Dealing with sexual exploitation

Sexual exploitation involves the abuser using their relationship to take advantage of children and young people, forcing them to perform sexual acts.

How would a young person recognise if they are being sexually exploited?

• The abuser may offer gifts, money, alcohol or drugs in exchange for sex or they may intimidate the young person using violence as a way to coerce the young person to perform a sexual act.

• The abuser may use technology and social media to persuade a young person to:

- participate in sexual conversations in text or online

- send or post sexually explicit images

- participate in sexual activities via a webcam.

• The abuser may use these online images and conversations to blackmail the young person and may threaten to share the images of conversations with their friends and family.

• The abuser may threaten the young person and make them feel afraid of what the repercussions may be to themselves/others/friends/family if the young person were to try and report any incidents or to seek help through the police.

How could a young person avoid being sexually exploited?

They should:

• avoid situations where they may get drunk/take drugs with a group of adults in houses/hotel rooms they don’t know.

• avoid meeting people from social media sites unless accompanied.

• avoid posting or sharing sexually explicit personal images on the internet and social media.

• avoid receiving gifts, money, alcohol, drugs from people they do not know

• If the young person is in a situation where they feel that they ‘can’t say no’ then they should become aware that they are not in a safe situation and try to leave.

How can a young person avoid being sexually exploited?

• Tell someone what has been happening - this could be another trusted adult, a parent/guardian, a friend, a teacher in school.

• Ring the police on 101

• Consider talking to someone at an organisation that can give advice and help with the bullying experience such as:

- NSPCC on 0808 800 5000

- ChildLine on 0800 1111

- Barnardo's

- Samaritans

- Childnet

- Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP)