How child sexual exploitation happens

Child Sexual Exploitation

• Boyfriend, girlfriend or friend

The offender, usually older, encourages a bond and relationship with the young boy / girl, whether as a friend or as their boyfriend or girlfriend. At first, the young boy / girl feel good about the relationship with the perpetrator giving them affection, alcohol, drugs/ psychoactive substances, money, jewellery and gifts or simply treating them like an adult. Over a period of time however, things change. The perpetrator might tell the young person that in order to recompense them or prove that they care or love them they need to have sex. This might be with the perpetrator themselves or the perpetrators’ friends.

• Online

Online, it’s easy for the offender to pretend to be someone else of a different age or sex. Using websites, social media and forums, they will go about gaining the victim’s trust.

That done, they may suggest meeting up, fully determined on abusing the young boy / girl. Or, they may try to talk the young boy / girl into sending explicit photographs, taking part in explicit sexual activities via a webcam or smartphone, or having sexual conversations by text / social media. Sometimes they’ll encourage the victim by offering a gift or compliments in return.

• Chance meeting

Child Sexual Exploitation can also happen rapidly without any relationship or grooming. The perpetrator may simply see a young person out late in the evening or congregating around a place for over 18s only – and spot a potential victim. Children who are visibly exposed are more likely to be targeted, for example those who go missing, are out late at night or go to adult environments. They’ll offer the young person a lift, money, alcohol, drugs, even a place to stay in exchange for sexual activity.

• Same-age abusers

Offenders are not always older than the young people. In many cases an offender or group of offenders the same age as the young person – their peers – does the abusing.

This might start off as a seemingly normal relationship where the offender slowly manipulates the victim into doing sexual things with them or taking part in sexual acts with other perpetrators and victims.

• Organised networks

Some organised setups of perpetrators work together to share images and videos of young boys and girls.  Other networks push young people into having sex with adults by inviting them to parties or events and encouraging the young people to bring their friends along too.

Once at the party / event the victims will be invited into a surroundings where drugs, drink and sex with strangers is normal and expected, putting them under stress to go along with things.

To learn more about Child Sexual Exploitation within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk