know a lot of people who have been abused." Despite this risk, both boys would rather remain homeless than return to their families.
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