“Preventing and combating sexual exploitation requires a coordinated response from several authorities. Universal and specialty services play an important role. Children and young people need information to help them build resilience and make safe decisions. Parents and caregivers need information on how to talk to their children and recognize signs that their child may be at risk. Practitioners must have the knowledge and skills to recognize and respond appropriately to sexual exploitation. This must be accompanied by work to track, disrupt and prosecute perpetrators and reduce recidivism. [20] It is important to remember that while CSE is primarily experienced by people in adolescence, it is not a collection category for all forms of violence and violence in adolescence. For example, cases that do not include the concept of exchange do not fall within the definition, even if sexual exploitation behaviours (such as pressure or manipulation) are present and significant harm occurs. Similarly, a 15-year-old boy who pressures his 14-year-old daughter or boyfriend to have sex in order to stay in the relationship (although this is an issue that requires an answer) would not be defined as a CST if there is no significant power imbalance within the relationship. Nor is it a one-time incident of sexual assault, when the victim has no prior or subsequent contact with the perpetrator and the only gain associated with it is the sexual satisfaction of the perpetrator, although this obviously also requires a reaction. For more information on CST, see: Scotland`s National Action Plan to Prevent and Tackle Child Sexual Exploitation Update (March 2016) If you suspect abuse, exploitation or neglect, it is important that you report your concerns to the Adult Protection Gateway Service to your local Health and Social Care Trust or the police. It is therefore essential that CBSs are not considered in isolation from the broader concept of sexual abuse and other relevant concepts such as trafficking in persons, missing persons and gender-based violence, which offer alternative ways of answering these and other questions that do not fall within the definition of the CSE. A pattern of ongoing contact with the abuser should not be understood as an indication of no harm, but should be understood in light of the child`s vulnerability and the complex power dynamics of the abusive relationship (as seen in situations of domestic violence).

Exploitation means treating someone badly in order to gain an advantage for oneself. In other words, it is a form of abuse where someone is manipulated or forced to do something that benefits others. Exploitation can take many forms, occur in different situations and involve different groups of people. Just because a child does not realize the abusive nature of their situation does not mean they are not being abused. Many children may not see the exploitative nature of their experience until months or years later, when they are freed from the situation and able to think about manipulation and power imbalance in the game. Professionals therefore need support to identify vulnerability in the midst of difficult behavior and frequent resistance or even obvious disregard for the child`s professional support. Just because a child gets something they need or want doesn`t mean they won`t be abused. Taking advantage of this need or desire – and the limited alternative options the child may have to satisfy them – and making them believe that they are in control because the child is getting something in return can be part of the process of abuse. Sexual abuse is non-consensual sexual contact (any unwanted sexual contact).

Examples include unwanted touching, rape, sodomy, forced nudity, sexually explicit photography. Signs of sexual abuse. Most of the identified cases of CST involve young women. Young men are also victims of CSE, although their violence is more likely to be overlooked. The same identification problems can be observed with respect to black and ethnic minority children, children with disabilities, and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex. Sexual abuse is unwanted sexual activity or sexual behavior that occurs without consent or understanding. CSE can and does affect children from all walks of life without obvious pre-identified vulnerabilities. It is therefore crucial that we are aware of the risks in the entire youth population and that we do not assume that a child is safe from this form of abuse. .