North Wales - We must all be aware if children are being sexually exploited

Published date: 18 March 2016 | 

Published by: Romilly Scragg 
Read more articles by Romilly Scragg Email reporter

Child sexual exploitation is taking place in North Wales and North Wales Police detective sergeant Sarah Fellows, who heads the force’s dedicated CSE team, told Romilly Scragg why everyone needs to recognise the signs of CSE – and report it.

THE more you know, the more you look, the more you see.

The message is central to the battle being waged by North Wales Police against the sexual exploitation of children and young people.

Following high profile cases of CSE, such as in Rotherham where an estimated 1,400 children were sexually abused by gangs, North Wales Police has made tackling Child Sexual Exploitation a key priority and October last year saw the launch of a dedicated team, Onyx, which is led by Det Sgt Sarah Fellows. She told me the problem was embedded in all areas of society.

“This is not confined to the inner cities,” she said. “CSE is happening across the whole of North Wales.”

Approximately 260 children in the region are currently recognised as being at significantrisk of CSE. 

Everyone has a part to play, she said, if we are to deal with a situation where many victims cannot speak out.

As well as working with the highest risk children, Onyx provides CSE training to all police officers and civilian staff as well as to staff in outside agencies.

“The most important thing is that we get better at recognising the early signs so intervention can take place as soon as possible,” she said. 

“Something that might seem unimportant could be the final piece of the jigsaw. Everyone needs to talk to each other and share information. We need people to be our eyes and ears. Police officers, social workers, schools, parents, binmen – absolutely everybody. The more eyes and ears, the better.”

Awareness-raising projects are taking place in secondary schools across the region and information is being rolled out to professionals and other groups such as taxi drivers.

A key task is to gather information on a regional level. “It’s about getting the bigger picture, DS Fellows said. 

“Perpetrators move. Children move. With Facebook, they’re meeting people from other areas.”

Child sexual exploitation happens to both boys and girls, in urban and rural areas. It happens to young people in care and to those living at home. CSE is not exclusive to any one community.

CSE covers a variety of crimes but fundamentally it is the manipulation of children and young people to take part in some form of sexual activity.

It involves some form of exchange. That might be affection, protection or a place to stay – or it could be money, a mobile phone or drugs or alcohol – “gifts” that can serve the secondary purpose of keeping the perpetrator in constant contact or increasing their vulnerability and dependency.

“Mobile phones and social media mean the young person has never got a place to hide, they can never get away from it and the child becomes totally dominated. 

“The perpetrator slowly becomes the most important person in that child’s life, and slowly destroys their ties with family and friends.”

Isolation occurs and before long the perpetrator controls all aspects of the child's life. “Too often parents think children who perhaps don’t go out often, who are at home and upstairs in their bedrooms are safe, but they’re on their own. They’re hidden away from their family and friends but they’re open to the world on social media. Parents need to be internet savvy. They need to be mindful of who they’re talking to.”

The grooming process can take months but it can take just minutes, and it is the grooming process and the vulnerability that stops the victim from realising they’re being exploited.

“That’s what makes child sexual exploitation such a hidden form of abuse,” DS Fellows said.

“Young people do not recognise they are being groomed for abuse and may think they’re not a victim of any form of crime. And if you don’t think you’re a victim of crime, why would you speak out or tell somebody what’s going on?”

Even when CSE is suspected, it can be very difficult to overcome the dominance of the perpetrator.

“It can take up to 12 months for a child to disclose to somebody, if ever. And in that 12 months there’s an awful lot of intervention needed to gain their confidence and the trust – not just with the police but with all agencies.”

Barnadoes work closely with NWP and now conduct the visits made when a child returns home after going missing.

It is a subtle change in tack that has made a “huge difference”.

DS Fellows added: “Sometimes children and young people do come to recognise the danger they’re in but they’ve become so involved they’re too frightened to tell anyone. .

“When a child does speak out it’s really important that we listen to them and take them seriously and do something about it. It may be the only time they are able to speak out speak out.”

What to do if you suspect a child is in danger.

Report your concerns to North Wales Police on 101

If you are concerned there is immediate risk, call 999

Further advice is available on the NWP website

see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/159949/we-must-all-be-aware-if-children-are-being-sexually-exploited.aspx