It is a global problem and no child is immune from the risk of being affected.

What is Child Sexual Exploitation?

• A form of sexual abuse, where an individual or a gang, using money, power or affection, exploit children up to the age of eighteen. This abuse can also be committed online.
• Both males and females of all backgrounds, ethnicities and religious beliefs can be perpetrators.
• Children are often encouraged by the perpetrator/s to bring along friends and siblings of a similar age.
• Victims can be boys or girls from all backgrounds, ethnicities and religious beliefs. They are brainwashed (groomed) into believing they are special, loved and cared for by the perpetrator/s, or they can be exploited through threats and violence

What are the signs?

• Mood swings: angry, emotional, withdrawn, suicide attempts, depression.
• Bruising and/or scarring on body.
• Receiving gifts.
• Staying out late or not returning home.
• Secretive and distant towards family and friends.
• Skipping education, grades dropping.
• Involved in criminal activity.
• Using alcohol or drugs.
• Eating disorders.
• Not sleeping, plus nightmares, anxiety and panic attacks.
• Violence or aggression towards parents, siblings or animals.
• Sexually transmitted infections.
• Pregnancy or miscarriage.

Why won’t a victim come forward?

• Doesn’t recognise it as abuse.
• Too difficult to talk about.
• Believes abuser is their boyfriend/ girlfriend, or thinks it’s normal.
• Thinks the abuser will change.
• Embarrassed, ashamed, judged, worried will be blamed, rejected, isolated or called a liar.
• Emotionally attached to the abuser.
• Feels it will put them and their family at risk.
• Don’t know who to tell or trust.
• Addicted to drugs or alcohol.
• Has committed criminal offences.

What can a parent or carer do?

Keep a diary and make sure everything you log is dated and timed. Share information with the relevant authorities and agencies: the police, medical professionals, Social Services, teachers.

What should you log?

• Dates and times.
• Names or nicknames, ages, physical descriptions, including those of any witnesses.
• Addresses and locations.
• Phone numbers.
• Messages.
• Social media content.
• Car registration numbers, plus the make, model and colour of vehicles.
• Your own activities that day, like what you were wearing and what the weather was like, to help you remember.
  All this information could help prevent abuse now, or could be used to jail an abuser in the future. If a child discloses information to you, be as accurate as possible when logging it as you could be called as a witness.