KENILWORTH’S SNT, part of Warwickshire Police, are taking part in the national Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week that starts today (Monday 15 March 2021). The campaign aims to raise awareness of all forms of exploitation, how to spot signs of abuse, and to direct people to support resources and systems.
It may be presumed that CSE only happens to vulnerable young girls, but girls and boys can be sexually exploited – up to 25% of all reported cases nationally are boys and young men. Sexual exploitation can happen to anyone regardless of where they live, what their parents or carers do for a living or what their race, religion or sexuality is.
Did you know:
- Boys are less likely, or may find it more difficult to disclose abuse and exploitation.
- Boys are targeted in exactly the same ways as girls for sexual exploitation with social media, gaming, status, drugs and alcohol commonly used to target and draw in young men.
- Behaviour could be seen as experimenting with sexuality rather than as exploitation. This is not the case.
- There is evidence to show that boys and young men who are being sexually exploited are more likely to be criminalised and may be channelled into criminal justice systems rather than child protection systems.
During Child Exploitation Awareness week, there will also be a number of activities taking place including two webinars for parents at 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday evening, focusing on mental health and emotional resilience, along with a Facebook Live Q&A session at 7pm on Wednesday for the public to pose any questions they may around CE to experts from Barnardo’s*.
The new Something’s Not Right website is also packed full of information and resources around Child Exploitation, including the different types of exploitation, what signs to look for in a child or young person, and what support is available if you or someone you know may be a victim of child exploitation. The website also features some powerful real life stories about victims of CE.
Find out more about child exploitation and the support available by visiting the new website www.somethingsnotright.co.uk
If you would be interested in attending one of the webinars or the live Facebook Q&A session, register your interest by emailing rebeccaweaver@barnardos.org.uk
- Webinar – 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday (both sessions are the same so please only register for one)
- Facebook Live Q&A session
Where to go for help and support
- If you are worried about a child or young person, contact the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, on 01926 414144.
- You can also make a report to Warwickshire Police via their website or by calling 101, or you can contact your local Children and Family Centre.
- Contact Crimestoppers confidentially and anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- You can talk to trained counsellors on the 24-hour helplines run by ChildLine on 0800 11 11 and the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000
- If someone is in immediate danger, call the police on 999
Kenilworth Watch 