Child sexual exploitation

Many people don't know what child sexual exploitation (CSE) is, or don't realise it's happening around them. The following gives you the facts behind the myths.

Myth:

Child sexual exploitation is very rare and doesn't happen where we live.

Fact:

It is much more widespread than most people imagine. It is often hidden and can only be uncovered by people being vigilant and reporting their concerns. To ignore the signs is to be part of the abuse!

Myth:

Child sexual exploitation only happens to girls and young women.

Fact:

It can and does happen to boys and young men as well – although the warning-signs are often missed. Boys and young men can also find it more difficult to talk to anybody about what is happening to them.

Myth:

Child sexual exploitation only happens to children who are in care, who come from a 'bad' family, or are of a particular race, religion or economic background.

Fact:

Any child can become a victim. Young people are more at risk if they are 'vulnerable' – but there are many types of vulnerability. Naivety is a vulnerability that is easy to exploit

Myth:

Child sexual exploitation only happens to older children.

Fact:

The average age that young people are most at risk is between 12 and 15, although it can happen to older children and it can happen to younger children.

Myth:

A lot of these 'exploited' children are over 16 and have consented to sex.

Fact:

The sexual exploitation of any young person aged under 18 is child abuse and needs to be stopped, or even better, prevented from happening in the first place. Even if a young person 'seems' to have given consent it is not 'true' consent if they have been manipulated or pressured into giving it.

Myth:

Child sexual exploitation only takes one form.

Fact:

There are many types of child sexual exploitation – for example:

• individual – a single perpetrator may groom and exploit the victim
• gang – exploitation may form part of a gang culture and may be used as an initiation or as a punishment
• group – a group of people come together with the explicit aim of grooming and sexually exploiting young people
• peer-on-peer – exploitation is perpetrated by a person or persons of the same age as the victim
• online – grooming and exploitation take place entirely online and the victim and the perpetrators never meet in real life
• abuse of authority – grooming and exploitation is carried out by somebody with authority over the victim
• party – victims are invited to a party where they may be plied with alcohol or drugs and then sexually exploited

There are different ways in which these examples can work, sometimes with more than one type of exploitation being used. The perpetrators of CSE are not stupid. They have thought about this, are well rehearsed and know how to get what they want.