Child Exploitation Awareness Day

Friday 18 March 2022 is National Child Exploitation Awareness Day.

Child exploitation involves situations, contexts or relationships in which a person under 18 is given something, such as food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts or money in return for doing something for someone else. 

Across the country, young people are being sexually and exploited. 

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is when and child is asked to perform sexual activities or have sexual activities performed on them.

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) is when someone uses a child to commit crimes for them.

Exploitation can also involve violence, coercion and intimidation, with threats of physical harm or humiliation.

You can find out more about Child Exploitation in our advice and information section, including the common patterns and warning signs. Visit the Child Sexual Exploitation or Child Criminal Exploitation pages to learn more.

Internet Watch Foundation

The video below from Internet Watch Foundation highlights the increased activity in online child sexual abuse and aims to help prevent the creation of self-generated child sexual imagery online.

 

Look Closer

This year we are supporting The Children's Society Look Closer Campaign to raise awareness and encourage others to look closer to spot and report signs of exploitation.

Click here for a plain text version of the Children's Society Look Closer Campaign poster.

Spot the signs of child exploitation

Is a young person:

• Travelling alone, particularly in school hours, late at night or frequently?
• Looking lost or in unfamiliar surroundings?
• Anxious, frightened, angry or displaying other behaviours that make you worried about them?
• In possession of more than one phone?
• Carrying lots of cash?
• Potentially under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
• Being instructed or controlled by another individual?
• Accompanied by individuals who are older than them?
• Seen begging in a public space?

Click here for a plain text version of the Spot of the signs of exploitation poster.

If you are concerned about a child call 999 in an emergency or 101 if it is not an emergency. 

You can report crime anonymously through the independent charity CrimeStoppers, visit https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

For more information about the look closer campaign visit The Children's Society