Child Sexual Exploitation is it your child?

[Stranza]

After reading another parent's harrowing story about their daughter was stolen from them by a grooming gang.

 

And how we should all take a second and think about what is happening in our child's life.

 

I copied some of the red flags from

 

http://www.paceuk.info/the-problem/

 

Your child may become especially secretive and stop engaging with usual friends.*

They may be particularly prone to sharp mood swings; many parents come to Pace reporting that their child seems to*have*acquired an entirely*different personality. Whilst mood swings are common to all adolescents, it is the severity of behavioral change that is most indicative here.

They may be associating with, or develop a sexual relationship with older men and/or women*(although bear in mind that the perpetrators*could approach the child through a peer*from school who is already being exploited, or through the youngest member of the grooming network).

They may go*missing from home*– and be defensive about their location and activities, often returning home late or staying out all night*(again, perpetrators know that parents will immediately suspect something is wrong if their child stays out all night, so they may initially drop the child off at the home address and before their curfew.

They may even pick them up outside the school gates).They may receive odd calls and messages on their mobiles or social media*pages from unknown, possibly much older associates from outside their normal social networkThey may be in possession of new, expensive items*which they couldn’t normally afford, such as mobile phones, iPods or jewellery

Your child may also:Exhibit a sudden change in dressing patterns or musical tasteLook tired and/or unwell, and sleep at unusual hoursHave marks or scars on their body which they try to conceal

Adopt new ‘street language’ or respond to a new street name- See more at: http://www.paceuk.info/the-problem/spotting-the-signs/#sthash.VGLYhm14.dpuf

 

Maybe we should all read and understand better, get rid of any complacency and if we feel so inclined chuck a couple of quid their way.

[Mr Bloom]

I am glad you have posted this. It is something I had thought of doing myself but had not yet got round to.

 

I do think it's important that parents are equipped with the knowledge to help them recognise signs of child sexual exploitation, and indeed that our children are aware of certain behavious in others.

 

What also shocked me was that gangs often use younger siblings or victims to befriend young people, sometimes for months, gaining their trust and getting them to reveal details about themselves and their family, that are later used against them.

 

With also, many of the Rotherham victims naming Sheffield as a place where they might be taken or left, and recent cases as below, it would seem that we all need to be vigilant.

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/sheffield-teenage-girl-recalls-rape-in-hotel-1-6833216

 

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/teenager-groomed-sheffield-girls-for-drink-drugs-and-prostitution-1-6461913

 

I would also hope that schools will be including lessons on this in their sex and relationships education programmes if they do not already do so but parents should not rely on this and be proactive.

 

Thank you for the link. It does look a very informative site for parents and I had not come across this before.

[Stranza]

I am glad you have posted this. It is something I had thought of doing myself but had not yet got round to.

 

I do think it's important that parents are equipped with the knowledge to help them recognise signs of child sexual exploitation, and indeed that our children are aware of certain behavious in others.

 

What also shocked me was that gangs often use younger siblings or victims to befriend young people, sometimes for months, gaining their trust and getting them to reveal details about themselves and their family, that are later used against them.

 

With also, many of the Rotherham victims naming Sheffield as a place where they might be taken or left, and recent cases as below, it would seem that we all need to be vigilant.

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/sheffield-teenage-girl-recalls-rape-in-hotel-1-6833216

 

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/teenager-groomed-sheffield-girls-for-drink-drugs-and-prostitution-1-6461913

 

I would also hope that schools will be including lessons on this in their sex and relationships education programmes if they do not already do so but parents should not rely on this and be proactive.

 

Thank you for the link. It does look a very informative site for parents and I had not come across this before.

 

It is happening in Sheffield.

 

It's an eye opener to me how many 'normal' families have found themselves in this situation.

 

My experience was mostly girls from difficult backgrounds it hadn't really occurred to me that they could be from previously stable homes but had been so expertly extracted from their families and lives by the groomers that the groomers had caused the instability and caused the family breakdown.

 

The preconceived idea that the vulnerable girls were already ripe for abuse because they were from chaotic homes just isn't true.

 

It's every child.

[Daven]

And in every city, town, village and hamlet - always has been sadly.

[Stranza]

And in every city, town, village and hamlet - always has been sadly.

 

True.

 

We teach our children to watch out for strangers etc

 

Now we have gangs who spend time undoing all of that and whitewashing over even family ties.

 

How are we supposed to protect against sustained re education?