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Merseyside Safeguarding Children Board’s have adopted the definition of sexual exploitation that is set out in Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation, Supplementary Guidance to Working Together to Safeguard Children.
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DCSF-00689-2009
“Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive “something” (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities. Child sexual exploitation can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition; for example being persuaded to post sexual images on the Internet/mobile phones without immediate payment or gain. In all cases, those exploiting the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources. Violence, coercion and intimidation are common, involvement in exploitative relationships being characterised in the main by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability.”
The Extent of the Problem Locally
To date no systematic data collection and analysis of the extent and nature of child sexual exploitation in Merseyside has been undertaken and this is an action to be addressed by the Pan Mersey Strategy. Nationally we know that the issue has not always been recognised and that the extent of the problem has been underestimated.
Research undertaken by Barnardos -Puppet on A String http://www.barnardos.org.uk/ctf_puppetonastring_report_final.pdf shows that nationally the reporting of abuse through child sexual exploitation is growing year on year with a 16% growth in reporting between 2008/09 and 2009/10. In 2009/10 there were 6291reported instances. As yet there is no national data on an estimated population. Barnardos also report that the age profile of victims is reducing with girls as young as 10 years and boys as young as 8 years being identified as victims and the average age being 13 years.
What we do know is that a number of children and young people have been identified through joint working between the Council and the police, who are being or have been abused through child sexual exploitation, are suspected to have been or who have been identified at risk of this form of abuse.
We also know that locally the predominant Abuse Model appears to start with the “Boyfriend Model where young girls aged between 11 and 15 years are groomed and brought into a sexual exploitation situation. For some children the abuse continues to involve a single perpetrator but for others they are then further abused through “Organised Exploitation and Trafficking”.
We know that the victims identified locally are predominantly white British girls but that there are other victims or children identified as being at risk. We must have regard for specific factors such as the age, disability, race, ethnicity or cultural background of both suspected perpetrators and victims and will take these fully into account in our investigations and work with the victims.
We are aware that there are likely to be barriers to young people coming forward and reporting this type of abuse which means that children and young people from minority ethnic groups and boys are even more likely to be significantly under reported. To date Merseyside has not identified many boys at risk of child sexual exploitation but experience elsewhere tells us they will be out there and we need to take a proactive approach in identifying them.
Whilst most of the children identified as being abused in this way are aged between 12 and 15 years at the point at which the abuse started we were aware of concerns in relation to children as young as 10 years of age and on-going concerns about young people aged 15 years into their early 20’s.
We are also aware that some children and young people nationally are trafficked for the purpose of child sexual exploitation. This includes internal trafficking between different parts of a town or city or different parts of the UK and external trafficking where children and young people are brought into the UK from abroad.
Children and young people who are subject to child sexual exploitation need to be regarded as victims of an abusive situation and should not be treated as persons involved in prostitution or other criminal activities.
Context
In developing – and implementing – this communications strategy in Merseyside, it is important to acknowledge the context in which those organisations subscribing to this strategy are operating.
Nationally, the police enquiry into the late Jimmy Savile and the media coverage about that case, proved to be a catalyst for extensive media coverage and heightened public awareness of CSE that continues seemingly unabated today.
Further Metropolitan Police enquiries into other celebrity suspects and the on-going enquiry into the North Wales Children’s Homes have maintained the media focus on the issue.
Several high profile cases of group CSE have increased the level of national interest (public and media) in CSE – with cases in Rochdale, Oxford and Rotherham. In Rochdale and Rotherham there has been widespread criticism of the police and social services for their alleged failure to intervene early enough due to a perception that victims were engaging in sexual relationships consensually.
It is therefore necessary to develop an effective, co-ordinated communications strategy on behalf of all interested partners throughout Merseyside , to address negative perceptions of our collective performance on CSE issues, to demonstrate the very active and positive steps being taken to prevent such crimes and to investigate the perpetrators, to encourage public confidence in our service delivery and to encourage the reporting of such offences. If successful, such a communications strategy will help to restore public confidence, engender more accurate and balanced reporting, and, ultimately, help keep children safe from those who would seek to exploit them for sexual purposes.
The threat
There are a number of threats to those partner organisations seeking to prevent CSE in Merseyside and investigating and prosecuting those who commit such crimes. They include, but are not limited to:
Background and basis for this strategy
In developing this communications strategy, account has been taken of the current national and local context, of recent media coverage of CSE issues and cases locally and nationally. It also takes account of the recently-developed National Child Sexual Exploitation Communications Strategy developed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (2013) and communications strategies relating to CSE cases elsewhere in the country.
It is recommended that this communications strategy is adopted by partner organisations and specific statutory boards operating in Liverpool and engaged in the prevention and detection of child sexual exploitation, namely:
Statutory
Voluntary & Charitable
Boards
The organisations subscribing to this communications strategy will adhere to the following tenets of approach in all their individual and joint communications activity:
Tone and content
In both tone and content, we will:
The aims of this communications strategy are to:
The following, segmented, audiences will be specifically targeted by the tactical communications activity to be developed as a result of this strategy:
“Internal”
External
AIMS
AIMED AT
HOW
AIMS
AIMED AT
HOW
Education providers should develop a tool kit for use across the age groups to raise awareness of the signs of CSE with children and young people. This toolkit should be endorsed by Mersey LSCBs.
Mersey LSCBs to agree a standard leaflet aimed at raising awareness of CSE with parents and carers which will be sent via individual schools. Schools to look at the possibility of providing awareness raising sessions for parents and carers.
AIMS
AIMED AT
Licensed Security Staff
Nightclubs and Bars
Under 18 Events / Public Events
Takeaways and Restaurants
Off Licenses
Hotels / Guest Houses / Bed and Breakfast
Cinemas and other Entertainment Venues
Taxis
Travel networks (train and bus)
Shopping Centres
Sport and Leisure Facilities
HOW
Using the National Working Groups publicity materials, a campaign will be developed and implemented in the Spring of 2014. Subject to its success, consideration will be given to refreshing and re-launching the campaign each year thereafter.
The charity the National Working Group has developed a national toolkit of visual imagery and messaging which has been endorsed by the Minister for Policing Damien Green MP. To ensure a consistent approach to the key campaign messages, this toolkit will form the core of the public campaign in Merseyside.
As members of the NWG, LSCBs can access its toolkit of artwork-ready campaign material for free but there will be costs incurred in printing the material in different formats (leaflets, posters,billboards etc). Additionally, there will be costs associated with the distribution of campaign material and its use on travel networks, in public places etc.
The active support of all partners subscribing to this communications strategy will be required to ensure widespread dissemination of campaign materials and information literature.
The following list comprises some generic messages all partners should seek opportunities to promulgate both internally within their own organisations and externally.
Definition / generic / context-setting
Whilst each partner agency subscribing to this strategy will have its own, different roles and responsibilities regarding CSE and has a different part to play in the achievement of the strategic aim set out in this document, all share a common aspiration to keep children safe from exploitation for sexual purposes.
To ensure a consistent and co-ordinated approach towards communications activity, to preclude against any one partner being taken by surprise by the public announcement of another, and to ensure the public demonstration of a united, countywide and partnership approach to tackling CSE, it is recommended that a communications protocol is developed among all partners subscribing to this strategy.
The Merseyside CSE Communications Protocol should set out, among other things, a commitment among all partners to:
A draft protocol is set out at Appendix C which it is proposed all partner agencies consider, provide suggested amendments to, in order to produce a final draft for adoption by all partner agencies.
There are a number of different multi-agency groups and boards operating in Merseyside which consider CSE issues at either a tactical or strategic level.
Created by the 2004 Children Act, there is a Local Safeguarding Children’s Board in each of the five local authority areas – Liverpool, St Helen’s, Sefton, Wirral and Knowsley. These meet on a quarterly basis and aim to co-ordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the Board to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and to ensure the effectiveness of that work.
In addition, each LSCB holds two meetings in relation to CSE. The CSE Sub Group operates at a strategic level, is chaired by Merseyside Police and meets quarterly, in addition each LSCB holds a CSE practitioners group which operates at case level and is chaired by Merseyside Police representatives, this meeting is also held on a quarterly basis.
The groups does not supplant, replace or override existing safeguarding procedures or governance structures, but exist to facilitate awareness and information-sharing about CSE issues. Actions are generated in response to the sharing of information and best practice processes of the partners.
Each statutory partner organisation also has its own “in-house” tactical and strategic meetings / groups which largely focus on their own operational responsibilities but to which partners are sometimes invited / co-opted.
It is recommended that the following governance arrangements are established for the further development, adoption, implementation and governance of this communications strategy:
Development
This first draft of the strategy will be circulated to Multi Agency Partners across Merseyside via LSCBs.
Approval
The responsibility for agreeing to adopt this strategy will rest with the Pan Merseyside LSCB Chairs.
Implementation
Responsibility for implementing this communications strategy will rest on a day-to-day basis with the individual agencies in partnership with the local LSCB.
Monitoring
Monitoring the implementation of the strategy will be undertaken by the individual partner agencies who should inform the LSCB of progress.
Governance
Ultimate responsibility for the governance of the strategy will rest with the CSE lead of the partner organisations.
Several of the partner agencies have recently produced, or are currently producing, single-agency or multi-agency campaign material to highlight CSE, the various warning signs that it may be taking place and advice about how to prevent the crime happening.
This strategy commends a Merseyside -wide multi-agency approach be taken to the production of material already prepared by and available from the National Working Group, with the addition of supplementary material aimed specifically at potential victims and their parents, guardians and / or carers.
Once this strategy is agreed, a public awareness raising campaign plan with costs, will be prepared for consideration by the Pan Mersey LSCB Chairs by the CSE Co-ordinator.
The success of this strategy will be evaluated using the following mechanisms:
The below warning signs were identified by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s Inquiry into Group and Gang Associated Child Sexual Exploitation. While they refer to group and gang CSE specifically, the warning signs and vulnerabilities also apply to other forms of CSE.
The following are typical vulnerabilities in children prior to abuse:
The following signs and behaviour are generally seen in children who are already being sexually exploited:
Evidence shows that any child displaying several vulnerabilities from the above lists should be considered to be at high risk of sexual exploitation. Professionals should immediately start an investigation to determine the risk, along with preventative and protective action as required.
However, it is important to note that children without pre-existing vulnerabilities can still be sexually exploited. Therefore, any child showing risk indicators in the second list, but none of the vulnerabilities in the first, should also be considered as a potential victim, with appropriate assessment and action put in place as required.
SOURCE – OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONERS INTERIM REPORT – INQUIRY INTO CSE IN GANGS AND GROUPS ‘I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE’ 21 NOVEMBER 2012.
What is CSE?
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a form of child abuse where the victim is given something- food, money, drugs, alcohol, gifts- in exchange for sexual activity with the abuser. Offenders target vulnerable young people and use their power- physical, financial, emotional etc- over the child to sexually abuse them.
Violence, coercion and intimidation are common. Involvement in exploitative relationships is characterised by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice as a result of their social, economic or emotional vulnerability.
A common feature of CSE is that the child or young person does not recognise the coercive nature of the relationship and does not see themselves as a victim of exploitation. This means that they are unlikely to report the abuse so police and partners must be alert to the signs of CSE and actively look for victims.
CSE can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition; for example being persuaded to post images on the internet/ mobile phones without immediate payment or gain.
Questions about the ethnicity of offenders suggesting that the majority of offenders are of Asian background.
Recent cases, where organised groups of men of predominately South Asian origin have sexually exploited vulnerable white girls, have demonstrated one model of group child exploitation.
This is certainly not the only form of CSE taking place. There is not one type of victim or offender of CSE. CSE can take many forms in many settings. If we look at just one model, such as group or gang CSE, we risk missing other victims who do not fall into that category. There is also a risk that victims don’t recognise their abuse as CSE because it doesn’t fit a particular model.
The majority of offenders of CSE are white British males.
Why have we seen a disproportionate number of Asian men involved in these cases?
There may be many reasons for this. Offenders of CSE reflect the demographic of the communities in which they live and we have seen this in recent cases of group CSE. The model of organised groups of Asian origin exploiting young white girls has received extensive media coverage in recent years and, subsequently, is high in the public consciousness. This may mean that police, those working with children and the public have become better at identifying this form of abuse.
The most important thing for us to all to do is to know the signs of CSE and keep our eyes open for them in all communities and environments.
Aren’t you ignoring this problem because of political correctness?
Not at all. Recent prosecutions show that police are investigating this group of offenders and bringing them to justice. We know that CSE is not isolated to one specific group of offenders. Our investigations and other research show that CSE spans all cultures and ethnicities. If we were to focus solely on this one offender group, we would be ignoring and failing other victims.
What kinds of children are falling victim to these crimes? Recent cases seem to have involved girls from deprived areas and broken homes.
The Office of Children’s Commissioner’s inquiry into group and gang CSE identified some typical vulnerabilities of children who are victims of CSE such as living in a chaotic or dysfunctional home, residential care or a gang neighbourhood. Partner organisations are working together to identify young people with these vulnerabilities so that they can protect them.
However, it is a mistake to think that these are the only young people at risk. Victim experience of CSE is diverse with young people from all backgrounds and all parts of the country. It should be assumed that CSE is occurring in all areas and communities, and we are proactively looking for it.
Is greater use of technology, internet and social media having an effect?
CSE offenders are using new technology and social media as a tool to groom children and young people. CSE can actually take place through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition; for example, being persuaded to post images on the internet or mobile phones without immediate payment or gain.
The police service is also using new technology and social media to identify victims of CSE and gather intelligence and evidence about offenders.
This protocol has been agreed by the following organisations:
1. Purpose
The purpose of this protocol is to:
2. Scope
This protocol is intended to cover proactive and reactive communications activity by the partner agencies in relation to CSE, either thematically or case specifically.
3. Aims
The protocol aims to:
4. Principles
It is important to recognise that:
5. Delivery of the protocol
This protocol defines communications as:
6. Operation of the protocol
7. Review
The protocol should be reviewed six months after its implementation date.