Child Sexual Exploitation
What is Child Sexual Exploitation?
Child sexual exploitation is a major child protection issue for
communities across the UK. Hidden from view and going unnoticed,
vulnerable young girls and boys are groomed and then abused,
leaving them traumatised and scarred for life.
Child sexual exploitation is illegal activity by people who have
power over young people and use it to sexually abuse them.
This can involve a broad range of exploitative activity, from
seemingly ‘consensual’ relationships and informal exchanges of sex
for attention, accommodation, gifts or cigarettes, through to very
serious organised crime.
NSPCC - three short animations which deal with subject
of sexual exploitation.
The NSPCC has produced three short animations, available
on YouTube, which each deal with the subject of child sexual
exploitation in a different way.The animations attempt to clarify
the complex issues involved and offer starting points for
discussion with young people who might be experiencing similar
problems.
Click below to see some animations created by the
NSPCC and Childline to raise awareness of sexual
exploitation
When Someone Cares
Losing
Control: Jay
My
Story is Real
CHELSEA’S CHOICE – a powerful
production highlighting the issue of child sexual
exploitation
We have commissioned 2 weeks this year of
'Chelsea's Choice' and
'Crashing' to deliver performances to Upper
Schools across Bedford Borough. 'The performances inform young
people about grooming and helps individuals to spot the signs of
sexual exploitation.
Chelsea's Choice is an educational play which
highlights the very serious and emotional issue of child sexual
exploitation. The production shows how young people, boys and
girls, are groomed by adults for the purposes of sexual
exploitation using various methods, ensnaring young people and
eventually taking complete control and dominating their whole
lives. It tells the harrowing true story of a young girl ‘Chelsea’
from Northamptonshire who was groomed and held captive, in a flat,
for the sexual gratification of her captors.
Crashing highlights how child sexual
exploitation can affect boys and young men. It tells the story of
Eddie. At 15 years old he lost his mother to cancer, lost his
father to depression and found himself out on the street. Whilst
sleeping in a shop doorway Eddie was approached by Michael. Michael
was kind, good fun and owned a shop with an empty flat above it. He
offered Eddie the chance to stay there until he got back on his
feet, but unfortunately Michael had another agenda.
We are also holding two evening performances of each performance
which is open to parents/carers, professionals working with young
people and young people themselves. For more details on each
performance and how to book a place click on either Chelsea's
Choice or Crashing.
Alternatively if you have any questions or
would like more information please contact us at www.bedford.gov.uk/lscb or
telephone 01234 276512
Local contacts
If you or one of your friends are a victim of or
could be being sexually exploited contact Bedfordshire Police
who have a dedicated
child sexual exploitation team. So if you want to talk to a
Police officer then please contact them either by email
CSE.Unit@Bedfordshire.pnn.Police.uk or telephone 01234846914 or
Bedfordshire Police on 101 or you can call Crimestoppers
anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Brook provides free and confidential sexual
health services and advice for young people under 25 across
Bedfordshire. Broadway House, 4-6 the Broadway, Bedford, MK40
2TE
Telephone: 01234 761090
Website: http://www.brook.org.uk/
SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre)
The Emerald centre SARC is a professional, confidential, and
responsive service which provides forensic and holistic care to
men, women and children who have been raped or sexually
assaulted.
We accept all referrals and we can refer on to other disciplines
for ongoing support.
www.emeraldcentre.org
Telephone – 01234 897052
If you are in danger please dial 999
Bedford Borough Council – Children’s Social
Care
If you are worried about yourself or a friend you can call the
Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 01234 718700 (office hours)
or
ring 0300 300 8123 (out of hours).
In an emergency, phone the police 999.
We are a Partnership made up of over 20 member organisations
working to support
and provide services to victims in Bedfordshire’. Please visit
our website for further detail http://www.bedfordshirevictimspartnership.org.uk/
A confidential & free telephone
helpline for women and men over the age of 10 years who have been
raped and / or sexually abused at any time in their lives. We offer
telephone support for survivors, information on other services and
1-1 counselling with qualified, specially trained counsellors in
safe, accessible places across Bedfordshire.
Helpline 10am – 6pm Monday to
Friday
0300 365 1045
PLEASE CONTACT US
•
Confidential
•
Caring
•
Non-judgemental
•
Self-referral
•
No need to be referred by your GP or anyone else
•
Support for non offending partners, family members
Email:
thehopeprogramme@gmail.com
Website:
http://www.hopeprogramme.com/
National Contacts
The most important thing to remember if this is happening
is to tell someone. This could be anyone from your
parents or a teacher or just someone that you
trust. You can contact the police or speak to your
social worker if you have one. If you want to get
more information about what sexual exploitation is, there is lots
of things online for you to look at.
Barnardo's have made a leaflet for young people with
advice about spotting the signs of sexual exploitation and how to
keep you and your friends safe. The leaflet is
here
Childline is the free helpline for children and young people
in the UK. You can contact Childline by phone, e-mail, text
or via a message board.
0800 1111
Expert advice from NSPCC advisors, who are all trained child
protection officers.
0808 8005000
if you think a child is in immediate danger, call the
police on 999.
faceup2it an interactive
website for children and young people who want to know the real
deal about child sexual exploitation, it includes advice and young
people's stories of CSE.
Don't be afraid - Say Something : Helpline for young
people
The Say Something campaign launched over the summer has been
developed with young people and aims to safeguard vulnerable
children and young people by empowering them through awareness and
education to identify early indicators of child sexual
exploitation. Say Something will also offer a free, 24-hour,
anonymous phone and SMS helpline, 116 000, to disclose information
and seek support.
The message is:
It is NOT OK for someone to expect you or your friends to do
things you don’t want to do sexually.
Listen to your instinct; if it doesn’t feel right say tell
someone
#SaySomething
24/7, FREE ANONYMOUS, CALL or TEXT 116 000
web site
stop-cse.org/SaySomething
Raising awareness
Information about Sexual
Exploitation
To watch a video on recognising the signs of sexual exploitation
available here
A leaflet on how to keep you and your friends safe from
exploitation is available here
To watch a music video made to accompany my dangerous loverboy
film available
Click on this link . The song lyrics and film tell the
story of a girl who meets an older boy. He buys her gifts, alcohol
and takes her to parties. He drugs her and she becomes entrapped
her in sex trafficking and exploitation.
To watch a short film about a young adolescent girl,
Milly available
by clicking here Milly is groomed by an older man into
having sex with men for money. Milly lives with her mother and her
mother's violent partner. She meets Steve who woos her and
separates her from her friends. Milly moves in with Steve and
starts having sex with men She runs away after hearing Steve
arranging to take her to Leeds.