Report child sexual exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is defined as a form of child sexual abuse where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity.

This exploitation can happen in various ways, and it can happen online and offline.

Gifts, affection, money and drugs may be involved in manipulating the child into performing sexual acts. The abuser may force the child or young person to have sex with other people and even make them groom other young people for sex.

The child or young person may trust their abuser. They may think they are in a loving relationship, even if the abuser controls, threatens or is violent towards them. They may not understand they are being abused or not believe they are being manipulated. They may depend on their abuser and be too scared to tell anyone what is happening.

Exploitation is never the victim’s fault.

Signs of child sexual exploitation

• Becoming especially secretive, stop seeing their usual friends, have really sharp, severe mood swings
• Developing relationships with older men or women (although not all perpetrators are older)
• Going missing from home and being reluctant to say where they have been or what they have been doing – staying out all night
• Receiving calls and messages from outside their normal circle of friends
• New, expensive items which they could not afford, such as mobile phones or jewellery – as well as ‘invisible’ or ‘virtual’ gifts such as phone credit and online gaming credits
• Suddenly changing their taste in dress or music
• Looking tired or unwell and sleeping at unusual hours
• Marks or scars on their body which they try to hide
• Regularly missing school
• Displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour

Child sexual exploitation online

When sexual exploitation happens online, young people may be persuaded or forced to:

• send or post sexually explicit images of themselves
• take part in sexual activities via a webcam or smartphone
• have sexual conversations by text or online

Report child sexual exploitation

Child sexual exploitation victim support

There is help and support available for anyone who has been a victim of exploitation. No-one is alone. Please talk to police or see support for victims of child sexual exploitation for details of organisations that can provide helpful advice, information and support.