Definition

The sexual exploitation of children and young people (CSE) under-18 is defined as that which:

‘involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities. Child sexual exploitation can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition; for example being persuaded to post sexual images on the Internet/mobile phones without immediate payment or gain. In all cases, those exploiting the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources. Violence, coercion and intimidation are common, involvement in exploitative relationships being characterised in the main by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability’  

Law

See sexual assault

The law not only sets down 16 as the age of consent, it also applies to whether a person has given their consent to sexual activity, or was able to give their consent.

Statistics

16,500 children were at high risk of child sexual exploitation during one year and 2,409 children were confirmed as victims of sexual exploitation in gangs and groups during the 14-month period from August 2010 to October 2011.

1 in 20 children aged 11-17 experience sexual abuse: 90% are abused by someone they know and 66% are abused by other children or young people under 18.

In 2012-2013, 22,654 sexual offences against under-18s were reported to police in England and Wales with four out of five cases involving girls

Warning Signs: 

• underage sexual activity

• inappropriate sexual or sexualised behaviour

• sexually risky behaviour, ‘swapping’ sex

• repeat sexually transmitted infections

• in girls, repeat pregnancy, abortions, miscarriage

• receiving unexplained gifts or gifts from unknown sources

• having multiple mobile phones and worrying about losing contact via mobile

• having unaffordable new things (clothes, mobile) or expensive habits (alcohol, drugs)

• changes in the way they dress

• going to hotels or other unusual locations to meet friends

• seen at known places of concern

• moving around the country, appearing in new towns or cities, not knowing where they are

• getting in/out of different cars driven by unknown adults

• having older boyfriends or girlfriends

• contact with known perpetrators

• involved in abusive relationships, intimidated and fearful of certain people or situations

• hanging out with groups of older people, or anti-social groups, or with other vulnerable peers

• associating with other young people involved in sexual exploitation

• recruiting other young people to exploitative situations

• truancy, exclusion, disengagement with school, opting out of education altogether

• unexplained changes in behaviour or personality (chaotic, aggressive, sexual)

• mood swings, volatile behaviour, emotional distress

• self-harming, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, overdosing, eating disorders

• drug or alcohol misuse

• getting involved in crime

• police involvement, police records

• involved in gangs, gang fights, gang membership

• injuries from physical assault, physical restraint, sexual assault.

These signs are from the NSPCC’s Protect and Respect resources and a range of research (Barnardo’s, 2011; CEOP, 2011; Berelowitz et al, 2012).

Films 

 Two Little Girls