Child Exploitation Awareness Day

National Child Exploitation Awareness Day is on the 18 March.

We unite against child exploitation by encouraging everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero tolerance to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children.

What is exploitation?

Exploitation and Trafficking

• “The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child, for the purpose of exploitation.” The International definition of Human Trafficking in the context of a child
• UK and non-UK nationals are trafficked into, within and out of the UK for exploitation. Any child subject to human trafficking is considered by the trafficker as a commodity and a source of income that they have in many cases paid for or invested time and expense in recruiting or grooming for their benefit.

Sexual Exploitation of Boys and Young Men

• Male sexual exploitation is often overlooked by practitioners. There is evidence that young men who are being sexually exploited are more likely to be criminalised for their behaviour and viewed as a perpetrator.

Exploitation and families

Exploitation includes sexual exploitation and/or criminal exploitation and/or human trafficking and/or labour exploitation and/or organ harvesting amongst others and affects people of different ages, sexes and communities. Exploitation has profound and damaging consequences for individuals exploited and those around them. Targeting and grooming of children often brings psychological implications for parents, other family members and communities. It can become almost impossible for them to carry on with their daily life and be able to respond effectively to the crises at hand.

Exploitation and Missing

• It is estimated that there are 320,000 reported incidents of missing persons are made in the United Kingdom each year and almost 190,000 of these are children*
• The link between Child Exploitation and children and young people going missing is inextricable since going missing can be both a cause and a consequence of being exploited.

What is CE? - STOP CE –

County Lines - Spot The Signs | Eyes Open

We can help by raising knowledge and awareness of Child Exploitation.

Training opportunities can be found on the NWG Network National Child Exploitation Awareness Day - NWG Network.

More information on supporting parents can be found on websites including the Ivison website and St Giles website and for children and young people Fearless News | Crimestoppers