Know the signs

Child sexual exploitation can happen to any child, or young person under the age of 18, from any background. Tackling (CSE) is everyone’s business and it is important to remember that exploitation is never the victim’s fault.

Children at risk of exploitation could show signs, for example, they might:

• become especially secretive, stop seeing their usual friends, have really sharp and severe mood swings
• develop relationships with older people (although not all perpetrators are older)
• go missing from home and is reluctant to say where they have been, or what they have been doing
• receive calls and messages from outside their normal circle of friends
• have new, expensive, items they can not afford - such as mobile phone or jewellery, as well as ‘invisible’ or ‘virtual’ gifts such as phone credit and online gaming credits
• suddenly change their taste in music or clothes
• look tired, unwell or sleeps at unusual hours
• have marks or scars on their body, which they try to hide
• regularly miss school
• display inappropriate sexualised behaviour

If you notice any of these signs, it is important to report this to the police.